MEMORANDUM
TO:
Members, Florida House of Representatives
FROM:
Dean Cannon, Speaker
DATE:
March 5, 2012
RE:
Final Week Procedure
As we enter the final week, it seems an appropriate time for
a reminder regarding the basics of House Rules, practices, and
procedures.
Budget Conference
Chairman Grimsley and Chairman Alexander are expected to
resolve all outstanding items in the General Appropriations Act and
Implementing Bill today. They will continue to meet over the next several
days to resolve outstanding issues related to conforming bills.
House Bills on Second Reading
Sunday, March 4, 2012, was the 55th day of the
regular session. Pursuant to House Rule 10.18, the House may no longer
consider a House bill on second reading. If your House bill was not on a
Special Order Calendar by last Friday, March 2, 2012, then you should not
anticipate that your House bill will be considered by the House.
Senate Bills Not Previously Considered by the House
Pursuant to Rule 10.19, the House may not take up (for the
first time) Senate bills after Wednesday, March 7, 2012. Over the
last two years, our consistent House practice has been not to vote on a Senate
bill unless the House companion bill has been reported favorably out of all of
its committees or the Senate bill itself has been referred to and voted out of
House committees.
Returning Messages
In the past, some Members have confused House messages with
returning messages. A bill in House messages is a Senate bill
first passed by the Senate that has not yet been heard in the House. The
House’s consideration of that bill will be governed by the rules and procedures
outlined in the paragraph above. A bill in returning messages is a
bill (either a House bill or a Senate bill) that has already passed the
House and has been amended by the Senate.
The House may consider returning messages from the Senate
until Day 60 of Session.
In working with your Senate sponsors on the content of
returning messages, please be aware that the House will not accept returning
messages that seek to bypass the prohibition on considering bills that are dead
in committee. I have tasked our House Committee Chairs with
reviewing returning messages to ensure that unctuous, unvetted policy issues
are not introduced during the last week of Session.
Schedule
We
will begin Session each day at 10:00 a.m. However, due to the large
volume of House bills in Senate messages and the comparatively few Senate bills
in House messages, Members should anticipate extended recesses throughout the
day. Until final adjournment for each day, Members are advised to remain
within 30 minutes of the Capitol.