SR8: Resolution Text

LRB-0838/3

RAC:kjf&klm

2021 - 2022 LEGISLATURE

2021 Senate RESOLUTION 8

June 4, 2021 - Introduced by Senator LeMahieu. Referred to Committee on Senate Organization.

SR8,1,5 To amend senate rule 8 (1), senate rule 11 (1), senate rule 14, senate rule 18 (1), senate rule 18 (2), senate rule 18 (3), senate rule 25 (4) (b), senate rule 34 (2), senate rule 45, senate rule 46 (5), senate rule 48, senate rule 69, senate rule 88 (2), senate rule 93 (3), senate rule 94 (3) (a), senate rule 94 (3) (b) and senate rule 95m; relating to: the senate rules.

Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau

This resolution makes the following changes to the senate rules:

Appropriate attire while senate is in session

The resolution provides that denim jeans are not appropriate attire for men and women while the senate sits in session.

Access to senate floor

The resolution provides that technical staff designated by the senate chief clerk may be admitted to the senate floor when the senate sits in session.

Days and hours for meeting

Current rules provide that the senate must meet at 10 a.m. on Tuesday and Thursday unless a different day or hour is prescribed by the Committee on Senate Organization or by a resolution or motion adopted by majority vote of the members present. The resolution eliminates the 10 a.m. default, but not Tuesday and Thursday requirement.

Referral of vetoes to Committee on Senate Organization

The resolution provides that veto messages received from the governor must be referred to the Committee on Senate Organization. The change clarifies that veto messages from the assembly need not be referred to the Committee on Senate Organization but may be taken up immediately if the senate is in session.

Distribution of documents

Numerous rules require the “distribution” of documents to senators and others, a requirement that assumes all documents will be in paper format. The resolution amends the rules to require instead that documents be “made available” so that they may be delivered in digital or electronic format, as well as in paper format.

Assignment of legislative employees to pay ranges

Currently, the chief clerk assigns legislative employees to pay ranges. The resolution provides that the legislative human resources office assigns legislative employees to pay ranges.

SR8,2,1 Resolved by the senate, That:

SR8,1 Section 1 . Senate rule 8 (1) is amended to read:

SR8,2,6 Senate Rule 8 (1) Members, officers, and employees shall wear appropriate attire while the senate is sitting in session. Appropriate attire for men includes the wearing of a coat. Appropriate attire for men and women does not include denim jeans.

SR8,2 Section 2 . Senate rule 11 (1) is amended to read:

SR8,2,12 Senate Rule 11 (1) Persons of the following classes, and no others, shall be admitted to that portion of the floor of the senate where the members sit in session: the governor, the lieutenant governor, members of the legislature, members of the staff of the sergeant at arms, technical staff designated by the chief clerk, and designated members of the chief clerk's staff.

SR8,3 Section 3 . Senate rule 14 is amended to read:

SR8,3,2 Senate Rule 14. Hour Days for meeting. The senate shall meet at 10 a.m. on Tuesday and Thursday unless a different day or hour is prescribed by the committee on senate organization or by a resolution or motion adopted by majority vote of the members present. This section shall not apply to a senate session that is convened to prevent a violation of section 10 of article IV of the constitution.

SR8,4 Section 4 . Senate rule 18 (1) is amended to read:

SR8,3,16 Senate Rule 18 (1) All proposals, appointments, or other business, referred to a committee and reported by it to the senate or withdrawn from it by the senate, all proposals or amendments received from the assembly for senate concurrence, and all reports from conference committees and veto messages from the governor received by the senate, shall be placed in the committee on senate organization. Any such business deposited with the chief clerk on a day when the senate does not meet may be placed in the committee on senate organization immediately. The committee on senate organization shall establish a calendar at least 18 hours prior to the commencement of the session to which the calendar applies, but the distributed calendar, as provided made available under sub. (2), may not be changed within such 18-hour period. In establishing a calendar under this subsection, the committee on senate organization shall place a proposal, appointment, or other business on the calendar when directed to do so by a majority vote of the senate.

