USA > Pennsylvania > Philadelphia County > Philadelphia > Manual of the City Councils for 1898-1899 > Part 11
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MOTIONS TO ADJOURN, WHEN IN AND WHEN NOT IN ORDER. Not in order on catt of previous question.
VIII. A motion to adjourn shall always be in order, except when, on the call for the previous question, the main question shall have been ordered to be now put, or when a member has the floor; and shall be decided without debate.
DIVISION OF QUESTION, MOTIONS TO STRIKE OUT, ETC. To strike out and insert indivisible, etc.
IX. Any member may call for a division of a ques- tion which shall be divided if it comprehends ques- tions so distinct that, one being taken away, the rest may stand eutire for the decision of Select Council. A motion to strike out and insert shall be deemed indi- visible. But a motion to strike out, being lost, shall preclude neither amendment, nor a motion to strike out and insert.
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RECONSIDERATION OF VOTES.
The majority side only to move to reconsider, and to be made before the next stated meeting.
X. Members in the majority only, or when Select Council has been equally divided, those who voted in the negative, shall move the reconsideration of any question or vote which may have been determined; no motion for reconsideration shall be received, un- less made on or before the next stated meeting of Select Council. The motion to reconsider shall be decided without debate, and no second motion to re- consider shall be entertained.
AMENDMENTS TO BILLS.
To be printed, Amendments of Common Council, to be subject to further amendment.
XI. All amendments shall be printed and laid on the members' tables. No amendment shall be enter- tained which destroys the general sense of the origi- nal section, clause, or paragraph. This Chamber may amend amendments made by the other.
Amendments to be voted on by roll call, yeas and nays, on concurrence.
Amendments to a bill shall be concurred in by the vote of a majority or two thirds of the members elected, as the case requires, and shall be recorded upon the Journal. If a bill which has passed Com- mon Council receives any amendment in Select Council, it shall be returned to Common Council, with the amendments, and Common Council informed that Select Council has passed the bill, with the amend- ments, in which concurrence is requested.
PREVIOUS QUESTIONS ; FIVE MEMBERS TO CALL. Call for previous question, postponement or commitment, precludes amendment or debate.
Motion to postpone, debatable, to lie on table, not.
XII. The motiou for the previous question, post- ponement, or commitment, shall preclude amend- ment and debate on the original. subject. A motion to postpone shall preclude commitment. A motion to lie on the table shall not be debatable, but all motions to postpone shall be debatable. The previous question shall not be moved by less than five members.
PREVIOUS QUESTION ; WHEN SUSTAINED. Question to be upon pending amendments.
XIII. When a call for the previous question has been made and sustained, the question shall be upon pending amendments, and the main question, in
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their regular order ; and all incidental questions of order arising after a motion for a previous question has been made, and, pending such motion, shall be decided, whether on appeal or otherwise, without debate.
QUESTIONS OF ORDER ; NO DEBATE. Unless on approval, etc., by President.
XIV. No debate shall be allowed on questious of order, unless there be an appeal or reference by the President to the Select Council. And on such appeal or reference no member shall speak more than once, unless by leave of Select Council.
REASONS FOR VOTING. Not to be stated verbally, but in writing.
XV. No member shall be permitted to state verbally his reasons for voting on any question, on a call for the yeas and nays, but may submit his reasons in writing, which shall be placed in the journal.
YEAS AND NAYS, CHANGING VOTES.
Not be changed unless made by mistake. Names can be recorded before result is announced.
XVI. On a call of the yeas and nays, the Clerk shall read the names of the members after they have voted, and no member shall be permitted to change his vote, unless he at the time, and before the result is an- nounced, declares that he voted under a mistake of the question. Members who have not voted can have their names recorded at any time before the result is announced.
MEMBERS TO VOTE AND SPEAK FROM THEIR SEATS.
XVII. No member shall be permitted to address the Chair, or vote, unless he be in his seat.
THE PRESIDENT TO VOTE LAST.
XVIII. On all questions, the President shall vote last.
MOTIONS TO CONSIDER BILLS. No debate allowed on such motions.
XIX. A motion to proceed to the consideration of a bill or other subject, shall be decided without debate or amendment.
CONSIDERATION OF BILLS. Bills to be written, type-written or printed.
Reporting from Committee to be the first reading of. Bills not to contain more than one subject.
