Coming up in Committee, Tuesday, February 3: House Rules for 2015-2016
2. H5258: Rules for the 2015-2016 Rhode Island House of Representatives. (H Rules; Tue, Feb 3)
There are at least three major changes of note:
- A change to rule 12(f) makes clear that a vote to hold a bill for further study sends the bill to the Phantom Zone, where rank-and-file legislators are powerless to recall it, and only the super-powers of House leadership can bring it back.
- A change to rule 12(a) gives House leadership the power to deny a hearing to a bill, according to a subjective criteria that “the issues presented…are substantially similar to those matters already heard”.
- A change to rule 12(e) gives committee chairs, with approval of the Speaker, the power to cancel a bill hearing “at any time…[if] the bill is not ready to be heard in the committee”.