Furthermore, the Chair and ranking minority member may designate specific members or staff for extended questioning of up to 30 minutes per side. The Minority is entitled to one additional day of related hearings at which to call their own witnesses if a majority of the Minority Members make their demand before the committee s hearing is gaveled closed. If an objection is heard, a non-debatable motion to adjourn must be entertained and passed in order to do so. Committees may also delegate the power to authorize subpoenas to the full committee chairman only. Subpoenas may be signed by the Chair or by any Member designated by the committee.
Subpoenaed witnesses have the right to be accompanied by counsel.
If a point of order is made in a timely manner in a hearing and the Chair improperly overrules or fails to properly consider the point of order, any committee Member may make a point of order against the bill s consideration when the measure reaches the floor. If the Chairman makes a mistake, the bill may be objected to on the floor and sent back to committee to correct the error. It is in a committee s best interest to ensure that the committee properly follows its own rules and the rules of the House.