XX. All bills read in place shall be written in ink, type-written, or printed, and shall be referred to a
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committee for consideration. The reporting of a bill by a cominittee shall be the first reading. Before a bill can be further considered, it shall be printed. Bills so reported shall not contain more than one subject, and it shall be clearly expressed in the title. Reports of all committees shall be in writing, type- written, or printed, and shall be signed by a majority of the committee.
PASSAGE OF BILLS.
Every bill to receive three readings, on different days.
XXI. Every bill shall receive three readings pre- vious to its being passed finally, which readings shall be on different days.
BILLS ON THIRD READING.
Can be amended only by unanimous consent, or in Committee of Whole.
XXII. No bill shall be amended on third reading, unless by unanimous consent, or by going into Com- mittee of Whole.
SIGNING AND ATTESTING BILLS, ETC.
Bills, subpoenas, etc., to be signed by President and Chief Clerk.
XXIII. Bills, writs, warrants, and subpoenas, issued by order or direction of Select Council, shall be signed by the president and attested by the Chief Clerk.
COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE.
Bill to go to Committee of Whole at any time before passage. President vacates chair when Committee is in session.
XXIV. It shall at all times be in order, before the final passage of any bill or resolution, to move its commitment to the Committee of the Whole. The President shall retire from the Chair when a motion is carried to go into the Committee of the Whole, and appoint a member to act as Chairman. And after commitment to the Committee of the Whole, and report thereof to Select Council, or at any time before its final passage, such bill may be recommitted to the Committee of the Whole.
COUNCIL IN COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE.
First section to be first considered ; if no amendment, to be so returned. If amended report, to be so made.
If committee does not agree to first section, bill falls. Yeas and nays to be recorded on adoption of report.
XXV. When Select Council shall resolve to go into Committee of the Whole, the consideration of the
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first section of a bill or resolution so referred shall be first in order, and if no amendments are made to the section or sections, or resolution, the committee will so report, and the measure will be again before the Chamber for consideration. If, however, an aniend- ment or amendments are agreed to, the report is to be so made, and action must be had on them. If the measure has but one section, and the committee does not agree to that section, and so reports, the question will be on the adoption of the report, and if adopted the bill will fall. On the adoption of a report of the Committee of the Whole a viva voce vote shall be sufficient, but on the passage of the bill or measure reported, or acted on, a majority of all those elected, taken by a yea and nay vote, shall be required.
COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE FAILING TO FINISH. Committee can meet again on leave. No amendment operative until approved by Select Council.
XXVI. Should the committee fail to finish its busi- ness before the hour of adjournment, they shall ask leave to sit again ; and if the same be grauted they may meet on another day. If the committee shall be refused leave, the bill shall come immediately be- fore Select Council, and any amendment which may have been made in Committee of the Whole shall not be considered as part of the bill until adopted by Select Council.
RULES, WHEN IN COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE. Rules of Councits govern. Yeas and nays cannot be catled. Previous question or appeal not allowed.
XXVII. The rules and proceedings of Select Coun- cil shall be observed, as far as they are practicable, in Committee of the Whole, excepting that a member may speak oftener than twice on the same subject. In Committee of the Whole the previous question cannot, be called, the yeas and nays required nor can there be auy appeal from the decision of the Chairman. The proceedings in Committee of the Whole are not to be entered on the Journal.
FILLING UP BLANKS.
1. Largest sum.
2. Greatest number.
3. Most distant day.
XXVIII. On filling up blanks the question shall first be taken on the largest sum, greatest number, and most distant day.
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NO PAPERS TO BE WITHDRAWN. Except by consent of Select Council.
XXIX. The files of Select Council may be inspected by the members, but no paper shall be withdrawn therefrom without the consent of said Council.
HOW COMMITTEES ARE APPOINTED.
By President, unless otherwise ordered.
XXX. All committees shall be appointed by the President, unless otherwise ordered by Select Council.
COMMITTEES, DUTIES OF MEMBERS, AND CHAIRMEN. Should Chairman neglect, etc., to call, next person on list may.
XXXI. Every member of a committee shall attend the call of the Chairman, who shall be the first named person on such committee, and in case of his neglect to call the committee together, or in case of his absence by sickness or other cause the committee shall attend the call of the next person named on the committee.
THE CHAMBER TO BE IN CHARGE OF THE PRESIDENT. May name a member to act for one meeting.
