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JOINT RULES RESOLUTION -- CONFERENCE

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COMMITTEES

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2016 GENERAL SESSION

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STATE OF UTAH

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Chief Sponsor: Kevin T. Van Tassell

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House Sponsor: Michael E. Noel

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8     LONG TITLE
9     General Description:
10          This rules resolution requires public notice for conference committee meetings.
11     Highlighted Provisions:
12          This resolution:
13          ▸     requires the president or speaker to ensure that oral and electronic notice are
14     provided that identify the members of a conference committee and the time and
15     place that the conference committee will meet.
16     Special Clauses:
17          None
18     Legislative Rules Affected:
19     AMENDS:
20          JR3-2-601
21          JR3-2-602
22     

23     Be it resolved by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
24          Section 1. JR3-2-601 is amended to read:
25          JR3-2-601. Appointment and chairs -- Notice.
26          (1) (a) If the Senate refuses to concur in the House amendments to a Senate bill, the
27     secretary of the Senate shall notify the House of the refusal and ask the House to recede from
28     its amendments.
29          (b) Either house may recede from its position on any difference existing between the
30     two houses by a majority vote of its members.
31          (c) (i) If the House refuses to recede, the speaker shall appoint a conference committee
32     of three.
33          (ii) After making the appointment, the speaker shall:
34          (A) publicly announce the House members of the conference committee and the time
35     and place that the conference committee will meet;
36          (B) ensure that no more than two of the appointees are members of the majority party;
37     and
38          (C) direct House staff to provide electronic notice that identifies the House members of
39     the conference committee and the time and place of the conference committee meeting.
40          (d) If the speaker does not immediately appoint a conference committee, the president
41     may appoint a conference committee as provided in Subsection (2)(c).
42          [(e) Whenever the president or speaker appoint a conference committee, the secretary
43     of the Senate or chief clerk of the House shall:]
44          [(i) immediately notify the other house of the action taken; and]
45          [(ii) request the appointment of a like committee.]
46          [(f) After receiving the notice and request, the presiding officer of the other house shall
47     appoint a conference committee of three.]
48          (2) (a) If the House refuses to concur in the Senate amendments to a House bill, the
49     chief clerk of the House shall notify the Senate of the refusal and ask the Senate to recede from
50     its amendments.
51          (b) Either house may recede from its position on any difference existing between the
52     two houses by a majority vote of its members.
53          (c) (i) If the Senate refuses to recede, the president shall appoint a conference
54     committee of three.
55          (ii) After making the appointment, the president shall:
56          (A) publicly announce the Senate members of the conference committee and the time
57     and place that the conference committee will meet;
58          (B) ensure that no more than two of the appointees are members of the majority party;
59     and
60          (C) direct Senate staff to provide electronic notice that identifies the Senate members
61     of the conference committee and the time and place of the conference committee meeting.
62          (d) If the president does not immediately appoint a conference committee, the speaker
63     may appoint a conference committee as provided in Subsection (1)(c).
64          [(e)] (3) (a) Whenever the president or speaker appoint a conference committee, the
65     secretary of the Senate or chief clerk of the House shall:
66          (i) immediately notify the other house of the action taken; and
67          (ii) request the appointment of [a like] conference committee members from that other
68     house.
69          [(f)] (b) After receiving the notice and request, the presiding officer of the other house
70     shall:
71          (i) appoint a conference committee of three;
72          (ii) publicly announce the members of the conference committee from that house and
73     the time and place that the conference committee will meet; and
74          (iii) direct staff to provide electronic notice that identifies the members of the
75     conference committee and the time and place of the conference committee meeting.
76          [(3)] (4) (a) The first senator named on the conference committee is the Senate chair of
77     the committee, and the first representative named on the conference committee is the House
78     chair.
79          (b) [No more than two members of the conference committee may be members of the
80     majority party. (c)] The conference committee chairs shall[: (i) arrange the time and place of all
81     meetings; and (ii)] direct the preparation of [reports] the conference committee report.
82          Section 2. JR3-2-602 is amended to read:
83          JR3-2-602. Conference committee procedures.
84          (1) The chair from the house of origin of the bill shall chair meetings of the committee.
85          (2) Staff from the Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel may attend the
86     conference committee meeting to assist in the preparation of the committee report.
87          (3) (a) Subject to Subsection (3)(b), conference committee meetings are open to the
88     public.
89          (b) Public comment may not be received or made during a conference committee
90     meeting unless a majority of committee members from one house and at least 50% from the
91     other house vote to receive public comment.
92          (4) (a) A majority of committee members from each house must approve a conference
93     committee report in order for it to be presented to the Legislature.
94          (b) (i) If the conference committee cannot reach an agreement, the committee shall
95     report the failure to agree to both houses.
96          (ii) Upon notice that a conference committee has failed to agree, the presiding officer
97     of each house may either appoint a new committee by following the requirements of JR3-2-601
98     or reappoint the former committee and announce the time and place of the committee's
99     meeting.
100          (5) Before a bill being considered by a conference committee is abandoned, not to be
101     reviewed again by either house during the remainder of the session, each house shall vote to
102     refuse further conferences by the same committee or a new committee.