Rep. Ward and Waters offered the following concurrent resolution:

            House Concurrent Resolution No. 18.

A concurrent resolution to amend the Joint Rules of the Senate and House of Representatives.

            Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring), That Joint Rule 3 of the Joint Rules of the Senate and House of Representatives be amended to read as follows:

"Conference Committees.

            Rule 3. (a) The House not concurring in the amendments of the other House shall appoint conferees and notify the amending House of its action. The amending House shall request return of the bill or resolution or appoint conferees. The conference committee shall consist of three members from each House, to be appointed as each House may determine. The first named member of the House in which the bill or resolution originated shall be chairperson of the conference committee, EXCEPT IN THE CASE OF APPROPRIATION BILLS, THE SPEAKER OR THE SENATE MAJORITY LEADER OF THE ORIGINATING HOUSE MAY APPOINT A CHAIRPERSON FROM EITHER HOUSE. Upon appointment of conferees by both Houses, the bill or resolution shall be referred to the conference committee. When one House amends or substitutes a bill, but then non-concurs in that bill as amended or substituted, those amendments or that substitute shall not be referred. The conference committee shall serve until the conference report has been adopted by both Houses or rejected by a House.

            (b) The conference committees of the two Houses shall vote separately while in conference.  The majority of each committee shall constitute a quorum of each committee and shall determine the position to be taken toward the propositions of the conference committee. If the conferees agree, a report shall be made which shall be signed by at least a majority of the conferees of each House who were present and voted in the conference committee meeting to adopt the report. The bill or resolution, including the original signed conference report and three copies, shall be filed in the House of origin where the question shall be on the adoption of the conference report. If the conference report is adopted, in the House of origin, the bill or resolution, including the original signed conference report, and two copies of the conference report shall be transmitted to the other House where the question shall be on the adoption of the conference report. If the conference report is adopted in the other House the bill or resolution and the original signed copy of the conference report shall be returned to the House of origin and referred for enrollment printing and presentation to the Governor, filing with the Secretary of State, or filing for record with the Secretary of the Senate or Clerk of the House of Representatives."; and be it further

Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring), That Joint Rule 4 of the Joint Rules of the Senate and House of Representatives be amended to read as follows:

"Conference Committee Clerk.

            Rule 4. The conference committee clerk shall be from the House of origin, who shall notify the Secretary of the Senate and the Clerk of the House of Representatives of all scheduled meetings for public posting and shall deliver written notice to each member of the conference committee and the majority and minority leaders of each House indicating the time and place of all scheduled meetings. Conference committees on appropriation bills may use fiscal agency personnel FROM THE SAME HOUSE AS THE CHAIRPERSON for clerks.".