Rules Adoption and Standing Committees: Procedure
| Committee meetings open to public (a) |
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FIPS | State or other jurisdiction |
Constitution permits each legislative body to determine its own rules |
Senate | House/Assembly | Specific, advance notice provisions for committee meetings or hearings | Voting/roll call provisions to report a bill to floor |
| 01 | Alabama | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Senate: Four hours, if possible. House: Twenty-four hours, except Rules & Local Legislations Committee. Exceptions after 27th legislative day and special sessions. | Senate: final vote on a bill is recorded. House: recorded vote if requested by member of committee and sustained by one additional committee member. |
| 02 | Alaska | ✕ | ✓ | ✓ | Senate and House: For meetings, by 4:00 p.m. on the preceding Thurs.; for first hearings on bills, 5 days. | Senate and House: Roll call vote on any measure taken upon request by any member of either house. |
| 04 | Arizona | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Senate: Written agenda for each regular and special meeting containing all bills, memorials and resolutions to be considered shall be distributed to each member of the committee and to the Secretary of the Senate at least five days prior to the committee meeting. House: The committee chair shall prepare an agenda and distribute copies to committee members, the Information Desk and the Chief Clerk's Office by 4 p.m. each Wednesday for all standing committees meeting on Monday of the following week and 4 p.m. each Thursday for all standing committees meeting on any day except Monday of the following week. | Senate and House: roll call vote. |
| 05 | Arkansas | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Senate: 2 days. House: 18 hours (2 hours with 2/3s vote of the committee). | Senate: roll call votes are recorded. House: report of committee recommendation signed by committee chair. |
| 06 | California | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Senate and House: advance notice provisions exist. | Senate and House: roll call vote. |
| 08 | Colorado | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Senate: final action on a measure is prohibited unless notice is posted one calendar day prior to its consideration. The prohibition does not apply if the action receives a majority vote of the committee. House: Meeting publicly announced while the House is in actual session as much in advance as possible. | Senate and House: final action by recorded roll call vote. |
| 09 | Connecticut | ✓ | ✓ (b) | ✓ (b) | Senate and House: one day notice for meetings, five days notice for hearings. | Senate and House: roll call required. |
| 10 | Delaware | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Senate: 5 calendar days before a committee meeting. House: the last legislative day of the week before a committee meeting. | Senate and House: results of all committee reports are recorded. |
| 12 | Florida | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Senate: during session–3 weekdays for first 40 days, 4 hours thereafter. House: 2 days for first 45 days, 1 day thereafter. | Senate and House: vote on final passage is recorded. |
| 13 | Georgia | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Senate: a list of committee meetings shall be posted by 10:00 a.m. the preceding Friday. House: none. | Senate: bills can be voted out by voice vote or roll call. |
| 15 | Hawaii | ✓ | ✓ (c) | ✓ (c) | Senate: 72 hours before 1st referral committee meetings, 48 hours before subsequent referral committee. House: 48 hours. | Senate and House: A quorum of committee members must be present before voting. |
| 16 | Idaho | ✓ | ✓ (c) | ✓ (c) | Senate: none. House: per rule; chair provides notice of next meeting dates and times. | Senate: Bills can be voted out by voice vote or roll call. (Senate Rule 39). House: Bills can be voted out by voice vote or roll call. (House Rule 79). |
| 17 | Illinois | ✓ | ✓ (d) | ✓ (d) | Senate and House: 6 days. | Senate and House: votes on all legislative measures acted upon are recorded. |
| 18 | Indiana | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Senate: 48 hours. House: prior to adjournment of the meeting day next preceding the meeting or announced during session. | Senate and House: majority of quorum by roll call. |
| 19 | Iowa | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Senate and House: yes, but can be suspended. | Senate: final action by roll call. House: committee reports include roll call on final disposition. |
| 20 | Kansas | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Senate and House: none. | Senate: vote recorded upon request of member. House: total for and against actions recorded. |
| 21 | Kentucky | ✓ | ✓ (e) | ✓ (e) | Senate and House: none. | Senate and House: each member’s vote recorded on each bill. |
| 22 | Louisiana* | ✓ | ✓ (c) | ✓ (c) | Senate: no later than 1:00 p.m. the preceding day. House: no later than 4:00 p.m. the preceding day. | Senate and House: any motion to report an instrument is decided by a roll call vote. |
