§ 22-3-3 - Organization of house of representatives – Speaker – Clerks.
SECTION 22-3-3
§ 22-3-3 Organization of house ofrepresentatives – Speaker – Clerks. – At the time specified in § 22-3-17, the house of representatives shall becalled to order by the senior member in continuous service present fromNewport, and if there are two (2) or more members from Newport of equalseniority of service then by that one of them that shall be senior in age, andif there is no member present from Newport, by the senior member of the housein continuous service present, and, if there are two (2) or more members ofequal seniority of service, then by that one of them who is senior in age. Theroll of members as appears by the list of representatives shall then be calledby the reading clerk, as provided in § 22-3-2. If it appears thatthirty-eight (38) of the members whose names are upon the list are present, butnot otherwise, the member calling the house of representatives to order asprovided in this section shall call for nominations for the office of speaker,and shall receive the ballots of the members whose names are on the list forthat office, and after the ballots have been counted by him or her and by theclerks of the house, he or she shall declare the result, and the ballotingshall continue until some person receives a majority of all the ballots, andthe person receiving that majority shall be the speaker of the house for theensuing term of two (2) years. The member so calling the house to order shallnot receive, entertain, or put to vote any motion or question whatever, orpoint of order, while acting as presiding officer, and any member violating anyof the foregoing provisions of this section, or allowing any person whose nameis not upon the list to participate in the organization of the house or to castany ballot for speaker, or who shall allow to be used in the organization ofthe house any list of members not prepared and corrected as provided in thischapter, shall be imprisoned not less than one year nor more than three (3)years; and any clerk or other person who shall use this list in theorganization of the house, or who shall fraudulently alter, secrete, or destroyany list of members, prepared or prepared and corrected, as provided in §22-3-1, shall be punished by like imprisonment. Immediately upon the electionof a speaker, the house of representatives shall proceed to elect by ballot aclerk of the house and a recording clerk, and upon the election of a speakerand clerks as provided, the house of representatives shall be deemed to beorganized and shall immediately notify the senate that it is duly organized andready to proceed with the business of the session. The clerks shall hold officefor two (2) years, and until their successors are elected and qualified.