THE RULES OF THE SENATE OF ALABAMA General Rules of Order and Procedure Rules Relating to Senators Rules Relating to the Presiding Officer Rules Relating to Committees Rules Relating to the Secretary and the Journal Rules Relating to the Secretary and the Journal RULE 63. The proceedings of the Senate, when not in committee of the whole, shall be entered on the journal as concisely as possible, care being taken to detail a true and accurate account thereof. Every vote of the Senate shall be entered on the journal, and a brief statement of the contents of each item of legislation presented to the Senate shall be inserted thereon. RULE 64. The titles of bills and such parts thereof only as shall be affected by proposed amendments shall be inserted in the journal. RULE 65. The Secretary shall, on the introduction of bills, make a photocopy of each bill to be designated as a second official copy, and shall make an entry in the journal as follows: "INTRODUCTION OF BILLS Bills were introduced, severally read one time and referred to appropriate standing committees as follows: (Here set out the number, title and sponsors of each bill introduced and the name of the committee to which it was referred. The name of the chief sponsor shall be underscored on the original bill.)" RULE 66. When a bill shall be returned from a standing committee, the Secretary shall make the journal read: "Senator ___________________________, Chairperson of the Standing Committee on ________________________, reported that said committee, in session, had acted on the following bills and ordered same returned to the Senate with a _________________________, and they were severally read a second time and placed on the calendar, to-wit:" RULE 67. On the signing of bills or resolutions, the Secretary shall make the journal read: "SIGNING OF BILLS (OR RESOLUTIONS) The Presiding Officer of the Senate, in the presence of the Senate, after the reading thereof at length had been dispensed with by a two-thirds vote of a quorum of the Senate present, and immediately after their titles had been publicly read at length by the Secretary of the Senate, signed the foregoing bills (or resolutions), the titles of which are set out in the foregoing (Message) from the House, or Report from the Committee on Rules as the case may be." RULE 68. Messages shall be sent to the House of Representatives by the Secretary, who shall endorse the final determination of the Senate thereon. RULE 69. The Secretary shall provide the Chairperson of each standing committee with a stamp with which to make endorsements on bills. Each standing committee of the Senate shall be furnished a secretary or clerk by the Secretary of the Senate. Office space shall be provided to the President Pro Tempore and to the Chairpersons of standing committees as such space is made available to the Senate. RULE 70. Upon adjournment of the Senate, the Secretary shall enter on the journal the hour of adjournment and the name of the member on whose motion adjournment was adopted. RULE 71. If a Senator be called to order by a Senator for words spoken, the exceptional words shall be taken down immediately in writing by the Secretary. The Presiding Officer shall then judge the matter, and rule accordingly. RULE 72. The Secretary shall furnish to the members daily a printed calendar of all bills and resolutions on third reading and such calendar shall be designated "Regular Order Calendar." The bills and resolutions listed therein shall be arranged in the order in which they are entitled to consideration. In the event a Special Order Calendar is adopted for more than one day, but is not a continuing order of business until disposed of, then such bills on special order shall be returned to their original position on the Regular Order Calendar occupied by them before the adoption of the special order. Whenever the calendar contains more than twenty-five (25) pages, a numerical index of all Senate and House bills contained in that day's calendar (with the number of the page on which the bill appears in the calendar printed opposite the bill's assigned number) shall be printed on the last pages of that day's calendar, or on a separate pamphlet which can be slipped into the back of the calendar. RULE 73. The Secretary shall cause to be printed and distributed among the members of the Senate books or pamphlets, which shall include the following information: (a) a picture and brief biography of each Senator, his or her address, home and business phone, and committee assignments; (b) a list of Senate committees and their memberships; (c) Senate and joint rules; (d) a brief explanation of the legislative process including legislative powers, qualifications, and duties of legislators; and (e) instructions for the drafting of bills. RULE 74. The Secretary shall not employ any person as a page who is under the age of twelve (12) years. RULE 75. (a) Every general bill and local bill which affects State funding more than $1,000, before any vote is taken thereon by