House of Representatives Rules Relating to Committees
RULES RELATING TO COMMITTEES
Rule 65.
The following shall constitute the standing committees of the House:
(1) Rules
Subcommittees
(a) Special Order Calendars
(b) Consent Calendars
(c) Resolutions
(2) Ways and Means Education
Subcommittees
(a) K-12 Appropriations
(b) Higher Education Appropriations
(c) Taxes, Exemptions, and Benefits
(3) Ways and Means General Fund
Subcommittees
(a) Appropriations
(b) Taxes, Exemptions, and Benefits
(4) Judiciary
Subcommittees
(a) Civil Justice
(b) Criminal Justice
(5) State Government
Subcommittees
(a) Government Regulations
(b) Government Services
(6) Ethics and Campaign Finance
Subcommittees
(a) Ethics
(b) Campaign Finance
(7) Transportation, Utilities, and Infrastructure
Subcommittees
(a) Transportation and Infrastructure
(b) Utilities
(8) Commerce and Small Business
Subcommittees
(a) Environmental Issues
(b) Small Business and Labor
(9) Agriculture and Forestry
Subcommittees
(a) Agribusiness
(b) Sporting Issues
(c) Petroleum and Waterways
(10) Economic Development and Tourism
Subcommittees
(a) Economic Development and Incentives
(b) Regulations
(11) Health
Subcommittees
(a) Health Care Costs
(b) Health Care Professionals and Procedures
(12) Constitution, Campaigns, and Elections
Subcommittees
(a) Constitutional Issues
(b) Campaigns and Elections
(13) Public Safety and Homeland Security
Subcommittees
(a) Public Safety
(b) Homeland Security and Immigration
(14) Boards, Agencies, and Commissions
Subcommittees
(a) Professional Qualifications
(b) Agency and Commission Issues
(15) County and Municipal Government
Subcommittees
(a) Government Regulations
(b) Government Services
(16) Financial Services
Subcommittees
(a) Regulations
(b) Services
(17) Insurance
Subcommittees
(a) Regulations
(b) Services
(18) Education Policy
Subcommittees
(a) Higher Education
(b) K-12
(19) Military and Veterans' Affairs
(20) Children and Senior Advocacy
Subcommittees
(a) Children's Affairs
(b) Senior Advocacy
(21) Fiscal Responsibility
(22) Urban and Rural Development
(23) Ports, Waterways, and Intermodal Transit
(24) Local Legislation
Subcommittee: Local Constitutional Amendments
(25) Baldwin County Legislation
(26) Jefferson County Legislation
(27) Lee County Legislation
(28) Limestone County Legislation
(29) Madison County Legislation
(30) Mobile County Legislation
(31) Montgomery County Legislation
(32) Shelby County Legislation
(33) Tuscaloosa County Legislation
Rule 66.
No committee, except for the Committee on Rules, shall meet when the House is convened in session.
Rule 67.
No standing committee shall meet and take action on any bill assigned to it on the same calendar day the bill is assigned to it, except a committee that considers local legislation.
Rule 68.
No committee or subcommittee shall meet outside the Capitol complex in Montgomery without the prior approval of the Speaker. No committee shall vote on bills or resolutions outside the Capitol complex in Montgomery.
Rule 69.
Amendments to a bill adopted in committee, including amendments to a committee substitute adopted in committee, shall be engrossed into a committee engrossed substitute for consideration by the body on the House floor.
Rule 70.
(a) When the chair of a committee is absent, the vice-chair, if present, or if the chair and vice-chair are both absent, the member designated as the ranking minority member by the Speaker, during the absence of the chair or vice-chair, or both, shall become chair, and have power to call together the committee for the consideration of bills.
(b) A majority of the committee shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business. If a committee lacks a quorum, it may meet to consider the same agenda, anytime within the next four hours without posting notice, as long as the chair, at the time the lack of quorum is determined, announces the time and place for the meeting.
Rule 71.
(a) The chair of a committee shall preserve order and decorum in committee meetings and hearings, including periods immediately before and after a committee meeting or hearing, and may order House Security to remove any disorderly person or member engaging in a breach of the peace from the committee room.
(b) The chair shall report any disorderly conduct or breach of the peace to the Speaker. If the violation is by a member, the Speaker may consider discipline of the member, including removal from the committee.
Rule 72.
A committee shall not take action on a bill except when the committee is in session, and this rule shall not be waived by a majority signing petitions or other procedural documents.
Rule 73.