XXXII. The President shall have the general direc- tion of the Chamber. He may name a member to perform the duties of the Chair, but such substitution shall not extend beyond an adjournment.
SMOKING PROHIBITED DURING MEETINGS.
XXXIII. No smoking of tobacco shail be allowed within the Chamber during the sessions of Select Council.
PERSONS ADMISSIBLE TO THE FLOOR.
Members and officers of both branches, ex-members of Select Councit, Mayor, Heads of Departments and Bureaus, Members of Legislature and Reporters.
XXXIV. No person shall be admitted on the floor of Select Council during the sessions except the mem- bers and officers of the two branches of Councils, ex-members of Select Council, the Mayor, Heads of Departments or Bureaus, members of the Legislature, and reporters who may desire to report the proceed- ings of Select Council for publication, under the direction of the President.
INTOXICATION-PENALTY THEREFOR.
Forfeits rights. Members may be ejected by Sergeant-at- Arms and penalty for violation of rule.
XXXV. Any person entitled to the privilege of the floor, who shall enter the Chamber in a state of
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intoxication, shall forfeit his right to that privilege, and it shall be the duty of the President to direct the Sergeant-at-Arms to eject him. Any member of this body who shall be guilty of the same offence, shall, upon the first occasion, be officially notified by the President that he has violated this rule, and if he be- haves in an unruly or indecorons manner, the Presi- dent shall direct the Sergeant-at-Arms to eject him, and if he repeats the offense, he shall be tried in the manner prescribed by law, and impeached. And the Sergeant-at-Arms is hereby empowered to employ as much force as may be required to execute the de- mands of the President under this rule.
TWO-THIRDS OF MEMBERS PRESENT CAN DISPENSE WITH RULES.
XXXVI. The consent of two-thirds of the members present shall be necessary to dispense with any rule.
RULES, GOVERNED BY SMULL'S LEGISLATIVE HAND-BOOK.
If not inconsistent with rules of Councils, etc.
XXXVII. The rules of parliamentary practice, comprised in " Smull's Legislative Hand-book," shall govern Select Council in all cases to which they are ap- plicable, and in which they are not inconsistent with the standing rules and orders of Select Council, and the Joint Rules of the Select and Common Councils.
DAYS AND HOURS OF MEETING.
First and third Thursdays, from 3 to 6 P. M.
XXXVIII. The stated meetings of Select Council shall be held on the first and third Thursday of each month, commeucing at 3 o'clock P. M., and shall terminate at 6 o'clock, P. M., unless sooner adjourned by motion.
SPECIAL MEETINGS. Six members to call. Chief Clerk acts in President's absence, disability, etc.
Business named in call only to be considered.
XXXIX. Special meetings may be called by the President on the request of six members; the call and notice shall alike contain the business for which the Chamber is to convene. In the absence of the President from the City, or in case of his disability or refusal to call a meeting, the Chief Clerk shall, under the same regulations call a special meeting, on the written request of the requisite number. At special meetings, no other business than that for which it was called shall be taken up, unless by a two-thirds vote of the members present.
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APPOINTMENTS AND CONFIRMATIONS. Appointments to be first referred to a committee for action.
City Controller to be furnished with a list.
XL. All appointments in the City Departments and Bureaus connected therewith shall be submitted to Select Council for confirmation, and all such ap- pointments shall, before being acted on by Select Council, be referred to a committee for report. This rule not to apply to laborers employed by the day. No employé subject to confirmation shall be entitled to pay until so confirmed. The City Controller shall be furnished with a list of all confirmations.
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RULES OF COMMON COUNCIL.
RULES.
Adjournment.
14
Amendments, inconsistent.
Appeals .. 19
3
Appointment of committees.
5
BILLS, first reading.
25
introducing and action on
25
COMMITTEES, appointment. 5
= meetings 28
of whole. 27
Clerk, duties of. 8-10-11
Debate, right of members 17
Debating. 17
Decisions and appeals. 3
22
Five-minute rule
16
Hours of meeting
30
Members presenting papers. = speaking five minutes.
=
twice.
MOTIONS, how received
18
for previous question. 24
for reconsideration of questions. 23
lay on table. 18
not debatable.
20
to adjourn.
18-21
to be journalized
9
of business.
13
President's duties.
1-7
Previous question
24
Quorum
Reconsideration 23
12 Resolutions to be printed ..
34
Rules, altering and dispensing with 32 Smoking prohibited. 31 Special meetings 6-10
Use of chamber. 33
Voting and refusing to vote. 26
Smull's Handbook
29
THE PRESIDENT'S DUTIES.
