YMCA Youth In Government Overview

Rules of the House and Senate Chambers

The House and Senate Chambers are used under the permission of the current members and leadership of the actual Maine House of Representatives, and the Maine Senate. This permission is granted on a yearly basis on the understanding that the chamber and offices will be treated with the respect that these chambers command. With this in mind those who serve in the House and Senate must live up to the following rules of the House and Senate.  We ask that you read these to avoid any problems during the weekend session.

1. Eating, drinking and chewing gum are prohibited on the floor of the House and Senate.

2. Candidates running for office or those supporting partisan causes may not distribute or display flyers or handouts on the floor or wear, buttons, or pins, while on the floor of the House and Senate.

3. Proper respect for the actual House member or Senator who sits in that seat must be shown. 

• Please do not remove any items from the desk.
• No sitting with feet up on desk
• Please do not change seats between desks.
• Please don’t get inside the desk drawers or cabinets.  This is the members office.
• Please sit in the seat you are assigned.
• Please leave a note thanking the member of the House or Senate for the use of their seat.

4. Members are expected to be on the floor for all votes, and to vote in all votes called for. 

You are in the role of an elected representative for people from your area of the state.

5. Members wishing to speak on a issue should rise to get the attention of the presiding officer. 

A couple of things to remember about speaking on the floor of the House and Senate.

When you wish speak stand, and ask the Presiding Officer to be recognized by saying:

Mr/Madam Speaker in the House of Representatives, or Mr/Madam President in the Senate

 

The staff person working the sound system will instruct in proper use of microphones.

When you are recognized start comments with:

Thank you Mr/Madam Speaker/President, my name is... (your name).....from (your school)....then your comments.

 

Have your thoughts organized; write them down or a couple of key words. 

This will keep you from rambling during you speech.

Remember many others may wish to speak, make your points then let others have their time.

 

Members are allowed to speak only 2 times on any item. 

You must get a suspension of the rules that requires a 2/3’s majority vote to speak more than 2 times.

 

Any questions or comments are to be made to the Presiding Officer, not directed at other members. 

At no time should personal comments be made towards other members. The presiding officer will direct any members’ questions to other members to answer.

6. While others are speaking show courtesy, when it is your time to speak and you will expect the same.           

7. Only Representatives are allowed at the desks on the floor of the House, and Senators are allowed at the desks in the Senate. Those wishing to speak with a member must meet outside of the chamber. 

8. Governor’s Cabinet members and Reporters are not allowed to sit on the floor or speak during sessions of the House and Senate

9. Lap Top Computers are ok to be used but participants but not to use them to watch DVD movies, listen to music or play games.

10. Participants are reminded that they are sitting at a Member of the House and Senate workspace. 

Please show the space the respect you would for any office in the State House.