[A]  These rules of procedure shall be construed in conformity with the Bylaws of the National Conference of State Legislatures.

          [B]  On any issue not covered by these rules of procedure or by the Bylaws, Mason's Manual of Parliamentary Procedure shall be the standard authority, when applicable.

RULE II
QUORUM AND PROXIES -- ANNUAL MEETING

          [A]  As required by the Bylaws, a quorum for the transaction of business at the Annual Meeting shall consist of representation from at least twenty (20) member jurisdictions.

          [B]  As required by the Bylaws, voting rights of a member may not be delegated to any other person nor exercised by proxy.

RULE III
VOTING IN PLENARY SESSION -- ANNUAL MEETING

          [A]  All action in plenary session shall be voice vote except when a roll call vote is requested by each of five member jurisdictions or is ordered by the chair.  As provided in the Bylaws, on any vote that places the Conference on record in a matter of public policy, an affirmative vote of three quarters (3/4) of the members present and voting is required; and legislative staff persons shall not be entitled to vote.  On all other matters, action is final by majority vote of the member jurisdictions present and voting, a quorum being present.

          [B]  In the event of a roll call vote, each member jurisdiction shall be entitled to cast one undivided vote.  Prior to the session, each member jurisdiction shall select the spokesperson who will announce the vote.

          [C]  When a roll call is being taken, the member jurisdictions shall be called in alphabetical order by the Executive Director.  The spokesperson for the delegation shall reply by giving his or her name and then announcing the vote of the delegation.

          [D]  If there is a challenge by a member of a delegation as to who shall be its spokesperson or as to the announced vote, the jurisdiction shall be called upon again.  If the challenger continues the challenge, the chair shall poll the delegation and shall declare that the majority of said delegation prevails.

          [E]  Until the chair announces the results of a vote, a jurisdiction has the right to change its vote, or to have its vote recorded if it was not recorded during the initial call.

          [F]  Consideration of policy resolutions shall be by calendar.  The consent calendar shall be limited to resolutions approved previously at the fall and spring business meetings or reported unanimously by an NCSL standing committee at the annual meeting.  The debate calendar shall include all policies passed by the NCSL standing committees without unanimity; policies removed from the consent calendar by majority vote of the Steering Committee; and policies removed from the consent calendar at the Annual Business Meeting at the request of three (3) member jurisdictions.

          The Steering Committee may place resolutions on the action calendar.  The action calendar shall be used to (1) bolster a lobbying position; (2) clarify a question of ambiguity in current policy; (3) provide guidance about the specifics of pending federal decisions; or (4) provide guidance about strategy or tactics regarding a lobbying matter.  A resolution approved on this calendar shall expire at the conclusion of the next annual meeting unless readopted by the standing committee of jurisdiction and readopted at the annual business meeting. 

          [G]  All resolutions and amendments shall be submitted in writing and available prior to the vote of member jurisdictions.

          [H]  Resolutions that have been tabled or postponed by a committee may be brought for consideration following disposition of the debate calendar by a vote of two thirds (2/3) of the member jurisdictions present and voting on a motion to discharge the committee from further consideration.  If thus brought up for consideration, the proposed resolutions shall be voted upon under the rules governing consideration of resolutions.

RULE IV
RESOLUTIONS SUBMITTED BY NCSL COMMITTEES -- ANNUAL MEETING

          According to the Bylaws, any resolution that results from the interim work of a regularly authorized committee of the Conference may be discussed and acted upon at any appropriate plenary session during an Annual Meeting, provided the resolution relates to the committee's purpose and the President approves of the scheduling of such discussion and action.

RULE V
POLICY ADOPTION PROCESS

          [A]  All policy positions produced by an NCSL standing committee shall be submitted to the fall and spring business meetings or the Annual Business Meeting for adoption.  All policy positions produced by divisions, sections, the NCSL standing committees and the fall and spring business meetings shall be submitted to the Annual Business Meeting for final adoption.  In the interim between Annual Meetings, policy positions may be adopted by Divisions, Sections, or Committees, but they shall clearly indicate that they are the policy positions of that Division, Section, or Committee, and not of the Conference as a whole.

            [B]  In emergency circumstances, when there is insufficient time to consider a new policy under normal processes, policy positions having the same force and effect as policy adopted by the full Conference may be established by either of the following means:  (1) majority vote of the legislator members, present and voting, of the Executive Committee in meeting assembled; or (2) the unanimous agreement by conference call of the NCSL President, the NCSL President-Elect, the NCSL Vice President, the NCSL Immediate Past President, the legislator Chair or a legislator Vice Chair of the NCSL Standing Committees, and the Chair or Vice Chair of the appropriate standing committee or committees. 

          [C]  All policy positions of the Conference shall automatically terminate three years after the Annual Business Meeting at which they are adopted, unless reaffirmed in the normal policy process.