the Senate must have endorsed thereon or attached thereto a reliable estimate of the amount of State money involved therein, and the anticipated increase or decrease in State revenue collections under the provisions of the bill. All fiscal notes provided for in this rule and other rules of the Senate must be prepared by or certified by the Chief Legislative Fiscal Officer as being substantially accurate to the best of his or her knowledge, information and belief. The fiscal note shall also be prepared by or under the supervision of the standing committee to which the bill is referred. The fiscal note shall be endorsed on the bill or attached thereto, and shall be printed on the calendar of bills on third reading immediately following the title of the bill. Any general bill or local bill, if applicable, on second reading not having a fiscal note affixed thereto shall be recommitted to the Committee from whence it came. (No general bill or local bill, if applicable, shall be given its third reading unless it has affixed thereto a valid fiscal note.) (b) All resolutions creating a committee or program wherein the expenditure of funds out of the state treasury is authorized must contain the same fiscal note as defined in paragraph (a) above and must be referred to the Committee on Rules. RULE 76. No resolution, as provided for in Section C of Section 1 of Act No. 81-889 may be introduced until the bill described in the resolution appears on the regular calendar. Further provided that Rule 35, relative to the provision that one Senator may object to suspension of the rules, shall not be applicable to resolutions pertaining to budget isolation and said resolution shall be considered at such time as the bill is called for third reading, notwithstanding the provision of Rule 55. Further provided that such resolution shall have been prepared by the Legislative Reference Service or the office of the Secretary of the Senate. RULE 77. The indices of the Senate Journals shall include a topic index of all bills referenced in the journals, a numerical index, a sponsor index and an index of "Miscellaneous Subjects." The indices shall be distinguished from the textual material by the use of paper of a distinctive color and the indices shall be prefaced by a page of explanatory material that will instruct a person totally unfamiliar with the journals on the most efficient means of locating particular items of information. Speeches received in the two houses in joint sessions and printed in full in the House Journal shall carry an abridged statement in the Senate Journal and a distinct reference to the full text in the House Journal. RULE 78. (a) When any question may have been decided by the Senate in which more than a majority of the members present are necessary to carry the affirmative, any Senator who voted on the side that prevailed in the question may move for a reconsideration, and such motion shall be decided by a majority vote, without debate. (b) It shall not be in order to move to reconsider: a motion to excuse absent senators, a motion to dispense with the reading of the previous day's journal, a motion to table, a motion to confirm, a motion to adopt a special order calendar, a motion to carry over, or any matter not in the possession of the Senate. RULE 79. Senate Resolutions of commendation, congratulations, or sympathy may be prepared during interim periods and certified by the Secretary but shall not be entered into the Journal of the Senate. These resolutions are prepared by the Secretary as a courtesy for individual Senators and are not acted upon by the entire Senate. RULE 80. Debate on Budget Isolation Resolutions shall be limited to twenty minutes and if adopted shall not be subject to a reconsideration motion. RULE 81. Any substitute or amendment offered to a bill or resolution on the floor of the senate greater than five pages in length shall be subject to a motion to dispense with the reading of the substitute or amendment. Such motion shall be decided by majority vote without debate. Should such motion prevail the Secretary of the Senate shall distribute to each member's desk a copy of the substitute or amendment as soon as practical. If the motion prevails no vote shall be taken on the substitute or amendment until the copies are delivered to each member's desk. RULE 82. The Senate encourages "Local Courtesy" when voting on local bills and members are requested to vote for local bills that relate to political subdivisions that they do not represent in order for these local bills to receive the constitutional majority needed to become law. RULE 83. Any motion relating to creating or filling a vacancy in the office of President Pro Tempore shall be in writing with a day certain for the vote, which day certain may not be less than five legislative days after the motion is filed. Any vote relating to the removal of a member serving as President Pro Tempore shall prevail only with a concurrence of three fifths vote of the elected members of the Senate.