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1996 SESSION

962044254
HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 154
Offered January 22, 1996
Proposing an amendment to Section 7 of Article IV of the Constitution of Virginia, relating to duties of the minority leader.
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Patrons-- Griffith, Albo, Bryant, Dudley, Forbes, Hargrove, Katzen, Landes, Nixon, Reid, Rollison, Ruff, Sherwood, Wardrup and Way
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Referred to Committee on Rules
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RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, the Senate concurring, a majority of the members elected to each house agreeing, That the following amendment to the Constitution of Virginia be, and the same hereby is, proposed and referred to the General Assembly at its first regular session held after the next general election of members of the House of Delegates for its concurrence in conformity with the provisions of Section 1 of Article XII of the Constitution of Virginia, namely: Amend Section 7 of Article IV of the Constitution of Virginia as follows:

ARTICLE IV
Legislature

Section 7. Organization of General Assembly.

The House of Delegates shall choose its own Speaker; and, in the absence of the Lieutenant Governor, or when he shall exercise the office of Governor, the Senate shall choose from its own body a president pro tempore. A minority leader shall be elected in each house by the members of the ranking minority party. Each minority leader shall appoint the members of the minority party entitled to serve on the standing committees or any other committee established to consider legislation. Each house shall select its officers and settle its rules of procedure. The houses may jointly provide for legislative continuity between sessions occurring during the term for which members of the House of Delegates are elected. Each house may direct writs of election for supplying vacancies which may occur during a session of the General Assembly. If vacancies exist while the General Assembly is not in session, such writs may be issued by the Governor under such regulations as may be prescribed by law. Each house shall judge of the election, qualification, and returns of its members, may punish them for disorderly behavior, and, with the concurrence of two-thirds of its elected membership, may expel a member.