Debate

§ 3. Debate. a. Debate shall only be in order when it is germane to the question under discussion. b. If the question in debate contains several points, a Senator may have the same divided, provided the division called for embodies a distinct principle or statement of fact. c. When any bill, resolution or motion is under consideration and it appears that no Senator desires to be heard further, the Presiding Officer shall put the question: "Does any Senator desire to be heard further?" If no Senator shall rise to debate, the Presiding Officer shall declare the debate closed; except that thereafter the Conference Leaders may speak once, or may yield the floor to any Senator who may speak once, and may be followed by the Temporary President who may also speak once, or may yield the floor to any Senator who may speak once. The main question shall then be put immediately. d. Debate on motions or resolutions other than concurrent resolutions shall be limited to one and one-half hours with one-half hour allocated to each conference. Debate upon any bill or concurrent resolution shall be limited to four hours, which shall include sufficient time for all Senators to explain their votes. No single Senator shall debate any bill or concurrent resolution for more than thirty minutes. When any bill or concurrent resolution shall have been under consideration for two hours, including all amendments thereto, it shall be in order for any Senator to move to close debate, and the Presiding Officer shall recognize the Senator who wishes to make such motion. Such motion to close debate shall not be amendable or debatable and shall be immediately put, and if it shall receive the affirmative vote of a majority of the Senators present, the pending measure shall take precedence over all other business. e. The vote shall thereupon be taken upon such bill, resolution or motion with such amendments as may be pending at the time of such motion, according to the Rules of the Senate, but without further debate, except that upon the roll call the sponsor of a bill before the house may speak, not to exceed five minutes, in explanation of his or her vote, and any Senator, including co-sponsors of the bill before the house, may speak not to exceed two minutes in explanation of his or her vote. After such motion to close debate has been made by any Senator, no other motion shall be in order until such motion has been voted upon by the Senate. f. After the Senate shall have adopted the motion to close debate, as hereinbefore provided, no motion shall be in order but one motion to adjourn or for a call of the Senate by the Temporary President, and a motion to commit. Should said motion to adjourn be carried, the measure under consideration shall be the pending question when the Senate shall again convene, and shall be taken up at the point where it was at the time of such adjournment. The motion to close debate may be ordered upon a single motion, a series of motions allowable under the rules, or an amendment or amendments, or may be made to embrace all authorized motions or amendments, and include the bill, resolution or motion to its passage or rejection. All incidental questions of order, or motions pending at the time such motion is made to close debate, whether the same be on appeal or otherwise, shall be decided without debate.