Referring of bills
All bills shall be referred by the President without motion
to the proper standing committee unless otherwise referred by the
Senate. A bill introduced by a committee need not be referred to
a standing committee unless a question arises but rather shall
lie over one day before being given its second reading. When a
question arises concerning the proper reference of a bill during
the order of business of first reading on the day of introduction
or at the time of report on it by a standing committee to which
the bill was previously referred, the bill shall be referred
without debate to the Committee on Rules and Administration to
report the proper reference, and upon adoption of the report of
the Committee on Rules and Administration, it shall be referred
accordingly.
All bills appropriating money, or obligating the state to pay or
expend money, or establishing a policy which to be effective will
require expenditure of money, when referred to and reported by
any other than the Committee on Finance, shall, before passage,
be referred to the Committee on Finance.
All bills delegating rulemaking to a department or agency of
state government and all bills exempting a department or agency
of state government from rulemaking, when referred to and
reported by any other than the Committee on Governmental
Operations and Veterans, shall, before passage, be referred to
the Committee on Governmental Operations and Veterans.
All bills creating a new commission, council, task force, board,
or other body to which a member of the legislature will be
appointed shall, before passage, be referred both to the
Committee on Governmental Operations and Veterans and to the
Committee on Rules and Administration.
All bills authorizing or increasing a sentence of imprisonment to
a state correctional institution shall be referred before passage
to the Committee on Crime Prevention.
Upon request of the chair of a finance division of a policy
committee, the chair of the policy committee shall refer a bill
in that committee to the division.
No bill or resolution shall be referred to committee or
amended until it has been given its first reading. No bill or
resolution shall be objected to on its introduction.
Amendments to be germane
An amendment proposed to the Senate or to the Committee of
the Whole that is not germane is out of order. A non-germane
amendment includes one that relates to a substantially different
subject, or is intended to accomplish a substantially different
purpose than that of the original bill to which it is proposed.
An amendment to insert a consitutional amendment is not germane
to a bill that does not already include a constitutional
amendment. Whether an amendment is germane is a question to be
decided by the President, who may put the question to the body if
the President chooses.
A motion to remove an amendment placed on a House bill under Rule
49 is out of order if removal of the amendment would make a
portion of the House bill not germane to the Senate companion for
which it is substituted.
Amendments to bills
In drawing an amendment to a bill or resolution reference
shall be made therein, first to the number of the bill, then to
the page, and then to the line or lines from which matter is to
be stricken or in which new matter is to be inserted.
Amendments to title
The title to a bill may be amended at any time during its
pendency in the Senate.
Recall from committee
With the concurrence of the first author of the bill, before
the deadline for committee action on the bill a majority of the
Senate and after the deadline for committee action on the bill 60
percent of the Senate may recall a bill from any committee and
re-refer it to any other committee or place it on General Orders.
With the concurrence of the first author of the bill, a majority
of the Senate may at any time take a bill from the table and
place it on General Orders.
By a report of the Committee on Rules and Administration adopted
by the Senate, the Committee on Rules and Administration, on
request of the first author, may remove a bill from committee and
re-refer it to any other committee or place it on General Orders.
Distribution and printing of bills
To the extent practical the Secretary shall provide a copy
of any bill to the public and may charge a reasonable fee.
Unless otherwise ordered by the Senate, all Senate bills which
have been reported upon favorably or without recommendation by a
committee shall be printed prior to consideration by the Senate
or the Committee of the Whole. A House bill amended by the
Senate must be unofficially engrossed and printed when placed on
General Orders. A bill may be printed by order of the Secretary
when amended after second reading. A bill shall be printed when
ordered by a majority vote of the Senate. Action by the Senate
on a bill which has not been printed is a waiver of the printing
requirement.
Committee of the Whole
All bills, memorials, orders, resolutions and votes
requiring the approval of the governor shall, after a second
reading, be considered in Committee of the Whole before they are
finally acted upon by the Senate, except as provided for in Rules
9 and 10.
