Legislative Building Fredericton, New Brunswick December 22, 2005 To The Honourable The Legislative Assembly of The Province of New Brunswick Honourable Members: I have the pleasure to present herewith the First Report of the Standing Committee on Procedure. Further to its permanent order of reference, the Committee held four meetings, on October 7 and 27 and on December 13 and 20, 2005, and commenced a review of the Standing Rules and practices of the Legislative Assembly. Your Committee’s Report contains several recommendations for changes and improvements to the Standing Rules and practices of the House.

The Committee’s work will continue on various matters still under study. I wish to thank the Members of the Committee and, on their behalf, to express the Committee’s appreciation to the Legislative staff who assisted the Committee with its work. Respectfully submitted on behalf of the Committee. (Sgd.:) _____________________ Hon. Brad Green, Chair. MLA, Fredericton South.

Legislative Building Fredericton, New Brunswick December 22, 2005 To The Honourable The Legislative Assembly of The Province of New Brunswick Honourable Members: Your Standing Committee on Procedure begs leave to submit this their First Report. Pursuant to the provisions of Standing Rule 92, all standing rules and practices of the House, together with any matter referred by the Speaker, stand permanently referred to the Standing Committee on Procedure.

In accordance with its permanent order of reference, the Committee held meetings on October 7 and 27, and December 13 and 20, 2005, and reviewed the Standing Rules and practices of the House. Your Committee set about its task by outlining a number of procedural issues of concern to the Members, including the Speaker.

Among the matters considered by your Committee were the items of business “introduction of guests and congratulatory statements”, statements by Ministers and replies thereto, legislative process, private members’ day, appropriation bills, time allocated for estimates and supply procedure, closure and time allocation and deferral of votes. It is anticipated that the process of review and evaluation of the Standing Rules will extend past the present session.

Nonetheless, your Committee has had an opportunity to complete its study on a number of matters and is prepared to make certain recommendations to the Assembly.

Recommendation Your Committee therefore recommends for adoption the following amendments to the Standing Rules: 1. Standing Rule 29(1) is repealed and the following is substituted: 29(1) Unless otherwise provided by Standing or Special Order of the House, the time for the daily meeting and adjournment of the sitting of the Assembly shall be as follows: Tuesday from 1.00 p.m. to 6.00 p.m. Wednesday from 10.00 a.m. to 12.30 p.m., and from 2.00 p.m. to 6.00 p.m. Thursday from 1.00 p.m. to 6.00 p.m. Friday from 10.00 a.m. to 12.30 p.m., and from 1.30 p.m. to 4.30 p.m. 2. The Standing Rules are amended (

a) by adding after Standing Rule 35.1 the following: 35.2 A Member introducing a guest shall speak for no more than sixty seconds. 35.3 A Member making a congratulatory statement shall speak for no more than sixty seconds. (

b) by adding after Standing Rule 40(1) the following: 40(1.1) A Minister of the Crown shall request the unanimous consent of the House to make a lengthy statement. (

c) by adding after Standing Rule 40(2) the following: 40(2.1) The reply from a representative of each recognized party in opposition shall not exceed the length of the Minister’s statement.

3. Standing Rule 89 is repealed and the following is substituted therefor: 89 The Standing Committees shall be appointed on motion at the commencement of each House and shall be: (

a) the Standing Committee on Crown Corporations; (

b) the Standing Committee on Education; (

c) the Standing Committee on Estimates; (

d) the Standing Committee on Health Care; (

e) the Standing Committee on Law Amendments; (

f) the Legislative Administration Committee; (

g) the Standing Committee on Legislative Officers; (

h) the Standing Committee on Private Bills; (

i) the Standing Committee on Privileges; (

j) the Standing Committee on Procedure; (

k) the Standing Committee on Public Accounts. 89.1 Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the Committees established under Standing Rule 89 shall, when so ordered by the Assembly, examine (

a) Bills; (

b) any other matter that may be referred by the House or by the Standing Rules. 4. Standing Rule 91 is repealed and the following is substituted therefor: 91 Unless otherwise provided by the Standing Rules, all reports to the House of Legislative Officers stand permanently referred to the Standing Committee on Legislative Officers. 5. The Standing Rules are amended by adding after Standing Rule 100 the following: 100.1(1) The Chair of a Standing or Select Committee shall maintain order in the Committee and decide all questions of order subject to an appeal to the Speaker.

No debate shall be permitted on any decision of the Chair. 100.1(2) If two members of a Standing or Select Committee appeal the decision of the Chair of the Committee to the Speaker, the Chair shall at the next meeting of the House present a report which accurately states the matter on which the Chair decided, the arguments raised by the members and the decision made by the Chair, and the Speaker shall confirm or vary any decision of the Chair. 100.1(3) If the House is adjourned, in recess or is not otherwise meeting on a day on which a decision of the Chair of a Standing or Select Committee is appealed to the Speaker, the Chair shall deliver a copy of the report to the

Speaker and shall file a copy of the report with the Clerk of the House. The decision of the Speaker shall be in writing, shall be delivered to the Chair and the Clerk of the Committee and shall be entered in the Journals of the House on the first day on which the House next meets. The foregoing recommendations for amendments to the Standing Rules of the Legislative Assembly are considered by your Committee to be improvements to meet the needs of Members, and to improve the efficiency and the orderly flow of the business in the House.

It is the intention of the Committee to carry on its consideration of other matters still at the study stage. All of which is respectfully submitted on behalf of the Committee. (Sgd.:) ____________________ Hon. Brad Green, Chair