February 19, 2008, Introduced by Reps. Caul, Amos, Booher, Shaffer, Hansen, Ball, Moore, Gaffney, Green, Opsommer and Emmons and referred to the Committee on Oversight and Investigations.
A joint resolution proposing an amendment to the state
constitution of 1963, by adding section 55 to article IV, to
provide for a balance of power agreement in the house of
representatives.
Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
state of Michigan, That the following amendment to the state
constitution of 1963, to provide for a balance of power agreement
in the house of representatives, is proposed, agreed to, and
submitted to the people of the state:
ARTICLE IV
Sec. 55. The house of representatives shall implement the
following agreement:
(a) The house shall nominate and elect co-speakers, co-
speakers pro tempore, co-associate speakers pro tempore, and co-
clerks.
(b) Each party's officers shall preside over the house of
representatives on alternating months.
(c) Each party shall designate a floor leader who shall serve
as co-floor leader. The co-floor leader shall manage the schedule
of debate when the other party's co-officers are presiding.
(d) A party's co-clerk shall act as parliamentarian when the
opposing party's officers are presiding. Official papers and
documents shall be signed by the co-clerk who is acting
parliamentarian at the time they are presented.
(e) The supplemental salary for the office of speaker, speaker
pro tempore, and majority floor leader shall be paid only in the
months during which his or her party's officers are presiding.
During the months in which a co-speaker is not the presiding co-
speaker, he or she shall be paid the supplemental salary of the
minority leader. During the months in which a co-floor leader is
not receiving the supplemental salary of the majority floor leader,
he or she shall receive the supplemental salary of the minority
floor leader. The co-clerks shall be paid equally at a salary to be
determined by the co-speakers.
(f) The standing committees and the number of members assigned
to standing committees shall be determined by the co-speakers. All
standing committees of the house of representatives shall have an
even number of members and an equal number of members of each
party. The members of each standing committee shall be designated
by the co-speaker of their respective party. A co-speaker may not
change the members of a committee from his or her party without the
agreement of the other co-speaker except when a vacancy due to
death, removal from office, or resignation from office exists. Each
standing committee shall have a co-chair and a co-vice chair. The
co-chairs and co-vice chairs shall preside in the months when their
officers are presiding in the house.
(g) Subcommittees of standing committees may be appointed and
shall consist of equal members of each party. The co-chair of a
subcommittee shall preside in the same months as the co-chair who
appointed the subcommittee co-chair.
(h) The co-speakers shall jointly develop and publish uniform
rules which shall be followed by all standing committees,
subcommittees, and special committees. The rules shall be in
addition to the following rules:
(i) A quorum of a committee shall consist of 50% of the members
appointed and serving.
(ii) Members of standing committees may only cast a vote if
they are present at a meeting during the vote.
(iii) Except as otherwise provided in this section, an
affirmative vote of a majority of members of a committee who are
appointed and serving is required to report a bill to the full
house for consideration.
(iv) Each co-chair of a committee shall determine the agenda of
the committee during the month that he or she is presiding.
(v) Linen copies of bills shall remain in the possession of
standing committees and shall not be referred to subcommittees.
(i) The co-speakers of the house shall each appoint two
conferees to all conference committees. A quorum for a conference
committee shall consist of at least one half of the members of each
house. The co-speaker of the same party as the bill sponsor shall
designate the chair of a conference committee on a house bill.
Meetings of a conference committee shall be scheduled by the chair
of that conference committee. However, a majority of the conferees
may schedule a meeting by notifying the chair, the office of the
clerk of the house, and the secretary of the senate in writing.
Except as otherwise provided in this section, in order to report a
conference report out of conference committee, a majority of the
members of the house and senate shall sign the conference report.
If two house members and two senate members have voted to approve a
conference report, a conference report may be reported from the
conference committee to the house of origin upon a record roll call
vote of at least 56 members elected and serving in the house of
representatives.
(j) If a bill receives a favorable vote by one half of the
members of a standing committee or a majority of the senate
conferees plus two house conferees in a conference committee,
either co-speaker may cast an extraordinary vote to report the bill
or conference report. Each co-speaker may cast an extraordinary
vote up to a maximum of 12 times per calendar year. A co-speaker
may cast an extraordinary vote at any time, including when he or
she is not presiding. A co-speaker must give one day's notice of
his or her intent to cast an extraordinary vote to report a bill
from committee before that vote is cast. In the case of a bill in a
house committee, the notice shall be given to the office of the
clerk of the house and to the co-chairs of the committee. In the
case of a conference committee, notice shall be given to the office
of the clerk of the house, the secretary of the senate, and the
chair of the conference committee. Notice of an intent to cast an
extraordinary vote shall be spread upon the house journal. A co-
speaker may not use his or her extraordinary vote more than five
times per calendar year to report conference reports out of
conference committee to the house of origin.
(k) Each party's co-speaker shall refer his or her party's
sponsored bills and joint resolutions to committee. This same
process shall be applied to senate-originated bills and joint
resolutions. A vote to rerefer a bill to committee shall require
the approval of at least 56 members elected to and serving in the
house and shall be by record roll call vote.
(l) The co-speakers shall jointly agree upon staffing levels
for the offices of the co-speakers, the co-speakers pro tempore,
and the co-floor leaders. Except for the co-speakers, the co-
speakers pro tempore, and the co-floor leaders, each house member
shall have an equal number of personal staff. Each party shall be
provided an equal dollar amount to establish and operate its
respective caucus staffs.
(m) The co-speakers shall make joint appointments to all
statutory boards and commissions for which the speaker has
appointing authority. The co-speakers shall make joint
recommendations for appointments to all statutory boards and
commissions for which the speaker has recommending authority.
(n) The tentative calendar of session for the house shall be
jointly set on an annual basis by the co-speakers and co-floor
leaders. The annual calendar shall be set no later than February 1
of each year. The monthly calendar of session days shall be
determined by the co-floor leader of the same party as the co-
speaker who is presiding during that month. The monthly calendar
shall be determined at least seven days in advance of a co-speaker
becoming the presiding officer. The monthly calendar shall be
issued in writing to all members of the house of representatives.
(o) The co-speakers shall jointly develop and issue guidelines
on access to the house floor. The co-speaker shall approve access
to the house floor for staff and guests of members.
(p) All matters not covered in this section relative to the
operations of the house, including, but no limited to, staff,
financial transactions, and expenditures, shall be jointly decided
by the co-speakers.
Resolved further, That the foregoing amendment shall be
submitted to the people of the state at the next general election
in the manner provided by law.