The President may call a member to the Chair when the Senate
resolves itself into the Committee of the Whole. The rules
observed in the Senate govern, as far as practicable, the
proceedings of the Committee of the Whole, and the Chair of the
Committee of the Whole has the powers of the President, as
appropriate. However, a member may speak more than twice on the
same subject and a call for the previous question cannot be made.
The yeas and nays shall be taken only upon the request of three
members, and when taken shall be recorded in the Journal along
with the amendment; provided, however, that a member may, with
the approval of the Chair of the Committee on Rules and
Administration, submit a description of the amendment for
printing. In those cases the Secretary shall retain in the
minutes of the Committee of the Whole the full text of the
amendment.
The recommendations of the Committee of the Whole shall be
reported to the Senate. If a recommendation contains a proposed
amendment of a bill, that amendment shall be noted on a separate
piece of paper but when reported need not be read by the
President unless required by one or more of the members. The
question is on the adoption or rejection of the report, and no
other question shall be admitted. The question may be divided to
permit separate Senate action on the report as to any bill. On
adoption of the report of the Committee of the Whole all bills
recommended to pass shall be placed upon the Calendar.
Amendment on third reading
No amendment is in order on third reading without the
unanimous consent of the Senate unless it fills a blank, amends
the title as provided by Rule 39, is proposed to the chief author
of the bill by the Revisor of Statutes to correct technical
defects found by the Revisor while engrossing earlier amendments
to the bill, or is proposed to a bill on the Consent Calendar
before the bill is given its third reading.
In filling blanks, the largest sum, the longest time and the
greatest distance shall be first taken.
Motion to refer
A bill or resolution may be referred to committee at any
time prior to its passage, and if an amendment is reported on the
referral to any other than the Committee of the Whole, it shall
again be read the second time, considered in Committee of the
Whole, read the third time and placed on final passage. If the
referral is to the Committee of the Whole it shall be placed at
the head of General orders, except when the referral is under
Rule 9.
Final passage
The final question upon a bill or other matter requiring
action by both Houses after its first and second reading, and
after the consideration in Committee of the Whole is upon its
final passage.
Transmitting of bills to the House
Except as provided in Rule 31, immediately after the passage
of a bill or other matter in which the concurrence of the House
of Representatives is requested, the Secretary shall transmit it
to the House. On the concurrence of a bill or other matter of
the House by the Senate, or on the concurrence or disagreement in
a vote of the House, the Secretary shall notify the House.
Comparison and substitution of bills
Unless there is a motion by the Chair of the Committee on
Rules and Administration or objection under Rule 35, a House
bill, after its first reading, shall be referred as follows:
- (a) If there is no Senate companion bill, the House bill
shall be referred to the appropriate standing committee;
- (b) If there is a Senate companion bill, the House bill
shall be referred to the standing committee possessing the Senate
companion;
- (c) If the Senate companion bill has been reported to the
Senate, the House bill shall be referred to the Committee on
Rules and Administration, which shall report whether the House
bill is identical to the Senate companion bill. If the bills are
identical, the report shall recommend that the House bill be
given its second reading and substituted for the Senate companion
bill and the Senate companion bill be indefinitely postponed. If
the House bill is not identical to the Senate companion bill, the
report of the committee shall so state and recommend an amendment
to the House bill that when adopted will render the House bill
identical to the Senate bill. Upon adoption of a committee
report containing the proposed amendment, the House bill as
amended shall be given its second reading and substituted for the
Senate companion bill and the Senate companion bill shall be
indefinitely postponed.
Reports of the Committee on Rules and Administration pursuant to
this rule shall be prepared and submitted on behalf of the
committee by the Secretary.
A House bill placed on the Calendar by substitution shall not be
given its third reading on the same day as the substitution.
Engrossing and enrolling of bills
All engrossing and enrolling of bills shall be done at the
direction and under authority of the Senate.
Every bill, memorial, order or resolution originating in the
Senate shall be carefully engrossed before being transmitted to
the House of Representatives for concurrence.
All bills shall be carefully enrolled under the supervision of
the Committee on Rules and Administration, which may report to
the Senate at any time on the enrollment of bills.