SR8,5 Section 5 . Senate rule 18 (2) is amended to read:

SR8,3,19 Senate Rule 18 (2) A copy of the calendar shall be distributed made available to all members before the calendar is acted upon.

SR8,6 Section 6 . Senate rule 18 (3) is amended to read:

SR8,3,24 Senate Rule 18 (3) The distributed calendar, made available under sub. (2), shall show the business scheduled to be taken up on the current day, organized according to the orders of business established by rule 17 (1). For proposals on 2nd reading, the calendar shall show all pending committee reports.

SR8,7 Section 7 . Senate rule 25 (4) (b) is amended to read:

SR8,4,11 Senate Rule 25 (4) (b) If a chairperson of a committee elects to vote by ballot under par. (am), public notice shall be posted on the bulletin board of each house prior to the circulation of the ballot as provided under sub. (1) (b) and (d). The notice shall indicate the day and hour when the ballot will be circulated and the number, author, and relating clause of each proposal to be considered. If unintroduced legislation will be considered, the notice shall indicate the draft number assigned to the legislation by the legislative reference bureau and the relating clause of the legislation, and shall indicate that copies of the draft legislation are available at the chief clerk's office. The chairperson shall provide a copy of the draft legislation to the chief clerk before posting the notice. The chief clerk shall distribute copies make available a copy of the draft legislation to any person who requests such copies a copy.

SR8,8 Section 8 . Senate rule 34 (2) is amended to read:

SR8,4,15 Senate Rule 34 (2) The requirement for a one-day layover does not apply to amendments, but copies a copy of the full text of each amendment shall be distributed made available to the members before adoption of the amendment.

SR8,9 Section 9 . Senate rule 45 is amended to read:

SR8,4,21 Senate Rule 45. Offering of privileged resolution. A resolution privileged by rule 69 shall, when sent to the clerk's desk, be read at length by the chief clerk, but may be read by its relating clause if copies a copy of the text have has been distributed made available to the members. When so read, the privileged resolution is before the senate.

SR8,10 Section 10 . Senate rule 46 (5) is amended to read:

SR8,5,3 Senate Rule 46 (5) A proposed amendment that is offered must have a heading stating the number of the proposal that it is proposed to amend and the name of the member proposing the amendment. The chief clerk shall read the number of the amendment. The amendment shall be reproduced and made available. The jacket copy of the amendment shall be placed in the jacket and copies shall be distributed made available as provided by the rules.

SR8,11 Section 11 . Senate rule 48 is amended to read:

SR8,5,8 Senate Rule 48. Reading of amendments. The chief clerk shall read the full text of each amendment to the members, and the presiding officer shall state the number of each amendment, but amendments that have been distributed made available to the members may not be read at length.

SR8,12 Section 12 . Senate rule 69 is amended to read:

SR8,5,16 Senate Rule 69. Privileged motion or resolution. Except as provided in rule 90, a motion or resolution relating to the organization or proceedings of the senate, or to any of its officers, members, or committees, is privileged in that it need not lie over for consideration, but may be taken up immediately unless referred to the calendar or committee. Any such resolution shall be read at length unless copies a copy of the full text of the resolution have has been distributed made available to the members.

SR8,13 Section 13 . Senate rule 88 (2) is amended to read:

SR8,5,22 Senate Rule 88 (2) On recommendation of the respective appointing officers, the committee on senate organization shall allocate the number of employees of the senate within the limits established by the staffing pattern then in force and the duties and responsibilities assigned to each employee. The chief clerk legislative human resources office shall assign each position to the proper pay range.

SR8,14 Section 14 . Senate rule 93 (3) is amended to read:

SR8,6,3 Senate Rule 93 (3) The daily calendar is in effect immediately upon posting on the legislative bulletin boards. The calendar need not be distributed or otherwise made available.