No member to leave without the President's authority.
I. The President, or, in his absence, a member chosen to preside during the meeting, shall take the Chair, at the hour to which Council shall have been adjourned, or as soon as a majority of members appear ; and, after that, no member shall depart with- out leave from the President.
15
16
16
Order and decorum.
2
Opening of streets.
36
Division of questions.
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HE SHALL PRESERVE ORDER AND DECORUM.
II. He shall preserve order and decorum, and in debate shall prevent personal reflection and confine members to the question under consideration.
DECISIONS AND APPEALS.
Appeal can be made by two members from his decision.
III. He shall be the judge of order, and his decision shall be immediately submitted to, unless two mem- bers require an appeal to Council, which shall be decided without debate except the member appealing shall be permitted to state his reasons therefor and the President to reply thereto.
VOTING AND DEBATING.
The President not to debate without leave.
IV. He shall vote on all questions, but take no part in debate without leave of Council.
PRESIDENT APPOINTS COMMITTEES.
Unless otherwise ordered.
V. He shall appoint all committees, unless it be otherwise ordered by Councils.
CALL SPECIAL MEETINGS.
On request of twenty-five members, or personally.
VI. He shall call all special meetings of Council whenever, in his opinion, public business may require it, or on the request of twenty-five members ; but when meetings shall be so called, he shall direct the Clerk to insert in the notices to the members the import of the business on which they are to convene.
PRESIDENT TO HAVE DIRECTION OF CHAMBER, Can depute a person to act for two meetings.
VII. He shall have a general direction of the Council Chamber. He may name a member to perform the duties of the Chair ; but such substitution shall not extend beyond an adjournment, except when the President obtains leave of absence, in which case he may depute a member as President pro tempore during such leave, which shall not be for more than two stated meetings.
CLERK TO CALL ROLL OF MEMBERS.
VIII. The Clerk shall, when the President takes the Chair, call over the names of the members in alpha- betical order, setting down in the Journal the names of all the members present.
CLERK TO JOURNALIZE AND INDEX.
IX. The Clerk shall keep a Journal of all the trans- actions of Council, with an index to the same, and present all messages to the Select Council.
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MANUAL OF COUNCILS.
CLERK TO CALL MEETINGS REGULAR AND IN ABSENCE OF PRESIDENT.
X. He shall, by the Sergeant-at-Arms, call the meetings of Council by written or printed notices, one day, at least, previous to the time of meeting ; and, in the absence of the President, call special meetings.
CLERK TO PRINT RESOLUTIONS, ETC. Furnish Chairman with copies of resolutions.
XI. When any bill, resolution, or report, is to be printed by an order of Council, the Clerk shall forth- with carry this order into execution ; and he shall furnish the Chairman of Committees with copies of resolutions, and, when applied to, with such other papers as may be necessary.
IN ABSENCE OF QUORUM. May adjourn.
XII. If a quorum of the members do not attend within half an hour after the time appointed for the meeting, the members present may adjourn, the Clerk inserting their names on the Journal ; but if a quorum attend, the order of business shall be as follows :
ORDER OF BUSINESS.
XIII. The Journal of the last meeting shall be read, and, if necessary, corrected as to matters of mistakes or form.
Bills, petitions, original resolutions and other communications may be presented and referred to the appropriate committees.
Reports of committees may be made.
From standing committees in their order, From special committees.
Bills may be read in place by members, and refer- red to the appropriate committees.
Original resolutions may be offered.
Bills may be considered in the following order : Bills on third reading.
Bills on which progress has been made on sec- ond reading.
Bills from Select Council on which no action has been taken.
Bills reported in Common Council, which have not yet been taken up for consideration.
Original resolutions may be disposed of. Unfinished business.
IN CASE OF ADJOURNMENT.
Business to commence where it was interrupted, etc. XIV. When the foregoing order of business is in- terrupted by an adjournment, the business of the
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MANUAL OF COUNCILS.
next meeting shall commence at the point where it was interrupted, immediately after the presentation of petitions.
PRESENTING PAPERS, MOTIONS, ETC.
Purport of paper to be stated. Rise to address Chair.
XV. Every member, on presenting a paper to the Chair, shall first state its general purport ; and every member, who shall make a motion, shall rise and address the Chair.