Disposition of bills on adjournment
Adjournment of the regular session in an odd-numbered year
to a date certain in the following year shall be equivalent to
daily adjournment, except that a bill on the Calendar, Consent
Calendar, or General Orders shall be returned to the standing
committee other than the Committee on Rules and Administration
from which it was last reported to the Senate, unless otherwise
provided for by motion prior to adjournment. Bills returned to
committee pursuant to this rule shall, upon request of the
author, be given priority for consideration by the committee
ahead of all other bills in the order in which they appeared on
the Calendar, Consent Calendar, or General Orders.
Petitions and other communications
In presenting a petition, memorial, remonstrance or other
communication addressed to the Senate, a member shall only state
the general purpose of it.
Every petition, memorial, remonstrance, resolution, bill and
report of committee, shall have an appropriate title, and the
name of the member presenting it written on it.
Resolutions
Memorial resolutions addressed to the President or the
Congress of the United States, or a house or member of Congress,
or a department or officer of the United States, or a state or
foreign government, joint resolutions, and resolutions requiring
the signature of the governor shall follow the same procedure as
bills before being adopted. A resolution may not be changed to a
bill, and a bill may not be changed to a resolution.
Upon a member giving notice of intention to debate a resolution
not required to follow the same procedure as bills and not
offered by the Committee on Rules and Administration, the
resolution shall lie over one calendar day without debate or
other action. Upon the request of a member, the resolution shall
be referred to the proper committee. Whenever a question arises
concerning the proper reference the procedure provided by Rule 35
applies.
Confirmations
Every gubernatorial appointment requiring the advice and
consent of the Senate shall be referred by the President to the
appropriate committee. If a question arises as to the proper
committee, the appointment shall be referred without debate to
the Committee on Rules and Administration for a report making the
proper reference.
The final question on the appointment is, "Will the Senate,
having given its advice, now consent to this appointment?" The
question shall not be put the same day the appointment is
received or on the day it is reported by committee unless by
unanimous consent.
Signing of acts, resolutions
In addition to the duties under Rule 3, the President shall
sign all acts, memorials, addresses and resolutions. All writs,
warrants and subpoenas issued by the Senate shall be signed by
the President and attested by the Secretary. Upon a finding by
the Committee on Rules and Administration that the President
refuses or is unable to sign any of the documents described in
this rule, the Chair of the Committee on Rules and
Administration, or some other member selected by the committee
shall assume the duties of the President under this rule until
the President is able to sign the documents described or until
the Senate elects a new President, whichever occurs first.
Appointment of committees
A member may not serve as the chair of a standing committee
or a division of a standing committee, or a committee or division
with substantially the same jurisdiction, for more than two
consecutive Senate terms. This limit does not apply to the
Committee on Rules and Administration. This limit applies to
time served as a chair in the seventy-eighth legislature and
thereafter.
The majority and minority shall each be represented on all
standing committees of the Senate substantially in proportion to
their numbers in the Senate. The majority group shall assign the
number of positions the minority group will hold on each
committee. The minority group shall be given adequate notice
about its positions prior to the commencement of the session.
Both the majority and minority groups shall appoint their own
members to fill the number of positions each group will hold on
each committee. The minority group shall transmit notice of its
assignments to the majority group within ten calendar days after
receipt of the notice of positions available. The minority
groups may designate a ranking member for each committee.
Nothing prohibits a member of the minority group from serving as
chair or vice chair of a committee, subcommittee, division, or
commission. If the minority group for any reason fails to make
its appointments pursuant to this rule, the majority group may
make all the committee assignments.
The majority and minority committee assignments are subject to
the uniform criteria governing committee assignments applicable
to both the majority and minority. The uniform criteria shall be
promulgated by the majority group and transmitted to the minority
group together with notification of committee positions available
to the minority.
Committee assignments as made by the majority and minority groups
shall be followed by the Senate in the resolution establishing
representation on all Senate standing committees.
