Delegation Resource Manual: Rules and Procedures
Page 116
YMCA PA Youth & Government Program
The chairperson shall designate a member of the committee to prepare a synopsis of the
committee’s deliberation on the bill. A form for completing this synopsis will be provided by
the chairperson. This synopsis will include a short explanation of the bill, the intended results
and benefits of the bill, the costs for implementation and how these costs will be provided for,
and a summary of any amendments or other action taken by the committee on the bill. In
addition, one member who voted against the bill will be designated to prepare a short
explanation to be included in the synopsis report as to chief points raised against the bill. Upon
completion of the synopsis, the committee chairperson shall be required to sign the synopsis
report indicating approval by the committee.
The synopsis need not accompany the Master Bill Flowchart that is sent to the Bill Coordinator,
but must be completed and received by the Presiding Officer of the chamber to which the bill is
reported out to prior to the Presiding Officer’s calling the bill from the calendar. Failure to
complete a bill synopsis may delay consideration of the bill by the chamber.
11. No bill may be postponed or deferred in committee. All bills that are on the calendar are to be
considered by the committee as scheduled, unless the chairperson exercised discretion to change
the calendar. Such changes in the calendar may not be done with regard to the same bill more
than once. No more than one change in the calendar may occur in a committee session, and
such change must be announced prior to the commencement of the committee session, and a
revised calendar forwarded to the Bill Coordinator for posting. In addition, bill sponsors who
will be affected by a change in the calendar are to be notified by the committee chairperson of
the necessary change.
Should time for the committee session expire prior to complete consideration of the proposed
bill; the committee is recessed by the chairperson; with the proposed bill on the floor.
Following reconvening of the committee at the next session, the committee chairperson will
start where the committee left off on the bill that was up for consideration. It is out of order to
postpone a bill simply because the time for the committee session has expired.
The bill sponsor may make a motion to table his/her bill prior to the expiration of time for
debate on the bill. If the motion were approved by a majority vote of the committee, then it
would be in order for the bill sponsor to make a motion to remove the bill from the table. Such
a motion is only in order after the committee has considered all bills that have been referred to it
at the opening session. If the motion is approved by a majority vote of the committee, then the
bill must be immediately placed before the committee. The bill sponsor may only be allotted an
amount of time equal to the time remaining for debate on the bill when the bill was first tabled.
Debate resumes at the point it had reached when the bill was originally tabled. Amendments
would still be in order, but time would continue to be counted against the remaining time for
debate on the bill. Motions to extend debate on a bill removed from the table are out of order.
12. The committee may combine bills of the same subject matter. No agreement of the sponsors of
the bills is necessary, however, a majority of the committee must vote to combine such bills. If
necessary, the committee chairperson may appoint a subcommittee of no more than 3 members
to draft a merged bill for consideration by the full committee. In such event, if time permits, the
merged bill may be rescheduled for the consideration of the committee at the next committee
session.