(a) The chair of any standing committee, excepting the Committee on Rules and a committee that considers local legislation, shall give notice in writing to the members of the committee at least 24 hours prior to the meeting; and such notice shall include a listing by number of all bills to be considered at the meeting.
(b) Notice shall be accomplished by placing the notice in the committee members' mailboxes located outside the Chamber. Notice may be posted for consideration of bills in committee during a special session four hours prior to the meeting. Notice may be posted six hours before the meeting after the 20th legislative day of a regular session for a bill received from the Senate on or after the 20th legislative day of a regular session.
Rule 74.
The chair of a standing committee shall honor a written request for a public hearing on a bill if such request is received by the chair prior to the posting of the notice of the committee meeting at which the bill is to be considered.
Rule 75.
The chair of a standing committee shall take a recorded vote on any motion if requested prior to the call of the question by a committee member and sustained by one additional committee member.
Rule 75.1.
Committee clerks or other legislative staff shall not accept proposed amendments or substitutes for inclusion on any committee agenda from any individual other than a member of the House of Representatives, a member of the Senate, or a legislative staff person authorized by a member to submit the proposed substitute or amendment. Substitutes and amendments may be submitted, upon request from a member, by persons employed by the Legislative Services Agency. Any person submitting a substitute or amendment in violation of this rule is subject to discipline by the House upon the filing of a written complaint with the House Clerk.
Rule 76.
Subcommittees of a standing committee may meet solely for the purpose of researching and studying bills, resolutions, and other matters assigned to it. Each subcommittee may make recommendations to its respective standing committee.
Rule 77.
The chair of the standing Committee on Local Legislation may report any bill out of the Committee without a meeting of that Committee if he or she has the unanimous consent of all members whose districts are affected by the proposed legislation.
Rule 78.
The rules of procedure in the House shall be observed in standing committees as far as they may be applicable and shall not be suspended by a standing committee. Provided, that Rules 25 and 31 shall not be applicable.
Rule 78.1.
The Internal Affairs Committee shall be created as a special committee of the House.
Rule 79.
If a law or executive order refers to the Chair of the Ways and Means Committee as a member or ex officio member of a committee, council, task force, or commission, the Speaker shall designate whether the position shall be filled by the Chair of the Ways and Means Education Committee or the Chair of the Ways and Means General Fund Committee.
Rule 79.1.
(a) Articles of impeachment, as provided in Section 173 of the Constitution of Alabama of 2022, shall be filed in the form of a House resolution. Upon the filing of articles of impeachment signed by at least 21 members, or if the House is not in session, upon petition of 21 members to the Speaker of the House, the articles shall be referred to the House Judiciary Committee for the following purposes:
(1) To investigate the allegations asserted in the Articles of Impeachment, as provided in Section 173 of the Constitution of Alabama of 2022.
(2) To make a recommendation to the body as to whether cause exists to impeach the official.
(b) All meetings of the committee for the purposes provided in subsection (a) shall be open to the public and advance notice shall be given to the public for all meetings consistent with notice requirements of other House committee meetings and shall include publication of the agenda for the meeting.
(c) The committee shall adopt rules to govern the proceedings before it in order to ensure a thorough investigation, provided that the rules are not inconsistent with this rule.
(d) The committee shall gather information and may hear testimony relating to the question of whether cause exists to impeach the official. The gathering of information or the hearing of testimony may occur at any location within this state designated by the chair of the committee.
(e) The Clerk shall assign staff to assist the committee as required. The Legislative Services Agency shall provide assistance to the committee as requested.
(f) Upon the conclusion of its investigation, the committee shall submit its report and recommendation regarding impeachment to the Clerk for consideration by the body. The Clerk shall provide a copy of the report to all members of the House within three days after submission of the report. As part of its report and recommendation, the committee, by majority vote, may offer amendments to the impeachment resolution. If the recommendation of the committee is not unanimous, the members in opposition to the recommendation shall submit a consolidated report outlining the recommendation of the members opposed to the majority recommendation.
(g)(1) If the House is in session when the committee submits its report and recommendation, the impeachment resolution, along with any committee amendments, shall be considered by the House on the third legislative day following its submission if 63 members of the House vote in favor of consideration. Consideration of the Articles of Impeachment shall be during the introduction of bills and resolutions pursuant to Rule 6(7) and shall be in resolution form and offered by one of the resolution's sponsors.
(2) If the House is not in session when the committee submits its report and recommendation, or if the House adjourns prior to consideration of the report and recommendation submitted under subdivision (1), the House may convene as provided in Section 173 of the Constitution of Alabama of 2022, to consider the report and recommendation.
(3) Passage of the resolution shall require a majority vote of the House membership.