Claims-Hoff, Fairfield, Kellogg, Conness, Koll.

Education-Ashley, Cornwall, Pratt, Henry, Fairfield.

Counties and County Boundaries-Hastings, Letcher, Horr, Carillo, Rowan. Public Lands-Bradford, Griffith, Sweasey, Cornwall, Van Cleft, Musser, Tivy.

Commerce-Conness, Dawley, Bagley, McBrayer, Nichols, Ring, J. W. Park. Federal Relations-Irwin, Watkins, Carr, Spencer, Sweetland, O'Neil, French, Gilbert, J. W. Park.

Corporations-Watkins, McDuffie, F. A. Park, Springer, Gordon, Bostwick,

Hubbard.

Roads and Highways-Griffith, Stowe, McGee, Bennett, Burton.

Agriculture-Stemmons, Cornwall, Letcher, Hunter, Hunt.

Public Printing-Aylett, Houghtaling, Briggs, Noel, Herbert, Jones, Hastings.

Indian Affairs-Daniels, Ewer, Musser, Hagans, Lindsey.

Accounts and Expenditures-Bostwick, Davidson, Ballou, Anderson, Hollister.

Public Buildings and Grounds-Green, Stevenson, Hubbard

Engrossed Bills-O'Niel, Ring, Anderson.

Enrolled Bills-Tivy, Springer, McGee.

State Hospital-Spencer, Horr, Aylett, Gilbert, Myres.

State Prison-Bagley, Clingan, Godard, Hoyt, McKinney.

Mileage-James, Hunter, Ewer, Bostwick, Houghtailing,

Mines and Mining Interests-Mandeville, Dannels, Briggs, Rowan, Tallmadge, Van Cleft, Lindsey, Whipple, James.

Military Affairs-Hunt, McBrayer, McDonald, Kellogg, J. W. Park.

Mr. Conness, Chairman, made the following report:

The Committee on Rules, for the government of the House during the present session, have had the same under consideration, and ask leave respectfully to present the following report;

CONNESS,
WATKINS,

MANDEVILLE,

HERBERT,

IRWIN.

STANDING RULES AND ORDERS

For Conducting the Business in the House of Assembly of the State of

California.

He shall take the chair every morning precisely at the hour of 10 o'clock; shall immediately call the House to order, and on the appearance of a quorum, shall cause the journal of the preceding day to be read.

RULE II.

After the reading and approval of the journal, the order of business shall be as follows:

1st.

Presentation of Petitions.

2d. Reports of Standing Committees.

3d. Reports of Select Committees.

4th. Messages from the Governor.

5th. Messages from the Senate.

6th.

Motions, Resolutions and Notices.

7th. Third reading of Bills.

8th. Unfinished Business of the preceding day.

9th. Special Orders of the day.

RULE III.

He shall preserve order and decorum, may speak to points of order in preference to other members, rising from his seat for that purpose; and shall decide questions of order, subject to an appeal to the House by any two members, on which appeal no member shall speak more than once, unless by leave of the House.

He shall rise to put a question.

RULE IV.

RULE V.

He shall have a general direction of the hall. He shall have a right to name any member to perform the duties of the chair, but such substitution shall not extend beyond an adjournment.

RULE VI.

All committees shall be appointed by the Speaker, unless otherwise specially directed by the House.

RULE VII.

All Acts, Addresses and Joint Resolutions shall be signed by the Speaker; and all writs, warrants and subpoenas issued by order of the House shall be under his hand and seal, attested by the Clerk.

RULE VIII.

In case of any disturbance or disorderly conduct in the galleries or lobby, the Speaker (or chairman of the Committee of the Whole House) shall have power to order the same to be cleared.

RULE IX.

If any member in speaking, or otherwise, transgress the rules of the House, the Speaker shall, or any member may call to order, in which case the member so called to order shall immediately sit down, unless permitted to explain, and if called to order by a member, such member shall immediately be required by the chair to state his point of order. If the point of order be sustained by the chair the member shall not be allowed to proceed, but if it be not sustained then he shall be permitted to go on; every such decision of the chair shall be subject to an appeal to the House, but no discussion of a question of order shall be allowed, unless an appeal be taken from the decision of the chair.

RULE X.

When two or more members rise at once the Speaker shall name the member who is first to speak.

RULE XI.

No motion shall be debated until the same be seconded and distinctly announced by the Speaker; and it shall be reduced to writing if desired by the Speaker or any member, and read by the Clerk before the same shall be debated. A motion may be withdrawn at any time before amendment.

DECORUM AND DEBATE.

RULE XII.

Every member when he speaks shall, standing in his place, address " Mr. Speaker," and when he has finished shall sit down. No member shall speak more than twice during the consideration of any one question on the same day and at the same stage of proceedings, without leave; and members who have once spoken shall not again be entitled to the floor, (except for explanation,) to the exclusion of others who have not spoken.

RULE XIII.

If any member be called to order for offensive words spoken in debate, the person calling him to order shall repeat the words excepted to, and they shall be taken down in writing at the Clerk's table; and no member shall be held to answer, or be subject to the censure of the House for language used in debate, if any member has spoken or other business has intervened after the words spoken, and before exception to them shall have been taken.

RULE XIV.

Upon a call of the House the names of the members shall be called over by the Clerk and the absentees noted; after which the names of the absentees shall again be called over. The doors shall then be shut, and those for whom no excuse, or insufficient excuses are made, may, by order of those present, be taken into custody as they appear, or may be sent for and be taken into custody by the Sergeant-atArms, wherever to be found, or by special messengers to be appointed for that

purpose.

RULE XV.

When a member shall be discharged from custody and admitted to his seat, the . House shall determine whether such discharge shall be with or without paying fees, and in like manner whether a delinquent member taken into custody by a special messenger shall or shall not be liable to defray the expenses of such special mes

senger.

RULE XVI.

A motion to adjourn, or to fix the day to which the House shall adjourn, shall always be in order, but shall be decided without debate.

RULE XVII.

When a question is under debate, no motion shall be received, but to adjourn, to lie on the table for the previous question, to postpone to a day certain, to commit or amend, to postpone indefinitely, which several motions shall have precedence in the order in which they are named. And no motion to postpone to a day certain, to commit, or to postpone indefinitely, being decided, shall again be allowed on the same day and at the same stage of proceedings. A motion to strike out the enacting clause of a bill or resolution shall have precedence of a motion to amend, and if carried, shall be considered equivalent to its rejection.

THE PREVIOUS QUESTION.

RULE XVIII.

The previous question shall be in this form: "Shall the main question be now put ?" and its effect shall be to put an end to all debate, and bring the House to a vote on the question before it.

If the previous question be called on an amendment to an amendment, then the question shall be on the amendment to the amendment, which being decided, the next question shall be on the amendment and then on the main question; but there shall be no debate pending those questions. All incidental questions of order arising after a motion is made for the previous question and pending such, shall also be decided, (whether on appeal or otherwise,) without debate.

RULE XX.

The previous question shall only be admitted when seconded by three members.

INTRODUCTION AND READING OF BILLS.

RULE XXI.

Every bill shall be introduced by giving at least one day's notice, or by leave of two-thirds of the House, except such bill shall be introduced by a committee in accordance with a rule of the House.