| 23 | Maine | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Senate and House: Must be advertised two weekends in advance, unless waived by presiding officers as provided by joint rules. | Senate and House: recorded vote is required to report a bill out of committee. |
| 24 | Maryland | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Senate and House: none. General directive in the Senate and House rules to the Department of Legislative Services to compile a list of the meetings and to arrange for distribution which in practice is done on a regular basis. | Senate and House: the final vote on any bill is recorded. |
| 25 | Massachusetts | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Senate and House: 72 hours for public hearings. | Senate: voice vote or recorded roll call vote at the request of 2 committee members. House: recorded vote upon request by a member. |
| 26 | Michigan | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Senate and House: Notice shall be published in the journal in advance of a hearing. Notice of a special meeting shall be posted at least 18 hours before a meeting. Special provisions for conference committees. | Senate: committee reports include the vote of each member on any bill. House: the daily journal reports the roll call on all motions to report bills. |
| 27 | Minnesota | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Senate and House: 3 days to the extent pratical. | Senate and House: not needed. |
| 28 | Mississippi* | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Senate and House: none. | Senate and House: bills are reported out by voice vote or recorded. |
| 29 | Missouri | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Senate and House: 24 hours. | Senate and House: bills are reported out by a recorded roll call vote. |
| 30 | Montana | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Senate and House: 3 legislative days or as circumstances require. | Senate and House: every vote of each member is recorded and made public. |
| 31 | Nebraska | ✓ | ✓ | U | Seven calendar days notice before hearing a bill. | In executive session, majority of the committee must vote in favor of the motion made. |
| 32 | Nevada | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Senate and House: by rule - "adequate notice" shall be provided. Senate: This rule may be suspended for emergencies by a two thirds vote of appointed committee members. House: This rule may be suspended for emergencies by a majority vote of appointed committee members. In the Assembly this rule does not apply to committee meetings held on the floor during recess or conference committee meetings. | Senate and House: recorded vote is taken upon final committee action on bills. |
| 33 | New Hampshire | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Senate: at least 4 days. House: no less than 4 days. | Senate and House: committees report bills out by recorded roll call votes. |
| 34 | New Jersey | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Senate and House: 5 days. | Senate and House: the chair reports the vote of each member present on a motion to report a bill. |
| 35 | New Mexico | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Senate and House: none. | Senate and House: vote on the final report of the committee taken by yeas and nays. Roll call vote upon request. |
| 36 | New York | ✓ | ✓ (c) | ✓ (c) | Senate: Thursday of prior week for most meetings; Rules require that notice be given for public hearings, but the Rules are silent as to how long. House: 1 week for hearings, Thursday of prior week for meetings. | Senate and House: majority vote required. |
| 37 | North Carolina | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Senate and House: none. If public hearing, five calendar days. | Senate: no roll call vote may be taken in any committee. House: roll call vote taken on any question when requested by member & sustained by one-fifth of members present. |
| 38 | North Dakota | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Senate and House: Printed and online hearing schedules, electronic signage, floor announcements, rss feeds, handheld device application. | Senate and House: Recorded roll call vote of the committee members on each bill or resolution referred out of the committee and, in the case of divided reports, on each report. |
| 39 | Ohio | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Senate: Rule 21 Each committee shall meet upon the call of its chairperson, and in case of the chairperson's absence, or refusal to call the committee together, a meeting may be called by a majority of the members of the committee. At least two days preceding the day bills or joint resolutions to propose a constitutional amendment are to be given a first hearing, the Clerk shall post in the Clerk's office the schedule of such bills and joint resolutions in each standing committee or subcommittee with the exception of the standing Committee on Rules. In a case of necessity, the notice of hearing may be given in a shorter period than two days by such reasonable method as shall be prescribed by the Committee on Rules. Where applicable, the rules of the Senate apply to the committee proceedings of the Senate. In addition, all committee meetings shall be governed by section 101.15 of the Revised Code. On any occasion when a majority