            [D]  The decision to name NCSL as an amicus curiae on briefs filed before the U.S. Supreme Court shall be by unanimous agreement of the NCSL President, the NCSL Immediate Past President, the NCSL President-Elect, the NCSL Vice President, the legislator Chair of the NCSL Standing Committees, the Legislator Chair of the Law and Criminal Justice Committee and legislator chairs of other standing committees that have jurisdiction over the question to be resolved by the amicus brief.  In the event any person voting indicates a veto, the President may initiate a conference call to allow for discussion and to confirm each person's vote.

RULE VI
INTRODUCTION, REFERRAL AND DISSEMINATION OF POLICY RESOLUTIONS

[A]Any legislator may file a resolution designed for consideration at the fall or spring business meetings or the Annual Business Meeting.  Such resolutions shall be filed with the Executive Director or designee at least two weeks prior to the fall, spring or annual business meeting.  The overall legislator Chair of the Standing Committees, in consultation with the chair of the appropriate standing committee, may waive the two-week deadline under extraordinary circumstances.  The legislator Chair of the Standing Committees shall refer such resolutions promptly to the appropriate standing committee or committees.  Each resolution shall be reviewed and acted upon by the committee to which it is referred. 

[B]  Resolutions originating in the standing committees shall be submitted to the Executive Director or designee for referral by the legislator Chair of the Standing Committees at least two weeks prior to the fall, spring or annual business meeting.  The legislator Chair  of the Standing Committees, in consultation with the chair of the appropriate standing committee, may waive the two-week deadline under extraordinary circumstances.  The legislator Chair of the Standing Committees shall refer such resolutions promptly to the appropriate standing committee or committees. 

[C]  Standing committees shall disseminate draft policy resolutions at least ten days prior to the fall, spring or annual business meeting.  The legislator Chair of the Standing Committees, in consultation with the appropriate committee chair, may waive this deadline under extraordinary circumstances.

RULE VII
STANDING COMMITTEE PROCEDURES

            [A]  There shall be standing committees and task forces of NCSL whose number and jurisdictions are determined by the Executive Committee.  The standing committees and task forces (1) consider federal issues that affect states; (2) formulate policy positions on federal issues; (3) exchange information about state and federal policy matters; (4) consider and evaluate innovative approaches to state issues; (5) develop policy options and recommendations regarding state issues and legislative organization, management and procedures.

            [B]  There shall be an overall legislator Chair and an overall legislative staff chair of the Standing Committees, who shall be appointed by the NCSL President and Staff Chair, respectively.  There shall be at least two overall legislator vice chairs and two overall legislative staff vice chairs of the Standing Committees, who shall be appointed by the NCSL President and Staff Chair, respectively. 

            [C]  There shall be a Steering Committee of the Standing Committees, which shall be composed of the overall legislator and legislative staff chairs, the overall legislator and legislative staff vice chairs, and the legislator and legislative staff chair of each standing committee.  A committee chair shall designate a legislator committee vice chair and a legislative staff chair shall designate a legislative staff vice chair to represent the committee with the Steering Committee in his or her absence.   Only legislator members of the Steering Committee shall vote on policy resolutions, amendments to resolutions, and procedural motions related thereto, except legislative staff shall be allowed to vote on joint and re-referrals of policy resolutions.

            The Steering Committee shall review pending policy resolutions for inconsistencies and omissions; establish the order of business and calendars for the business meetings; make joint and re-referrals of policy resolutions; identify emerging state and federal issues; coordinate outreach to legislators and staff regarding the standing committees; coordinate planning of the fall and spring meetings; and consider the use of innovative technologies and communications devices for conducting meetings, increasing participation and informing legislators and staff about the work of the Standing Committees. 

           [D] Policy positions developed by the Standing Committees shall be directed at Congress, the Administration, or the federal courts, and shall be related to issues that affect the states. 

            [E]  There shall be a business meeting held in conjunction with the fall and spring meetings of the Standing Committees.  Participants in the business meeting are all legislators and legislative staff duly registered for the fall and spring meetings of the Standing Committees.  Only legislators shall vote on matters of public policy. 

            [F]  A quorum for the transaction of business in the fall and spring business meetings shall consist of representation of appointed legislator members, or in their absence, legislator substitutes designated in writing by appointed members' presiding officers, from at least twenty (20) member jurisdictions.  Letters designating substitutes shall be delivered to the Legislator Chair of the Standing Committees no later than the beginning of the business meeting.  At the beginning of each business meeting, the Legislator Chair shall establish the presence of a quorum.

          A quorum for the adoption of policy resolutions in Standing Committees shall consist of representation of appointed legislator members, or in their absence, legislator substitutes designated in writing by appointed members' presiding officers, from at least ten (10) member jurisdictions.  Letters designating substitutes shall be delivered to the appropriate legislator committee chair no later than the beginning of the committee session at which a vote on public policy will occur.  The Legislator Chair of each standing committee shall, prior to a committee vote(s) on a matter(s) of public policy, establish the presence of a quorum.

           [G]  All voting in the fall and spring business meetings, standing committees, subcommittees, and task forces shall be by voice or show of hands, except when a roll call vote is requested by each of five (5) member jurisdictions, or is called by the legislator chair.