After the organization of the Senate and after consultation and
advice from the minority leader, the Chair of the Committee on
Rules and Administration may add members to or delete members
from the standing committees. All conference committees of the
Senate and members of commissions to be appointed by the Senate
authorized by rule, statute, resolution or otherwise, shall be
appointed by the Subcommittee on Committees of the Committee on
Rules and Administration, unless otherwise provided, subject to
confirmation by the Senate. In the appointment of members of
conference committees between the two houses, the Subcommittee on
Committees of the Committee on Rules and Administration of the
Senate shall appoint those who are in accord with the position of
the Senate, and whenever practical, give preference to authors of
bills in dispute and to members of standing committees in which
the bills were considered.
Standing committees
The standing committees of the Senate are as follows:
- Agriculture and Rural Development
- Commerce and Consumer Protection
- Crime Prevention
- Education
- Environment and Natural Resources
- Ethics and Campaign Reform
- Family Services
- Finance
- Gaming Regulation
- Governmental Operations and Veterans
- Health Care
- Jobs, Energy and Community Development
- Judiciary
- Metropolitan and Local Government
- Rules and Administration
- Taxes and Tax Laws
- Transportation and Public Transit
The Committee on Rules and Administration may constitute a
standing Subcommittee on Committees, the report of which within
its jurisdiction has the effect of a report of the main Committee
on Rules and Administration. The subcommittee shall consist of
five members, one of whom shall be a member of the minority
group.
Each standing committee of the Senate, including a subcommittee
of the committee, is authorized at any time sit and act, to
investigate and take testimony on any matter within its
jurisdiction, to report hearings held by it, and to make
expenditures as authorized from time to time by the standing
Committee on Rules and Administration. A standing committee, but
not a subcommittee, may require by subpoena or otherwise the
attendance and testimony of witnesses and the production of
correspondence, books, papers, and documents, in the manner
provided by Minnesota Statutes, Section 3.153.
Committee meetings
All meetings of the Senate, its committees, committee
divisions, and subcommittees are open to the public. A meeting
of a caucus of the members of any of those bodies from the same
political party need not be open to the public. A caucus of the
Hennepin County, Ramsey County, or St. Louis County delegation is
open to the public. For purposes of this rule, a meeting occurs
when a quorum is present and action is taken regarding a matter
within the jurisdiction of the body.
To the extent practical, meetings of all committees shall be
announced to the public at least three calendar days prior to
convening. The notice shall state the name of the committee, the
bill or bills to be considered, the place and time of meeting.
The notice shall be posted on all Senate bulletin boards in the
Capitol and the State Office Building. A notice shall be sent to
the House of Representatives for posting as it deems necessary.
If the three-day requirement cannot be met, known proponents and
opponents of the bill shall be given simultaneous notice of the
meeting as soon as practicable.
A Senate committee, subcommittee or division shall adjourn no
later than 11:00 p.m. each day, unless two-thirds of the members
present vote to suspend this requirement.
Quorum in committee
A majority of its members constitutes a quorum of a
committee.
Report of vote in committee
Upon the request of a member of a committee or subcommittee
to which a bill has been referred, or upon the request of the
author of the bill, a record shall be made of the vote on the
bill in the committee or subcommittee, including the vote on any
amendment or proposed amendment to it, in the committee or
subcommittee to which the bill was referred.
Upon request of three members of the committee before the vote is
taken, the record of a roll call vote in a standing committee
shall accompany the committee report and be printed in the
Journal.
Committee action
No report of any committee shall be made to the Senate
unless it reports action taken at a regular or special meeting of
the committee. A report in violation of this rule is out of
order.
Employees authorized in the Senate
The Committee on Rules and Administration shall establish
positions, set compensation, appoint employees and authorize
expense reimbursement for employees as it deems proper to carry
out the work of the Senate. At the request of any committee
member, an action of the committee shall be submitted as a Senate
resolution for adoption by the Senate. A roster of all employees
of the Senate, including positions and compensation, shall be
kept by the Secretary and shall be open for inspection by the
public. The Secretary shall post, in a public place in the
Capitol, a notice of every vacant position on the permanent staff
of the Senate. The notice must remain posted for at least two
weeks, and no vacancy may be filled until the period of posting
has elapsed.
