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190 MUNICIPAL LAW.
Hut in the cast' of a paper rcfeiTed to a coininittee, they arn not at
liluTty to uiase, interline, l)lot, disHgure, or tear it in any manner; but they
must, in a separate paper, set down the amenuments tliey have agreed to
report, stating the wonls wiiicli are to be inserted or omitted, ar . the
places wiiere tlie amen(hnents are to be made, by references to tiie para-
graph or section, line and word.
If the amendments agreed to are very numerous and minute, the
0(»nnnittee may report them altogether, in the form of a new and amended
draft
When a connnittee has gone through the paper, or agreed upon a
report on the sul)ject which has been refe/red to them, it is then moved
by some member, and thereupon voted, that tlio committee rise and that
the chairman, or some other men)ber, make their report to the House.
7M\. Their Report, Every i-eport must be signed by the chairnum.
When the report is to be made the chairman, or tlie member app(jinted to
make the report, standing in his place, informs the assembly that the com-
mittee to whom was referred such a subject or paper, have had the same
under consideration, and have directed him to make a report thereo.i, which
he is prepared to do; and he, or any other mend)er, may then move that
the report be now received. The assembly will decide whether to receive
the I'eport at that time or upon .some future day. When the report is
received, either informally by general consent, or by a formal vote, the
couunittee is discharged and the report becomes the basis of the future pro-
ceedings of the House on the subject to which it relates. If it is not
received the couunittee would not be thereby discharged, but may be
ordered to sit again, and at a time and place as may be appointed.
When the time arrives for the consideration of a report it is treated
and disposed of like any other roposition, and may be amended in* any
part as ma}' be deemed necessai^^ or it may be reconnnitted to the same or
to another couunittee.
The final ([uestion on a report should bo according to its nature. If it
C(jntains merely a statement of facts or opinions, the (piestion should lie on
acceptance] if it al.so conclude with resolutions or .specific propositions of
any kind the question should be on agreeing to the resolutions or adoptiv<i
the propositions, or on pasx'ing the vote recommended by the connnittoe.
In a large ninnber of ca.ses the ([uestion would be put first for its
reception, then for its adoption.
TJMI. Committee of the Whole. When it is proposed to refer the
discussion of a resolution or bill to a couunittee of the whole the form for
going fi'om the assembly into committee is on motion of some member,
" That this House do now re.swlve itself into a conmiittee of the whole
House," naming the matter to be taken into consideration. If this question
is decided in the atiirmative, the presiding oflicer, before leaving the c'lair
will name some member to act as chairman of the committee, and then
take a seat among tlie members.
The person appointed chairman of the connnittee will take a seat at
the Clerk's table, or the seat of the presiding officer, usually the former.
The general rules of the House govern the proceedings of the com-
mittee as far as they are applicable, but members are not restricted to one
.speech on a ((uestion.