The joint opening session is the ceremonial opening session for 4-H Legislature. 

• All delegates meet in the House chambers. 

• The purpose is to provide a forum and an opportunity for the Governor and/or other dignitaries to speak to the delegates, ses­sion delegates are sworn in, joint resolutions, proc­lamations or other special presentations made to honor or recognize supporters Florida 4-H Legislature program.

• Once the opening session is called to order, and after the thought for the day and pledges, the presid­ing officer calls upon the Clerk of the House or the Secretary of the Senate to read the first bill (by title only). 

• The Speaker of the House or President of the Senate will refer a bill to a specific commit­tee. The clerk or secretary continues reading each bill by title only and the Speaker of the House or President of the Senate will refer each bill to the appropriate committee, this process continues until all bills have been referred to a committee.  This is the “first reading” of a bill.

• After all of the bills are referred to committee, the House and Senate sessions are recessed if there is no further business.  Legislators then report to the First Committee Meeting.  Lobbyist will report for the Lobbyist Meeting.

For full information on how our committees simulate real life and the list of 4-H legislative committees, go to Prepare for Your Role - Representatives & Senators (Google Sites).

As mentioned above during Session #1, all bills are referred to committee. They must pass through committee before they are discussed by everyone in their respective chambers.

There are three committee meetings to complete all of the responsibilities listed below.

Committee Responsibilities During Florida 4-H Legislature

• Identify the sponsor or co-sponsors for each bill

• Allow Bill Sponsors to present a bill and allow 4-H Legislators to debate the bills 

• The bill sponsor and/or co-sponsor present the bill in committee meetings. If the bill reaches the Senate or House floor, the sponsor presents the bill on the floor.

• Various lobby groups and others are also provided the opportunity to speak formally before the committee in order to gain support or oppose a bill. 

• After the lobbyists have spoken and legislators have had a chance to question them, the Committee will vote whether the bills should be sent to the House/Senate for further debate of the proposed bills. 

• Legisla­tors make their final decision as to whether they will vote for or against the various bills under consideration. The legislators/committee members will also vote to rank the bills in the order that they would want them brought to the floor.

• Amendments may be made to bills in committee and will be voted upon by the committee members 

Committee Structure

• There will be a chairperson for each of six committees who is also a member of the 4-H Legislature Committee and is experienced in 4-H Legislature. The chair presides at Committee Meetings.  

• The chairperson appoints a secretary. The secretary keeps minutes and writes in the amendments to bills as directed by the committee.

• Once the second legislative session is called to order, the presiding officer asks the clerk or secretary to “unlock the machines” and ask “legislators to vote.” Then the clerk or secretary will announce if there is a quorum present. The thought for the day and pledge are presented. The presiding officer asks the clerk or secretary to announce the “Bill Calendar.”

• Then the presiding officer calls upon the Clerk to read the first bill on the calendar, noting changes made in the committee. This is the “second reading” of a bill.

• The presiding officer recognizes the Bill Sponsor who then has 2 – 3 minutes to present his/her bill. This is the time to explain the bill and why it should be passed.

• The presiding officer announces the time limit for non-debatable, technical questions of the Bill Spon­sor and recognizes legislators who have questions. The Bill Sponsor may choose to answer the ques­tions or not.

• The presiding officer announces the number of rounds of con/pro debate and the time limit.  Debate then begins with the presiding officer recognizing a con speaker. The con speaker has X minutes (usually three (3) minutes) to present negative arguments; if the con speaker finishes speaking before time is called, he/she may yield his/her time to a “like” speaker.

  • NOTE: After the round of negative/con speakers concludes, a round of pro debate begins. A speaker in favor of the bill is recognized and allowed X minutes (usually three (3) minutes). The pro speaker may speak for X minutes or yield his/her time to a “like” speaker.

• This pattern of rotation continues until three con/pro rounds of debate are completed.   If there are NO amendments, the bill sponsor is given three (3) minutes to summarize and make a closing statement after the debate has ended. He or she then moves that the bill be read for a third time by title only and placed on final passage.

• The presiding officer asks for objections to the motion (usually there are none since this is a formal­ity) and then asks the clerk to read the bill by title only. This is the “third reading” of the bill.

• If there are amendments to the bill (which must have been submitted in writing to the Clerk of the House or Secretary of the Senate prior to the debate) they are then dealt with following the same pro­cedure as above. The amendment sponsor is allowed to present the amendment and con/pro rounds of debate follow as above. The only difference is that less time and number of rounds of debate is allowed. After debate on each amendment presented from the floor is concluded, each amendment is voted upon.

• After all amendments are disposed of, the vote will be taken on the bill as amended. The Bill Sponsor is given three (3) minutes to summarize and make a closing statement. The Bill Sponsor then moves that the bill be read for a third time by title only and placed on final passage, noting changes made by passed amendments. A majority vote is required for passage.

• When the same bill passes in both the House and Senate in the exact same language it may be pre­sented to the Florida 4-H Governor for action — the Governor may sign the bill, allow the bill to become law without his/her signature or the Governor may veto the bill.

• If a bill passes in both the House and Senate but the language is not the same then it may be referred to a Conference Committee to determine if a compromise “Conference Bill” can be agreed upon. The Conference Bill is then presented in the House and Senate for passage. If it passes in both the House and Senate, it is presented to the Governor for consideration.

• Legislative Sessions may be recessed for breaks, lunch and at the end of the day. The presiding of­ficer will reconvene the session following recesses.

• The Presiding Officer reconvenes the session and bills continue to work through the system. If the Governor has vetoed any bills, the House and Senate may choose to attempt to “override the Gover­nor’s veto.”

• At the end of the session the Florida 4-H Legislature will be adjourned.

The Florida 4-H Legislature adjourns with a ceremonial procedure. 

• “Sine die” refers to final adjourn­ment of a legislative session. The term is sometimes used to denote the ceremony involving the drop­ping of white handkerchiefs, which symbolizes the end of a regular session.

• By tradition, the Florida House and Senate adjourn their legislative sessions at the same time.

• In the Old Capitol building, the presiding officers could not see each other. So the Sergeants at Arms for each body would stand in the doorway of their chamber and drop handkerchiefs simultaneously. 

• The Senate President and Speaker of the House waited for this cue and then each rapped the gavel at the same time.

• After the introduction of telephones, the “handkerchief dropping” became symbolic. In the New Capi­tol building, the Senate President and the Speaker of the House have a clear view of each other, but the “handkerchief dropping” tradition continues.