Budget and expenditures
The Committee on Rules and Administration shall adopt an
operating budget for the Senate and refer it to the Committee on
Finance.
All propositions for the appointment and payment of employees of
the Senate or for expenditures on account of the Legislature,
other than those provided by law, shall be referred to the
Committee on Rules and Administration without debate.
Authority over employees
Except as otherwise provided in these rules, the Committee
on Rules and Administration has full and exclusive authority
over, and charge of all employees, officers and clerks of the
Senate both elective and appointive. The committee has the sole
and exclusive power and authority to assign them to duties other
than for which they were elected or appointed as the committee
may from time to time provide. The committee has power to
appoint employees, officers or clerks as it deems proper to
exercise the power granted to it by this rule. The committee may
make rules and regulations for the government of the employees,
officers and clerks as they see fit. In case of violation of an
order of the committee by an employee, officer or clerk, or in
case of a violation of a rule or regulation made by the
committee, or in case of misconduct or omission by an employee,
officer or clerk, the Committee on Rules and Administration may
hear complaints and discharge the employee, officer or clerk or
impose other punishment by way of fine or otherwise upon the
employee, officer or clerk as the committee deems just and
proper.
Duties of the Secretary
The Secretary shall keep a correct Journal of the
proceedings of the Senate and shall perform other duties assigned
to the Secretary. The Secretary shall not permit Journal
records, accounts or papers to be taken from the table or out of
the Secretary's custody, other than in the regular mode of
business. If a paper in the Secretary's charge is missing, the
Secretary shall report the fact to the President, so that inquiry
may be made. The Secretary shall superintend the recording of
proceedings in the Journal, the engrossing, transcribing and
copying of the bills and resolutions, supervise the assistants,
clerks and stenographers under the direction of the Committee on
Rules and Administration, and generally perform the duties of
Secretary, under direction of the President. The Secretary shall
keep a record of all Senate and House bills showing the state,
condition, and progress of each bill pending, until its final
passage.
The Secretary shall cause to be recorded on magnetic tape the
proceedings of the Senate, the Committee of the Whole, and each
standing committee, subcommittee, and division. Each tape shall
be clearly labeled to show the name of the body whose proceedings
are recorded and the dates the proceedings occurred. Each tape
of the proceedings of the Senate and the Committee of the Whole
shall be accompanied by a log showing the number of each bill
considered and the places on the tape where consideration of the
bill occurred. Within two working days after each day the Senate
is in session the Secretary shall make a copy of the tape and
corresponding log of proceedings of the Senate and the Committee
of the Whole and deliver copies to the Legislative Reference
Library. Within one week after each meeting of a standing
committee, subcommittee, or division, the Secretary shall deliver
a tape recording of the meeting to the Legislative Reference
Library, together with an agenda showing bills considered and any
action taken on them. Upon completion and approval of the
minutes of the meeting, a copy of the minutes shall be promptly
delivered to the Legislative Reference Library. The Secretary
shall keep a record of each session of the Senate and the
Committee of the Whole, each meeting of a Senate standing
committee, subcommittee, or division and the date on which a tape
recording of the session or meeting was transmitted to the
Legislative Reference Library. The Library shall keep a similar
record of all tapes received. The Library shall provide
committee staff with reasonable access to Senate tapes and shall
provide the public with convenient facilities to listen to the
tapes. Copies of Senate tapes shall be available to the public
from the Secretary, for a fee determined by the Secretary to be
adequate to cover the cost of preparing the copies. A copy shall
be provided free to a member of the Senate upon request for use
in legislative business. The original tape and log of each
session of the Senate and the Committee of the Whole shall be
kept by the Secretary until the end of the period for which the
members of the existing House of Representatives have been
elected, at which time the tape may be preserved or disposed of
as the Secretary sees fit. Tapes, logs, and minutes forwarded to
the Legislative Reference Library shall be kept by the Library
until two years after the end of the period for which the members
of the existing Senate have been elected, at which time they may
be preserved or disposed of as the Library sees fit. It is the
intention that testimony and discussion preserved under this rule
not be admissible in any court or administrative proceeding on an
issue of legislative intent.
