# Harkmint Senate Standing Rules

RULE I — PRESIDING OFFICERS
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1. The Lieutenant Governor shall be the President of the Senate and its primary presiding officer. When the President shall be absent, the President pro tempore shall be the presiding officer. Only the President shall have the power to break ties; that authority shall not be given to the President pro tempore. The President pro tempore, if the presiding officer, shall not be required to vote but may choose to do so.
2. Upon the start of a new Senate, the Senate shall be responsible for filling the vacany of the President Pro Tempore with a simple majority vote. The Senate shall have the power to dismiss the President Pro Tempore, through a resolution with ⅔ concurrence.
3. The presiding officer shall control the proceedings of the Senate, ensure these rules are upheld, and maintain order and attendance of the Senate.

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RULE II — SESSIONS AND QUORUM
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1. In order to initate normal senate business a quorum of ⅗ of the membership must be present.
2. The Governor, President of the Senate, or any concurrence of ½ of the Senate may call a special session of Congress to discuss specific legislation. In absence of the President and President Pro Tempore of the Senate, the Governor shall preside over special sessions.
3. The membership, when wishing to perform an override of a veto or an impeachment, shall require a presence of 2⁄3 of the membership at the session.
4. If the membership, when convened, does not meet Quorum then the only motion that shall be available is to compel the attendance of absent members.

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RULE III — SESSIONS AND QUORUM
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1. The Journal of Record shall contain:
a) date and time of sessions convening and dispersing;
b) register of present members;
c) motions;
d) orders of the presiding officer;
e) votes; and
f) messages between the Senate and other branches of Government.
2. The Journal shall not contain transcripts of speeches by members and specific oration that is irrelevant to the record.
3. The President of the Senate shall appoint, at the beginning of every Congress, a Chief Clerk and any additional clerks he deems necessary. The President of the Senate may remove a clerk at any time.
4. The President of the Senate, after a resolution of the Senate, may appoint a Sergeant-at-arms. The Sergeant-at-arms shall be from the Harkmint State Police unless otherwise decided by the President of the Senate

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RULE IV — ORDER OF BUSINESS
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1. At the beginning of the Congress, the first item of business shall be taking the oath. The second item of business shall be to ratify the standing rules if it has been changed. The third items of business shall be to elect the President pro tempore from the sworn-in members. The fourth item of business shall be to appoint the members to the standing committees.
2. During regular business:
a) roll shall be called and the register of the members taken;
b) priority shall be given to unfinished business left at the end of the previous session;
c) members shall then listen to any members, confirm any Judicial or Cabinet appointment, hear committee reports, and then proceed to hear bills that have been tabled. The presiding officer or the clerk shall read out the title unless it is motioned that the entire text of the bill is to be read;
d) the presiding officer shall then entertain any other petitions or motions from the floor after which, the Orders of the Day will then be created in the order that they were introduced. No motions placed on the Orders of the Day shall be removed without its regular course;
e) sessions will close when adjournment is made solely from the floor of the Senate.

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RULE V — RULES OF DEBATE
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1. When a member desires to speak, at any time during the session, he shall rise and address the presiding officer (Mister/Madam/Thy President), and will not proceed with the request until recognized by the Presiding Officer. Once he begins speaking, the Senator will not be forcefully required to yield the floor unless the Senate shall call the question. Only one member may hold the floor unless authorized by a special motion by the Senate.
2. Every member speaking shall avoid personalities, they shall sit down when finished. No member shall speak out of their place without leave from the presiding officer.
3. When two or more members rise at the same time, the presiding officer shall name the member entitled to the floor.
4. Members repeatedly in violation of any of the rules of the Senate shall be called to order by the presiding officer, and order the member to take their seat.
5. A member called to order shall lose the right to speak on the pending motion, but shall not be barred from voting.
6. A member called to order shall remain seated until the Senate begins consideration of another motion or unless the presiding officer returns the rights of the member to the floor.
7. If a member called to order refuses to immediately take their seat, the presiding officer shall name that member, who shall be escorted from the chamber by the Sergeant-at-arms.
8. A member having been named shall not be allowed to resume their seat until the presiding officer returns the member their rights to attend the session, or a new session has begun.
9. If, after a member is seated or named, the action of the presiding officer is appealed, the Senate shall decide the case by a majority vote of the present members; if there is no immediate appeal, the decision of the presiding officer shall be conclusive.
10. No member may interrupt another except:
a) in compliance with the motions in order;
b) to doubt the presence of a quorum; or
c) to ask the person speaking to yield.
11. No member shall speak more than once on a question unless all other members have been afforded that chance.
12. No member shall occupy more than five minutes at a time while speaking where debate is unlimited.
13. All members shall be courteous, avoid personal attacks, avoid digressions and shall direct their remarks to the presiding officer

