Delegation Resource Manual: Rules and Procedures
Page 119
YMCA PA Youth & Government Program
Officer’s chamber. Should there be more than one bill from another chamber(s), the
Presiding Officer may determine the order in which the bills are to be considered. The
Presiding Officer may also, at his or her discretion, direct that a bill from another chamber;
which is received during a legislative session be placed accordingly on the existing calendar
and taken up for consideration by the chamber.
7.
The Presiding Officer may change or alter the calendar during a legislative session, except
the Presiding Office may not change or alter the calendar with respect to any bill from
another chamber; which would replace consideration of such a bill by one from the
Presiding Officer’s chamber.
8.
The Presiding Officer shall direct the order of business in accordance with prescribed
procedures and format as approved by the Program Director. The following order of
business shall be followed in chambers…
Call to Order
Pledge of Allegiance (if the first session of the day)
Prayer by Chaplain (if the first session of the day)
Roll call by Clerk (if the first session of the day)
Announcements
Calendar set and read by Clerk
Consideration of business from the calendar
Recess/adjournment at prescribed time.
9.
The Presiding Officer is responsible for maintaining order and decorum in the gallery of the
chamber. During legislative session, no member of the chamber may be in the gallery
without the permission of the Presiding Officer. The Presiding Officer shall direct the
Sergeant at Arms to maintain order in the gallery should the gallery become disruptive to the
chamber’s activities. The Presiding Officer shall announce rules of decorum expected of all
visitors to the gallery, including demeanor and appearance, at the beginning of the legislative
session. When necessary, the Presiding Officer shall reiterate such rules prior to requesting
the Sergeant at Arms to maintain order. In any event, the Presiding Officer shall report any
such disturbance to the Bill Coordinator.
10. The Presiding Officer shall assure that access to the floor, that is the area of the chamber
behind the railing and occupied by the members of the chamber, is maintained in an orderly
fashion. Lobbyists, news media staff and legislative liaisons to the chamber shall be granted
access to these areas, and such individuals must be clearly identified and anyone without
identification may be removed from the area and barred access for the remainder of the
legislative session at the discretion of the Presiding Officer. Should anyone granted access to
this area become disruptive, the Sergeant at Arms shall place such individuals on notice and
advise the Presiding Officer. Any subsequent disturbance by such individual may lead to
exclusion from the area for the Conference.
11. The Presiding Officer shall be responsible for maintaining the chamber to which he/she has
been assigned, and shall assure that the chamber is not left unattended at any time. In
session, the Clerk shall be responsible for the chamber. The Presiding Officer may
designate other officers to be responsible for maintaining the chamber in the absence of the
Clerk.