Journal--how approved
The Journal of each day's proceedings is open for correction
at any time during the session of the next day the Senate meets.
Unless corrected on that day, the Journal stands approved.
Secretary may correct errors
The Secretary of the Senate and Engrossing Secretary, in all
proper cases, shall correct all mistakes in numbering the
sections and reference to them, whether the errors occur in the
original bill or are caused by amendments to it.
Purchasing supplies
The Secretary is the agent of the Senate for the purchase of
supplies and services. The Secretary's records on purchase of
supplies and services are open for inspection during normal
business hours. The Secretary shall adopt administrative
controls to ensure that each member is accountable for the
member's own long distance telephone calls and that Senate
telephones are used only for Senate business.
By the 15th day of April, July, October and January of each year,
the Secretary of the Senate shall submit a detailed report of
Senate expenditures during the previous quarter to the Committee
on Rules and Administration.
Duties of the Sergeant at Arms
The Sergeant at Arms shall execute all orders of the
President and perform all assigned duties connected with the
police and good order of the Senate Chamber; exercise supervision
over the entry and exit of all persons to and from the Chamber;
see that messages are promptly delivered; see that the hall is
properly ventilated and the temperature properly regulated, and
that it is open for the use of members of the Senate at the time
fixed; and perform all other services pertaining to the office of
Sergeant.
Persons privileged to the floor of the Senate
No person shall be admitted within the Senate Chamber, but a
member, an officer, the constitutional officers, ex-governors of
the state of Minnesota, members of the House, judges of the trial
and appellate courts and members of Congress. Those who have
been members of Congress or of the state Legislature who are not
interested in any claim or directly in a bill pending before the
Legislature may be personally admitted by a member of the Senate.
An employee of either house may be admitted at the request of a
member or an officer of the Senate. The head of a department of
state government may be admitted by the President. When a
member-elect is sworn in, the member-elect may request that one
guest be admitted. When the Senate is not meeting, a person not
a member may be admitted to the floor at the request of a member
or officer. No public hearings shall be held in the Senate
Chamber. The retiring room of the Senate is reserved for the
exclusive use of the members of the Senate at all times. The
Sergeant at Arms shall strictly enforce this rule.
Privilege of reporters
Provision shall be made for news reporters on the Senate
floor in limited numbers, and in the Senate gallery. Because of
limited space on the floor, permanent space is limited to those
news agencies which have regularly covered the Legislature,
namely: The Associated Press, St. Paul Pioneer Press, Star
Tribune, Duluth News-Tribune and Herald, Fargo Forum, Rochester
Post-Bulletin, St. Cloud Daily Times, WCCO radio, KSTP radio and
Minnesota Public Radio. An additional two spaces shall be
provided to other reporters if space is available.
One person from each named agency and one person from the Senate
Publications Office may be present at the press table on the
Senate floor at any one time.
Other news media personnel may occupy seats provided in the
Senate gallery.
The Committee on Rules and Administration may, through committee
action or by delegating authority to the Secretary, allow
television filming on the Senate floor on certain occasions.
The Secretary of the Senate shall compile and distribute to the
public a directory of reporters accredited to report from the
Senate floor. The directory must include each reporter's picture
and news organization and a brief biography. The Secretary must
issue each accredited reporter an identification badge showing
the reporter's name and news organization.
Disorderly conduct
In case of a disturbance or disorderly conduct in the
lobbies or galleries, the President may order them cleared.
Picture taking by persons other than accredited news reporters,
picture taking with floodlights or flash units, hand clapping,
demonstration, and food and beverages, are prohibited in the
Senate Chamber and in the galleries.
Introduction of visitors
No introduction of a visitor or visitors in the galleries
shall be made from the floor or rostrum of the Senate.