or more of the members of a standing committee, select committee, or subcommittee of a standing or select committee of the Senate meet together for a prearranged discussion of the public business of the committee or subcommittee, the meeting shall be open to the public unless closed in accordance with Ohio Constitution, Article II, Section 13. House: Rule 36(a) The chair of a standing committee, subcommittee, select committee, or joint committee shall give due notice of a meeting of the committee, subcommittee, select committee, or joint committee not later than twenty-four hours before the meeting, in accordance with section 101.15 of the Revised Code, and shall attempt to give that notice not later than five days before the meeting. The notice shall identify the committee; identify the chair; state the date, time, and place at which the meeting will be held; and set forth an agenda showing each bill, resolution, or other matter that will be considered at the meeting. (b) It is not in order for a committee to meet at a date, time, or place, or to consider any bill, resolution, or other matter at a meeting, other than as stated in the notice of the meeting, unless otherwise ordered by the House or the committee. If, however, an emergency requires consideration of a matter at a meeting, and the matter has not been stated in the notice of the meeting, the chair may revise or supplement the notice at any time before or during the meeting to include the matter and the matter may then be considered as the emergency requires. | Senate: Rule 24 The affirmative votes of a majority of all members of a committee shall be necessary to report or to postpone further consideration of bills or resolutions. Every member present shall vote, unless excused by the chair. At discretion of chair the roll call may be continued for a vote by any member who was present at the prior meeting, but no later than 10:00 a.m. of next calendar day. House: Rule 40 (b) The affirmative votes of a majority of all members constituting a committee shall be necessary to report a bill or resolution out of committee, and a record of every vote shall be kept by the committee. The affirmative vote of a majority of all the members constituting the committee shall be necessary to agree to any motion to recommend for passage or to postpone indefinitely further consideration of bills or resolutions, and a record of such vote shall be kept by the committee. Every member present shall vote unless excused by the committee. Rule 41(a) No proxy vote shall be valid. Nor shall any member vote except while sitting in committee in actual session, unless the member shall have first been present and recorded as such immediately before or during actual session before the vote is taken, and by motion the roll call on a motion to recommend a bill or resolution for passage is continued for a vote by any member who is temporarily absent from the meeting until the adjournment thereof, which shall be not later than 12:00 o’clock noon one day following the committee meeting. It is not in order for a member to vote on an amendment unless the member is actually present when the amendment is voted upon. (b) Three consecutive absences from regular committee meetings shall operate to suspend a member from such committee, unless excused by the chair of said committee. |
| 40 | Oklahoma | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Senate and House: 48 hours notice. | Senate and House: roll call vote. |
| 41 | Oregon | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Senate: At least 48 hrs. notice except at the end of session when President invokes 1 hr. notice when adjournment sine die is imminent. Senate Rule 8.15 and 8.16. House: First public hearing on a measure must have at least 72 hours notice, all other meetings at least 48 hours notice except in case of emergency (including with sine die has been declared imminent by House Speaker). House Rule 8.15. | Senate: affirmative vote of majority of the membership of committee. Voting by electronic means shall include an audible and, if possible, video record. Senate Rule 8.10. House: affirmative vote of majority of the members of committee. House Rule 8.25. Note: Roll call votes were required for remote hearings during the pandemic. |
| 42 | Pennsylvania | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Senate and House: written notice to members containing date, time, place and agenda. | Senate and House: a majority vote of committee members. |
| 44 | Rhode Island | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Senate and House: notice required. | Senate and House: majority vote of the members present. |
| 45 | South Carolina | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Senate and House: 24 hours. | Senate and House: favorable report out of committee (majority of committee members voting in favor). |
| 46 | South Dakota | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Senate and House: at least one legislative day must intervene between the date of posting and the date of consideration in both houses. | Senate and House: a majority vote of the members-elect taken by roll call is needed for final disposition on a bill. This applies to both houses. |
