HOUSE RULES

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1. The Vice President shall designate the meeting time and location and meetings shall be called to order if quorum is met.

2. Meeting attire is to be conservative in dress. All caps, hats, and unnecessary headgear shall not be permitted. If one is in violation of these rules, measures will be taken at the discretion of the Senator Pro-Tem.

3. Cellular phones and other paging devices must be turned off when the General Assembly is in session. If a phone or device rings during the meeting, the owner of said phone or device will be fined and must pay the parliamentarian after the meeting.

4. There will be no eating of food once the General Assembly is in session.

5. All senators and representatives shall sit in assigned seats.

6. All visitors and non-voting members shall sit in designated areas as determined by the presiding officer. Visitors must sign in legibly on the sheet in the back of the meeting hall.

7. The SGA Secretary or designee shall take roll at every meeting. It is the duty of any General Assembly member, who arrives after roll call, to inform the Secretary of his/her arrival; otherwise they will be marked absent.

8. Only the SGA Secretary or designee, upon receipt of an excuse prior to the meeting being called to order, may excuse absences. To request an excused absence, one must submit, in writing, an explanation for the absences. Depending upon the circumstances, if a written request cannot be ascertained, then arrangements will be made with the Secretary.

9. If legislation is placed on the SGA General Assembly meeting agenda, copies must be made available to all members of the Assembly at the meeting.

10. Members of the general student population may present legislation if a member of the General Assembly sponsors the legislation.

11. Legislation must be presented to the Senator Pro- Tem, in electronic format, the Monday by 5:00 p.m. in order to be included on the agenda. Legislation that is not on the agenda will not be heard.

12. When legislation is under consideration, a motion to amend and a motion to amend that amendment may be in order.

13. The following motions shall be allowed without debate: a. To adjourn b. On questions related to the order of business

14. The following motions are subject to debate: a. To the regular order of business b. To take up some measure out of its regular order c. To suspend the rules d. To order the previous question e. To order the limiting of amendments to a bill or resolution f. To accept g. To amend h. To table

15. The following motions are allowed during a debate: a. To take a recess b. To table an item of discussion c. To amend  d. To offer a friendly amendment

16. There shall be a motion ofthe previous question when seconded by a member. The chair in this manner, or a reasonable facsimile thereof, shall put it, "The motion has been seconded. As many as are in favor of ordering the question (insert the issue under-consideration) say aye and as many as are opposed say nay."

17. The presiding officer may not speak to a motion unless he or she relinquishes the gavel. This shall be done no more than three (3) times during a meeting.

18. Committee reports shall be limited to only three minutes each, or at the discretion of the presiding officer.

19. A General Assembly member must obtain recognition from the presiding officer in order to address the floor.

20. When a member desires to speak or deliver any matter, the member shall address the General Assembly and shall confine all remarks to the question under debate, avoiding personalities.

21. When two or more members rise at once, the chair shall name the one who is to speak first.  This decision shall be final and not open to debate or appeal.

22. Another member shall not interrupt a member who has the floor for any purpose, unless the speaker consents to yield to the other member. A member desiring to have the floor yielded during a debate or discussion should first address the presiding officer for the permission of the member speaking. When a member seeks recognition, the chairperson may ask, "For what purpose does the member rise?" or "For what purpose does the member seek recognition?" The chair shall then ask the member who has the floor  if he or she wishes to yield, and then announce the decision of that matter. The member who has the floor may exercise personal discretion as to whether or not to yield. This decision is final and not open to debate or appeal.

23. The presiding officer or a member of the General Assembly recognized by the chair may yield the floor to a visitor.

24. The presiding officer may suspend speaking privileges of any visitor.

25. When a visitor or non-voting member(s) of the senate is invited to visit or speak, it is the duty of the presiding officer to inform the party of the appropriate manner in which to address the General Assembly.

26. Any member of the General Assembly may have the floor yielded only three (3) times, or as per the discretion of the presiding officer, per discussion provided that they are not the chair of a committee addressing the floor.

27. Open forum shall last not be more than ten (10) minutes unless otherwise extended by a majority vote of members present. Time extensions should not exceed five (5) minutes each.

28. Voting in the General Assembly shall be conducted by acclamation unless there is an objection. Roll call, hand vote, or secret ballot may be used upon request of a member or at the discretion of the presiding officer. The SGA Secretary shall tally results. Should the Secretary be absent the presiding officer shall designate a member of the Executive Board to tally votes.

29. The General Assembly House Rules may be suspended by a 2/3-majority vote of members present.

30. In the event the House Rules are suspended, the duration of the suspension shall not extend to the subsequent meetings.