Smoking
No person is permitted to smoke in the Senate Chamber,
Retiring Room, hearing rooms, or other spaces under the control
of the Senate. There shall be no smoking in the visitors section
of the galleries.
Ethical conduct
The Subcommittee on Committees shall appoint a Subcommittee
on Ethical Conduct of the Committee on Rules and Administration
consisting of four members, two from the majority and two from
the minority.
The subcommittee shall serve in an advisory capacity to a member
or employee upon written request and shall issue recommendations
to the member or employee.
The subcommittee shall investigate a complaint by a member of the
Senate in writing under oath received during a legislative
session regarding improper conduct by a member or employee of the
Senate. Improper conduct includes conduct that violated a rule or
administrative policy of the Senate, that violated accepted norms
of Senate behavior, that betrayed the public trust, or that
tended to bring the Senate into dishonor or disrepute.
Within 30 days after receiving a complaint, the subcommittee must
meet and either make a finding of no probable cause, vote to
defer action until a certain time, or proceed with its
investigation. If criminal proceedings relating to the same
conduct have begun, the subcommittee may defer its own
proceedings until the criminal proceedings have been completed.
The subcommittee has the powers of a standing committee to issue
subpoenas pursuant to Minnesota Statutes, Section 3.153. In
order to determine whether there is probable cause to believe
that improper conduct has occurred, the subcommittee may, by a
vote of three of its members, conduct a preliminary inquiry in
executive session to which the requirements of Rule 58 do not
apply. The executive session may be ordered by a vote of three
of its members whenever the subcommittee determines that matters
relating to probable cause are likely to be discussed. The
executive session must be limited to matters relating to probable
cause. Upon a finding of probable cause, further proceedings on
the complaint are open to the public. To minimize disruption of
its public proceedings, the subcommittee may require that
television coverage be pooled or be provided by Senate media
services.
If, after investigation, the subcommittee finds the complaint
substantiated by the evidence, it shall recommend to the
Committee on Rules and Administration appropriate disciplinary
action.
Members shall adhere to the highest standard of ethical conduct
as embodied in the Minnesota Constitution, state law, and these
rules.
A member shall not publish or distribute written material if the
member knows or has reason to know that the material includes any
statement that is false or clearly misleading, concerning a
public policy issue or concerning the member's or another
member's voting record or position on a public policy issue.
Lobbyists
A lobbyist shall not appear before a Senate committee
pursuant to the lobbyist's employment unless the lobbyist is in
compliance with the law requiring lobbyist registration,
Minnesota Statutes, Sections 10A.03 to 10A.06 A lobbyist, when
appearing before a committee shall disclose to the committee
those in whose interest the lobbyist speaks and the purpose of
the lobbyist's appearance. A lobbyist shall not knowingly
furnish false or misleading information or make a false or
misleading statement that is relevant and material to a matter
before the Senate or any of its committees when the lobbyist
knows or should know it will influence the judgment or action of
the Senate or any of its committees thereon.
The Subcommittee on Ethical Conduct shall investigate a complaint
by a member of the Senate in writing under oath received during a
legislative session regarding a violation of improper conduct by
a lobbyist. Improper conduct includes conduct that violated a
rule or administrative policy of the Senate, that violated
accepted norms of the Senate behavior, that betrayed the public
trust, or that tended to bring the Senate into dishonor or
disrepute. The investigatory procedures of Rule 75 apply.
Open meeting complaints
Any person may submit to the Chair of the Committee on Rules
and Administration a complaint that members have violated the
open meeting requirements of Minnesota Statutes, section 3.055.
A member of the Senate may submit the complaint either orally or
in writing; others must submit the complaint in writing. Whether
the complaint was written or oral, the Chair of the Committee on
Rules and Administration shall immediately forward it in writing
to the Subcommittee on Ethical Conduct without disclosing the
identity of the complainant. The complaint must not be further
disclosed without the consent of the complainant, except to the
members against whom the complaint was made, unless the complaint
was made by a member of the Senate in writing under oath, in
which case the investigatory procedures of rule 75 apply.