Order and decorum

§ 4. Order and decorum. a. Prior to the order of business, the presiding officer shall ask those in the chamber to rise and pledge allegiance to the flag. Those in attendance shall remain standing during the daily invocation and until asked to take their seats by the presiding officer. Senators shall not interrupt the business of the Senate, or read any newspaper while the journals or public papers are being read; or walk out of or across the Chamber when the Presiding Officer is putting a question; or when a Senator is speaking, pass between him or her and the Chair. Cellular telephones and audible pagers shall not be used in the Chamber or in the Senate Galleries. No sign, placard or prop shall be displayed, posted or carried in the Chamber. Cellular telephones shall not be used in the lobby by members of the general public. No person shall be introduced by a Senator during the regular business of the Senate, except that it shall be permissible to introduce a person who has served as a member of the New York State Legislature or a person who is present in the Chamber for the purpose of nomination to an office to be confirmed by the Senate. On the nomination of any person to an office which is subject to the confirmation of the Senate, nominating and seconding speeches shall be limited to fifteen minutes per conference. b. Members are expected to uphold the highest standards of civility in dealing with other members. Debate should be dignified and lacking in personal invective. A Senator rising to debate or present a paper, to give a notice, to make a motion or report, shall address the Presiding Officer and shall not proceed further until recognized by the Chair; he or she shall speak on the same subject but twice the same day without leave of the Senate; and when two or more Senators address the Chair, the Presiding Officer shall name the Senator who is first to speak. A Senator, while speaking after recognition by the Chair, may, upon request of a Senator, yield to him or her temporarily without thereby relinquishing his or her prior right to the floor and, thereafter, may terminate such interruption and resume speaking at any time; provided, however, that it shall not be in order for a Senator to rise and request that a Senator, other than the one with the right to the floor, yield to a question. Furthermore, it shall not be in order for a Senator, with the right to the floor, to ask another Senator to yield to a question, unless such Senator has previously spoken during the debate on the matter. All questions and responses shall be directed through the chair, and the presiding officer shall not be interrupted when speaking. After completion of the order of business for the day, and with the unanimous consent of the Senate, a Senator may make a statement, not exceeding fifteen minutes in length, concerning a subject or matter not pending before the Senate for consideration. c. When a Senator shall be called to order, he or she shall take his or her seat until the Presiding Officer shall have determined whether he or she is in order or not; and if decided to be out of order, he or she shall not proceed without the permission of the Senate; and every question of order shall be decided by the Presiding Officer, subject to an appeal to the Senate by any Senator. It shall require an affirmative vote of a majority of all members elected to overrule a ruling of the Chair. No second appeal shall be determined until the original appeal shall be decided; and if a Senator shall be called to order for words spoken, the words excepted to shall be immediately taken down in writing.