STANDING RULES OF THE

ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON JUDICIARY

 

SEVENTY-SECOND SESSION, 2003

 

1.         In accordance with Assembly Standing Rule (ASR) 100, the rules under which this Committee shall be organized are listed as follows in descending order of priority, except that the rules of this Committee will precede Mason’s Manual of Parliamentary Procedure:

 

            a.         Constitution of the State of Nevada

            b.         Nevada Revised Statutes

            c.         Joint Rules of the Senate and Assembly

            d.         Standing Rules of the Nevada Assembly

            e.         Rules of the Assembly Committee on Judiciary

            f.          Mason’s Manual of Parliamentary Procedure

 

2.         A minimum of eight members of the Committee will constitute a quorum.  A quorum must be present to take definitive action on a bill or resolution (8 of 15 members).

 

3.         All motions require a second.  If no second is received after a motion has been made, that motion shall be declared invalid for lack of a second.

 

4.         Committee introductions of bills or resolutions will require a two-thirds majority of the entire Committee (10 of the 15 members) and do not imply commitment to support the bill or resolution.

 

5.         A two-thirds majority (10 members) of the Committee will be required to reconsider action on a bill or resolution.

 

6.         Duties of the Chairman, in addition to those provided in other rules:

 

            a.         Preparing and distributing the Committee’s agendas;

b.         Determining when final action is to be taken on measures, Committee reports, and other business of the Committee;

c.         Preparing and submitting Committee reports;

d.         Preserving order and decorum and deciding all questions of order;

e.         Providing direction to Committee support staff;

f.          Calling recesses of the Committee as deemed necessary;

g.         Require minutes to be kept; and

h.         Reviewing and approving minutes of the Committee.

7.         Duties of the Vice Chairman;

 

            In the absence of the Chairman, or upon the request of the Chairman, the Vice Chairman shall assume the duties of the Chairman.

 

8.         Duties of the Committee Secretaries:

 

            A secretary of the Committee shall call the roll at the beginning of each meeting — noting members present, absent, and excused.  After causing a record to be made of each meeting, a Committee secretary shall prepare minutes and present them to the Chairman for his review and approval.  The Committee secretaries are custodians of all records and minutes of the meetings until these documents are released to the custody of the Legislative Counsel Bureau.

 

9.         If a member must leave a Committee meeting for an extended period of time, the Chairman should be advised.  Members not in attendance when a final action is taken on a measure will be marked absent for the vote.

 

10.       Committee members shall, at all times, address the Chair for permission to be heard.  All definite actions of the Committee may be taken by roll call vote at the discretion of the Chairman.  All definite actions will be duly recorded by the secretary and made a part of the Committee minutes.

 

11.       Unless a Committee member advises the Chair otherwise, it will be presumed that the members will vote during the floor session consistent with their vote in Committee.

 

12.       Minority reports may be submitted in accordance with Mason’s Manual, Section 674.

 

13.       All meetings and deliberations of the Committee shall be open to the general public and all members of the media.  It is the intention of the Committee to create an atmosphere of courtesy, professionalism and equal interest in all persons who are testifying.

 

14.       Witnesses before the Committee will address requests to testify to the Chair and will be recognized only by the Chair.  Pursuant to NRS 218.5323, when the Chair deems necessary, persons wishing to testify will be sworn in.  The Chair shall determine the order of speakers utilizing the guest list.

 

15.       Subcommittees, created from time to time at the discretion of the Chairman, shall be charged with considering bills or issues and providing recommendations to the Committee for actions, if necessary.

 

16.       Subcommittee meetings will be scheduled by the Subcommittee Chair after consulting with the Committee Chair and shall be recorded.

 

17.       All directions, assignments, or requests on behalf of the Committee must be communicated to its staff and to the personnel of the Legislative Counsel Bureau by the Chair of the Committee.  A member of the Committee must submit such requests to the Chair for transmittal to the staff of the Committee or to the personnel of the Legislative Counsel Bureau.