PRINTER'S NO. 1906
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE RESOLUTION
No.
184
Session of
2023
INTRODUCED BY O'NEAL, PICKETT, STENDER, LEADBETER, KRUPA,
DIAMOND, FLICK, MARCELL, R. MACKENZIE, RAPP, STRUZZI, JAMES,
BERNSTINE, C. WILLIAMS, WARNER, M. MACKENZIE, MALONEY, SMITH,
SCHEUREN, KLUNK, RADER, CUTLER, TWARDZIK, OWLETT, MOUL AND
ZIMMERMAN, AUGUST 15, 2023
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON RULES, AUGUST 15, 2023
A RESOLUTION
Amending the General Operating Rules of the House of
Representatives and House Rule 18, further providing for
definitions and for introduction and printing of bills.
RESOLVED, That the definitions of the General Operating Rules
of the House of Representatives are amended by adding a
definition to read and that House Rule 18 be amended to read:
2023-2024
GENERAL OPERATING RULES
OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
The following words and phrases when used in the General
Operating Rules of the House of Representatives shall have the
meanings given to them in this section unless the context
clearly indicates otherwise:
* * *
"Legislative plagiarism" shall mean the practice of
introducing legislation that is identical in form and substance
to legislation that was previously introduced by another sitting
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member of the House in the same legislative session or
immediately prior legislative session without written
permission.
* * *
RULE 18
Introduction and Printing of Bills
Bills shall be introduced in quadruplicate, signed and dated
by each member who is a sponsor of the bill, and filed with the
Chief Clerk on any day that the offices of the House of
Representatives are open for business. A sponsor may be added or
withdrawn, but in the case of withdrawals, the names shall be
withdrawn if and when the bill is reprinted.
Bills introduced when received at the Chief Clerk's desk
shall be numbered consecutively and delivered to the Speaker,
who shall refer each bill to an appropriate committee on any day
whether or not the House is in session. If the resolution
creating a select committee authorizes the referral of bills to
that committee, the Speaker may refer bills, within the scope of
the resolution, to such select committee. Insofar as applicable,
the select committee shall consider and report bills in
accordance with the rules governing the consideration and
reporting of bills by standing committees. The Speaker shall
report to the House the committees to which bills have been
referred, either on the day introduced or received or on the
next two legislative days the House is in session, unless the
House is in recess for more than four consecutive days in which
case the Speaker shall provide a list to the Majority Leader and
the Minority Leader, within two calendar days, of all bills
which were referred during such period when the House was not in
session.
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If the Speaker neglects or refuses to refer to committee any
bill or bills (whether House or Senate) as above after
introduction or presentation by the Senate for concurrence, any
member may move for the reference of the bill to an appropriate
committee. If the motion is carried, said bill or bills shall be
immediately surrendered by the Speaker to the committee
designated in said motion.
The first copy of each bill introduced shall be for the
committee, the second copy shall be for the printer, the third
copy shall be for the news media and the fourth copy shall be
for the Legislative Reference Bureau.
Every bill, after introduction and reference to committee,
shall be printed and shall also be posted on the Internet with
the hyperlink to the web page for the members of the House of
Representatives.
Bills may not be withdrawn after reference to committee.
A bill or resolution that meets the definition of legislative
plagiarism may not be introduced. If a bill or resolution is
introduced that is suspected of being legislative plagiarism,
the matter may be referred to the Committee on Ethics.
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