Mock Senate Rules and Chairmen Instructions

Mock Senate Rules and Chairmen Instructions

The Schedule

Arrive at 7:45-50 to settle in, and get a good seat.

Welcome Speech

Pledge of Allegiance

Reminder of Agenda and Rules

Opening “Icebreaker” Caucus for Party Organization ((5 minutes)

Docket Legislation

Morning Break

Docket Legislation

Lunch Break

Docket Legislation

Farewell Speech (end of 6th period/beginning of 7th period)

Clean-up

Docket Legislation Schedule Up Close

1. Introduce Bill and speaker

2. Open floor to 2 clarifying questions

3. Introduce speaker against

4. Introduce speaker for

5. Open floor for debate (30 minutes)

If an Amendment is proposed, accepted by Party leader then you…

Read the Amendment aloud mentioning the Amendment writer’s name

Open floor for debate on amendment only (7 minutes)

Ask for a motion to vote, a second

Take an up/down hand vote, simple majority wins

6. Reconvene floor debate with time remaining

7. At the end of 30 minutes: Ask for a motion to vote, second must come from the opposing party

8. Take the roll call vote

9. Repeat Process

Limits, Rules, Information

Time Limits

Clarifying questions = 2

Formal Speeches: 2 minutes

Floor Debate: 30 minutes

Amendment Debate: 7 minutes

Filibuster: 10 minutes or until signatures are gathered

Caucus: 4 minutes

Amendments: require a form, unless the amendment has “escaped from committee”. See Escape from Committee instructions. “Escaped” amendments are guaranteed an introduction.

Riders, if accepted by chairpersons, are read aloud just before voting commences.

Other Limits:

1 Amendment per bill

4 riders per bill

2 caucuses per party

1 filibuster per party

Decorum Rules Open Floor Discussion

General Rules

· Senators may only leave the chamber during floor debate or caucuses.

· Refrain from loud talking unless given the floor or in caucus.

· Whips are the only ones allowed to move around the room.

· Decorum: Dress formally, but comfortably. Rude and off-task behavior will not be tolerated. Please be clear about this before you decide to show up to Mock Senate.

· Controlling the time: a Senator who has the floor can choose what’s to be done with her time. She may use the time herself, yield to a question, or give the time over to another.

· The author of the bill can contribute to the open floor debate twice, and no more.

· In the last 5 minutes of the bill, the Chairpersons can invoke a special rule does not allow any new amendments or riders to be introduced.

· Amendments and Riders: see Cheat Sheet.

· Forms Party Leaders Must Get From Your Instructor, Filibuster signature form, Amendment Form, Rider Form

The Filibuster

Each party is allowed one filibuster, which is managed by the party leader. To successfully filibuster, a Senator must speak continuously and extemporaneously on the bill in question. The opposing party can end the filibuster by obtaining a Petition for Cloture from Mr. Brown and getting it signed by all the party members and 1 member from the opposing party. If Senators fail within those ten minutes to gather enough signatures—and the “filibuster-er” continues to speak without stopping, then the bill is “tabled” until some future date. Get it?

What if…

1. Senators are repeatedly out of line: 1 warning then removal from the chambers

2. Too many bathroom breaks: we will only allow students to leave when there are caucuses.

3. A Party is talking too much: 2 warnings then disallow their next speaker from talking.

(consider Mr. Brown the Sergeant at Arms)