          On matters of public policy placing the fall and spring business meetings, the standing committees, subcommittees, and task forces on public record, an affirmative vote of three-fourths (3/4) of the member jurisdictions present and voting shall be required, a quorum being present.  On all other matters, a quorum being present, action is final by majority vote of the member jurisdictions present and voting.

          Votes on matters of public policy shall be cast by appointed legislator members, or in their absence, by legislator substitutes designated in writing by appointed members’ presiding officers. All legislators duly registered for the fall and spring meetings shall be entitled to vote at the business meeting.  Legislative staff shall not be entitled to vote on matters of public policy.  In the event of a roll call vote, each member jurisdiction shall be entitled to cast one undivided vote.  Each member jurisdiction shall select a spokesperson who will announce the vote of the delegation.  Disputes on the presence of a quorum or voting procedures shall be settled by ruling of the legislator chair.

             [H]  Chairs of the standing committees have authority to preserve order and decorum and have charge of the rooms in which the committees meet.

             [I]  Each standing committee, subcommittee and task force shall produce a summary of each of its meetings.  Included in the summary shall be a record of its roll call votes by member jurisdiction.

          Standing committees, subcommittees and task forces shall approve, approve with amendment, postpone, table or defeat each resolution submitted to it.

             [J]  Consideration of policy resolutions at the fall and spring business meetings shall be by calendar.  The consent calendar shall be limited to policies that are reported unanimously by standing committees.  The debate calendar shall include all policies passed by standing committees without unanimity; policies removed from the consent calendar by majority vote of the Steering Committee; and policies removed from the consent calendar on the floor of the business meeting at the request of three (3) member jurisdictions.

            The Steering Committee may place resolutions on the action calendar.  The action calendar shall be used to (1) bolster a lobbying position; (2) clarify a question of ambiguity in current policy; (3) provide guidance about the specifics of pending federal decisions; or (4) provide guidance about strategy or tactics regarding a lobbying matter.  A resolution approved on this calendar shall expire at the conclusion of the next annual meeting unless readopted by the standing committee of jurisdiction and readopted at the annual business meeting. 

            There shall be a memorial calendar for resolutions that do not comply with Rule VII(D).  Members shall file memorial resolutions with the Executive Director in accordance with other provisions of these Rules.  The President shall refer such resolutions to the appropriate standing committee or the Executive Committee.  Memorial resolutions adopted by the fall and spring business meetings, or Executive Committee shall be placed on the memorial calendar of the Annual Business Meeting.

          Resolutions that have been tabled or postponed by a committee may be brought up for consideration following disposition of the debate calendar by a vote of two thirds (2/3) of the member jurisdictions present and voting on a motion to discharge the committee from further consideration.  If thus brought up for consideration, the proposed resolution shall be voted upon under the rules governing consideration of resolutions.

          Resolutions and amendments shall be submitted in writing and available prior to the vote of member jurisdictions.

             [K]  The Steering Committee shall meet prior to the standing committee meetings and determine, by majority vote, resolutions to be considered by more than one committee.  The Steering Committee shall designate one committee as the lead committee on each jointly-referred resolution.  Any committee to which the resolution is referred may report the resolution on the floor.  If the lead committee adopts a version of the resolution, it shall be considered first at the fall, spring or annual business meeting; other committees shall offer their versions and amendments from the floor.

          In its meeting following the meetings of the standing committees, the Steering Committee shall designate resolutions to be re-referred to one or more other committees.  The resolutions approved by the committee with original jurisdiction automatically shall be placed on the debate calendar at the next fall, spring or annual business meeting.  If the committee to which the resolution is re-referred approves changes to it, it shall offer its version as an amendment on the floor.

RULE VIII
RECOMMENDATIONS REGARDING STATE ISSUES AND LEGISLATIVE MANAGEMENT

             [A] Standing committees, subcommittees, and task forces are authorized to issue reports, recommendations, and findings regarding state issues and legislative management.  All such work products shall be approved by a majority of the member jurisdictions present and voting, and shall be clearly identified only as the work of that committee, subcommittee or task force.  These work products shall be reported to the Executive Committee for any appropriate further action.

RULE IX
VOTING AND QUORUM REQUIREMENTS IN OTHER SUBDIVISIONS

          [A]  A quorum for the transaction of business in Divisions and Sections shall consist of representation from at least twenty (20) member jurisdictions.  A quorum for the transaction of business in special committees or task forces shall consist of representation from at least ten (10) member jurisdictions.

            Unless otherwise specified in the Bylaws or Rules of Procedure, voting in Divisions, Sections, special committees, and task forces shall be governed by the rules for the NCSL Standing Committees.

          [B]  Resolutions developed by task forces, special committees, Divisions, or Sections that place NCSL on record on a matter of public policy may be referred for consideration by the NCSL President to the standing committee of jurisdiction.

RULE X
ADOPTION, AMENDMENT AND SUSPENSION OF RULES

          These rules shall remain in effect until such time as they are amended at an Annual Meeting of the Conference.  Any amendment or suspension of such rules shall require a three-fifths (3/5) vote of the member jurisdictions present and voting.  Any motion to suspend shall be clear with respect to the rule or rules to which it applies.