DEBATE ON MOTIONS, SPEAKING, ETC. Motion to be first stated by the Chair. Reduced to writing, if required. Not to speak more than twice. Nor longer than five minutes.
XVI. No debate shall be entered into on any mo- tion, unless that motion be seconded and stated from the Chair ; and all motions shall, if requested by two members, or by the President, be reduced to writing. No member shall speak more than twice upon any one question, nor longer than five minutes at a time, without leave of Council.
RIGHTS OF MEMBERS IN DEBATE. Call to order by President. No member to be named in debate.
XVII. No member, when speaking, shall be inter- rupted, except by a call to order by the President, or by a member to explain, or by a motion for the pre- vious question ; nor shall any member be referred to by name in debate, unless for a transgression of the rules of Council, and then by the President ouly.
ORDER IN WHICH MOTIONS MAY BE RECEIVED.
1. Adjournment.
2. Previous question.
3. Lay on tarle.
4. Postponement.
5. Commitment.
6. Amendment.
The first three to be decided without debate.
XVIII. When a question is under consideration no motion shall be received, except for adjournment ; for the previous question; to lay on the table; for postponement ; for commitment ; or for amendment. These questions shall have precedence in the order in which they are above mentioned ; and the first three shall be decided without debate. A motion to lay on the table being agreed to, shall place the subject in the order of unfinished business. An indefinite post- ponement shall be equivalent to a rejectment.
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MANUAL OF COUNCILS.
INCONSISTENT AMENDMENTS.
1. That which destroys general sense of clause.
2. Different from that under consideration.
XIX. No amendment which tends to destroy the general sense of any clause or motion shall be ad- mitted ; nor shall a motion or proposition different from that under consideration be admitted as an amendment.
NOT DEBATABLE.
A motion to proceed to consideration of bill, etc.
XX. A motion to proceed to the consideration of a bill or other subject shall be decided without debate or amendment.
MOTIONS TO ADJOURN.
1. Not in order when council is voting on a proposition. 2. When member is addressing the Chamber.
XXI. A motion to adjourn shall always be in order, except when on the call for the previous question the main question shall have been ordered to be now put or when the Council is voting on another question, or while a member is addressing the Chair, and shall be decided without debate.
DIVISION OF QUESTIONS, ETC. Members may call for same.
To strike out and amend, indivisible. Substitute not to be introduced.
XXII. Any member may call for the division of a question, which shall be divided if it comprehends questions so distinct that, one being taken away, the rest may stand eutire for the decision of the Council. A motion to strike out and insert shall be deemed in- divisible ; but a motion to strike out, being lost, shall preclude neither amendment nor a motion to strike out aud insert. No motion can be received to post- pone for the purpose of introducing a substitute.
MOTIONS FOR RECONSIDERATION OF QUESTIONS. To be made by one who voted with the majority, and before the next meeting, and not after matter has been sent to the other Chamber.
Reconsideration has precedence, except on motion to adjourn.
XXIII. A motion to reconsider any former resolu- tion or vote can only be made or seconded by a mem- ber who then voted with the majority; nor unless made at or before the next meeting after the decision. No motion for the reconsideration of any vote shall be in order after the matter upon such vote was taken shall have been sent to the other Chamber, or have
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MANUAL OF COUNCILS.
gone out of the possession of the Common Council. A motion to reconsider shall take precedence of all other questions, except a motion to adjourn, and on such question a member shall speak but once.
PREVIOUS QUESTION-TWELVE MEMBERS RISING TO CALL FOR SAME.
If in affirmative, meaning main question. Vote first on pending amendment, then on original question.
XXIV. The previous question shall not be moved by less than twelve members rising for that purpose, and shall be determined without debate. If, on a call for the previous question, Council decides by a majority of the members elected that " the main ques- tion shall be now put," a vote shall be had first on the pending amendments, and then on the original question.
INTRODUCING BILLS, AND ACTION THEREON.
1. From Select Council by members in place, or Com- mittees.
2. Bills to have three readings.
XXV. Bills shall be introduced by message from Select Council ; by a member in his place; or by a Committee of Council. Every bill shall receive three several readings, on the second of which it shall be read and considered by sections and paragraphs, be- ginning with the enacting clause and going through to the end ; after which the preamble and title shall be decided on.
No bill to be finally passed in same meeting at which it originated.
No bill to be reported by a Committee after first Thursday in March.
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