| 47 | Tennessee | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Senate: 6 days; House: 72 hours. | Senate and House: majority referral to Calendar and Rules Committee, majority of Calendar and Rules Committee referral to floor. |
| 48 | Texas | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Senate: 24 hours; House: Five calendar days notice during a regular session and 24 hours during a special session, with certain exceptions for formal meetings, but not public hearings, during session. | Senate and House: committee reports include the record vote by which the report was adopted, including the vote of each member. |
| 49 | Utah | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Senate and House: Not less than 24 hours public notice. | Senate and House: Voice vote accepting the recommendation of the committee. |
| 50 | Vermont | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Senate and House: none. | Senate and House: vote is recorded for each committee member for every bill considered. |
| 51 | Virginia | ✓ | ✓ (c) | ✓ (c) | Senate and House: none. | Senate: recorded vote, except resolutions that do not have a specific vote requirement under the Rules. In these cases, a voice vote is sufficient. House: vote of each member is taken and recorded for each measure. |
| 53 | Washington | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Senate and House: 5 days. | Senate: bills reported from a committee carry a majority report which must be signed by a majority of the committee. House: every vote to report a bill out of committee is by yeas and nays; the names of the members voting are recorded in the report. |
| 54 | West Virginia | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Senate and House: none. | Senate and House: majority of committee members voting. |
| 55 | Wisconsin | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Senate and House: At least 24 hours prior to commencement of meetings unless impossible or impractical, then at least 2 hours. | Senate: number of ayes and noes, and members absent or not voting are reported. House: number of ayes and noes are recorded. |
| 56 | Wyoming | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Senate and House: by 3:00 p.m. of previous day. | Senate and House: bills are reported out by recorded roll call vote. |
| 60 | American Samoa* | ✓ | ✓ (f) | ✓ (f) | Senate and House: At least 3 calendar days in advance. | Senate and House: There are four methods of ascertaining the decision upon any matter: by raising of hands; by secret ballot, when authorized by law; by rising; and by call of the members and recorded by the Clerk of the vote of each. |
| 66 | Guam* | ✓ | ✓ | U | Five days prior to public hearings. | Majority vote of committee members. |
| 69 | CNMI* ** | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Senate: 3 days. House: 1 day. | Senate and House: majority. |
| 72 | Puerto Rico* | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Senate: Must be notified every Thurs., one week in advance. House: 24 hours advanced notice, no later than 4:00 p.m. previous day. | Senate: bills reported from a committee carry a majority vote. House: bills reported from a committee carry a majority vote by referendum or in an ordinary meeting. |
| 78 | U.S. Virgin Islands* | ✓ | ✓ | U | Seven calendar days. | Bills must be reported to floor by Rules Committee. |
Source:
The Council of State Governments' State Legislative Survey, 2023 and review of state websites.Key:
| * | — | Responses carried forward due to state nonresponse. |
| ** | — | Commonwealth of Northern Mariana Islands. |
| ✓ | — | Yes. |
| ✕ | — | No. |
| U | — | Unicameral. |
Footnotes:
| (a) | Notice of committee meetings may also be subject to state open meetings laws; in some cases, listed times may be subject to suspension or enforceable only to the extent “feasible” or “whenever possible.” |
| (b) | Committees are joint |
| (c) | “Each house when assembled shall . . . determine its own rules of proceeding. . . .” (Idaho Const. art. III, § 9). “The business of each house, and of the committee of the whole shall be transacted openly and not in secret session.” (Idaho Const. art. III, § 12). “All meetings of any standing, special or select committee of either house of the legislature of the state of Idaho shall be open to the public at all times, except in extraordinary circumstances as provided specifically in the rules of procedure in either house, and any person may attend any meeting of a standing, special or select committee, but may participate in the committee only with the approval of the committee itself.” (I.C. § 74-207; see also House Rule 57 and Senate Rule 20). |
| (d) | A session of a house or one of its committees can be closed to the public if two-thirds of the members elected to that house determine that the public interest so requires. A meeting of a joint committee or commission can be closed if two-thirds of the members of both houses so vote. |
| (e) | All standing committee meetings are open to the public. Other committee meetings of either chamber are open at the discretion of the chamber, committee, or chair of the committee. |
| (f) | Unless privileged information is being discussed with counsel or the security of the territory is involved. |