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RULE VI — MOTIONS IN ORDER
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1. Motions will only be entertained when the presiding officer deems it to be suitable; the exception being points of order and parliamentary procedure. Only motions that allow members to interrupt the presiding officer may allow members to speak without being recognized by the presiding officer.
2. Motions may only be made by the member after being recognized by the presiding officer. If the motion requires a sufficient second, the presiding officer shall go out for them. If a sufficient second is not achieved as required, the motion shall fail automatically.
3. The presiding officer, after the motion is seconded, shall seek any opposition. If none are heard, the motion is granted automatically. If a member objects, they shall briefly state why. A motion may only be refused by the presiding officer if it breaks any of these rules.
4. If opposition is made, the presiding officer may make time for debate or may call the motion for a vote. The result shall be stated with either of the following: “The motion is adopted” or “The motion is defeated.”
5. The following motions are in order:

| Motion | Type of Motion|Second required?| Debatable?|Voting Procedure| Can interrupt PO? |
| -------- | -- | --| --- | --| --- |
| *Adjourn with fix time* — To arrange a time for the next session | Privileged | Yes | Yes | Simple majority | No |
| *Adjourn sine die* — To dismiss the session without an assigned time, subject to the call of the President. | Privileged | Ye | Yes | Simple majority | No |
| *Recess* — To start a short intermission of the session; motion must contain the length of time. | Privileged | Yes | No | Simple majority | No |
| *Rise to a question of privilege* — To make a personal request. | Privileged | No | No | Decision of the chair| Yes |
| *Call for orders of the day* — To force the Senate to conform to its agenda or orders of business. | Privileged | No | No | One member, requires 2⁄3 to overrule| Yes |
| *Appeal a decision of the Chair* — To reverse a decision by the Chair. | Incidental | Yes | Yes, on the merits. | Simple majority | Yes |
| *Rise to a point of order* — To challenge for violation of the rules | Incidental | No | No, unless appealed | Decision of the chair| Yes |
| *Roll call vote* — To verify a vote | Incidental | No | No | Decision of the chair | Yes |
| *Object to the consideration of a question* — To suppress action | Incidental | Yes | Yes | 2⁄3 majority | Yes |
| *Divide a motion* — To consider parts of a motion separately | Incidental | Yes | No | Simple majority or decision of the member | No |
| *Leave to modify or withdraw a motion* — To modify or withdraw a motion | Incidental | No | No | Simple majority | No |
| *Suspend the rules* — To take action contrary to the Standing Rules; must include the individual rule | Incidental | Yes | Yes | 2⁄3 majority | No |
| *Rescind* — To repeal previous action. | Bring a question again| Yes | Yes | 2⁄3 majority | No |
| *Reconsider* — To consider a defeated motion again | Bring a question again| Yes | Yes | Simple majority | No |
| *Take from the table* — To consider a tabled motion | Bring a question again| Yes | No | Simple majority | No |
| *Lay on the table* — To defer action | Subsidiary motion| Yes | No | Simple majority | No |
| *Previous question / Invoke Cloture* — To force an immediate vote on a Main Motion or Subsidiary Motion; ends debate.| Subsidiary motion| Yes | No | 2⁄3 majority | Yes |
| *Refer to a Committee* — Refer to a Committee for further scrutiny or study. | Subsidiary motion| Yes | Yes | Simple majority | No |
| *Discharge from Committee* — To remove from the Committee | Main motion| Yes | Yes | 2⁄3 majority | No |
| *Amend an amendment* — To modify an amendment | Subsidiary motion| Yes | Yes | Simple majority | No |
| *Amend* — To modify a Main Motion | Subsidiary motion| Yes | Yes | Simple majority | No |
| *Proceed* — To introduce business to the floor (Question for debate, Bill, Resolution, Impeachment, etc.) | Main motion| Yes | Yes | 2⁄3 majority | No |

6. Other motions not mentioned here may be accepted by the discretion of the presiding officer and will require a second and 2⁄3 vote to pass.

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RULE VII — INTRODUCTION OF BILLS
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1. All members wishing to introduce a bill to the floor through a motion must publish the draft bill at least 24 hours before the motion is made.
2. Repealing a hence signed piece of legislation shall require a simple majority of the members as a collective in favor of such motion.
3. Overriding the Governor’s veto of passed legislation shall require all of the members present in favor of such motion.
4. All Bills will be given the chance to have amendments or amendments of amendments, scrutinized by the floor in one straight reading of the bill.
5. The presiding officer or clerk will update when a Bill has gone through its straight reading in the respective channel in the Legislative Discord
6. The presiding officer or clerk shall update the Trello whenever a Bill has been introduced and shall put the bill under the respective list within the Trello.
7. The President, President pro tempore, or clerk will appoint bills their number and fill out any dates, numbers, or names.
8. In the instance that a Senator has planned absence but wishes to vote on a bill planned to be brought to the floor, they may notify the presiding officer to accept their vote in proxy.

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RULE XI — VOTING
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1. The presiding officer shall declare the result of all voted motions in the session; but shall any member doubt a vote, the presiding officer shall order the Clerk produce a roll.
2. All votes shall be taken by voice vote unless requested by any member or by the presiding officer, in which the presiding officer shall roll call the motion.
3. Any member shall require permission from the presiding officer to abstain from voting on any question or motion.
4. A member, having been away from their keyboard, shall be marked as abstained by the clerk; however, following their return to their keyboard, shall be required to change their vote.
5. The clerk or presiding officer shall report at the conclusion of any vote the outcome along with the vote breakdown, in the format of ayes-abstention-nays.
6. When a question has been decided by the Senate, any member voting with the prevailing side or who has not voted may, on the same day or during the next session thereafter, move for reconsideration. If the Senate shall refuse to reconsider such a motion entered, or if such a motion is withdrawn by leave of the Senate, or if upon reconsideration the Senate shall affirm its first decision, no further motion to reconsider shall be in order. Every motion to reconsider shall be decided by a majority vote.
7. Trello Voting shall be used for instances in which legislation must be passed quickly or in instances in which the Senate is unable to convene for a session.
8. Trello Voting shall only be authorized by the President of the Senate or the President Pro Tempore.