The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1916-12-30
PROPOSED RULES
FOR LEGISLATURE
Revision Has Been Completed and the
Matter Will Be Put in the Hands
Of the Legislature at Once.

The committee created by the joint
resolution adopted by the general assem-
bly, of 1915 TO revise the joint rules, the
rules OF the Senate, Of the House and the
manual of parliamentary practice as con
tanned in the ! csent legislative manual
and make report TO the 1917 general as
sembly, has completed its work and
copies OF the report will be mailed to
the members OF the general assembly to.
day. The committee was made up OF
Hale X. Darling, president OF the Senate
Guy NJ. Page, secretary of the Senate
John 4. Weeks, speaker OF the House
and Harry A. Black, clerk Of the House
In formating the draft of rules, the
committee endeavored TO re.arrange the
existing rules as to bring into proximity
those provisions relating TO the same
subject matter and to separate each sub.
ject matter into divisions with appropri-
ate titles; to incorporate such amend
ments to the rules as will in the opinion
OF the committee expedite the business
of the general assembly or furnish oppor-
tunity for more careful consideration.
The more important changes in pro-
cedure provided for by the proposed rules
are a revision of the methods OF commit
tee work, a calendar for the entire day
rather than for each half day, plan
to avoid recalling bills from the governor.
a more convenient form for bills and a
more logical time of reading them, deli
milton of the functions and course OF a
joint resolution, obviating the necessity
for many formal resolutions and a re-
striction on useless reconsideration.
The report suggests az a means OF a
revision of the methods of committee
work slight Encouragement of COM
mittees and the abolition of joint com
mittees. provision for stated regular
meetings of committees, provision for
committee records and an extension of
the powers of the committee on appropri-
alton.
II is proposed to combine all the work
for the day in one calendar and TO CON
time in session until noon and to CON
vene again at 80 o'clock by which
method it is believed work can be com
pleted by three o'clock and the remain
ing hours devoted to committee work. 1t
is proposed to call the calendar at the
beginning of the day, at which time
members will indicate those matters like
ly TO give rise to debate or amendment.
1t is believed that this will forward
much routine business.
Many times in the course of a session
errors which require amendment are dis
covered by the executive department. 1t
has been the practice for years to recall
such bills from the governor, amend
them, and return them to him or upon
to refuse their passage.
This method is entirely extra-legal, as
stated in the report OF the committee,
and there Is grave question but that it Is
entirely Illegal. In the opinion of the
committee if copy of the measure goes
to the governor and the original is with
held for three days, there will be ample
for him to suggest legisla-
tive action before the original bin is
delivered TO him and the recall Will be
1t is proposed to have all bills printed
before introducing them and the original
bills printed from the same type as the
members copies. 1t is proposed to read
as it is reported favorably by COM
mittee or when the adverse report OF a
committee is rejected All amendments
are to be presented at this time. The bill
having been read in full and the amend
ments inserted, the third reading may
be by title.
The committee reports that a joint
resolution should not be used to perform
he functions of a bill, as it has been
many times in the past. 1t is proposed
% prohibit this by rule and to prescribe
or what purpose joint resolutions may
oe used and what joint resolutions shall
,e referred to committees and require ex
,cutive approval
Under the present rules it is necessary
@ adopt various joint resolutions for
oint canvassing committees which are
eqnired by statute. 1t is proposed to do
lway with the necessity for these JOINT
resolutions by inserting the text as usu-
llly drawn in joint rules. The commit
zee recommends the passage OF a bill
which will allow the representatives hall
md the Senate chamber to be used for
10 purpose but legislation or business
0nnecteU tneTeNitH, eACtPt as thc w"
Houses may by joint rule provide. The !
ommttee also recommends the adoption |
# a Joint rule giving the joint standing
ommittee permission to use either legis-
atiye chamber for other than statutory |
purposes at its own discretion.
The committee also recommends that |
10 measure be reconsidered unless upon
three .fourths vote. This will leave
mple opportunity for reconsideration
hat may be necessary because OF an OBJ
ious error, but will not encourage at
empts to reconsider merely because the
riginal vote was close.
The report contains draft of the pro-
osed rules to be acted on by the general
ssembly.