WISCONSIN BLUE BOOK 1985-1986


    Adoption: Approval of a motion, simple resolution, or joint resolution.
    Rejection: An action by which an amendment or resolution is adversely
and finally
      disposed of for the biennial session of the legislature.
    Passage: Final assembly approval of an assembly joint resolution proposing
to amend
      the constitution or of an assembly bill.
    Indefinite postponement: A motion to kill a proposal for a legislative
session in its house
      of origin.
    Concurrence: The action by which one house agrees to a proposal or action
of the other
      house.
    Nonconcurrence: The refusal of one house to agree to a proposal or action
of the other.

Third reading and passage
  In parliamentary theory, the issues raised by amendments to a proposal
are
distinct from the merits of the proposal itself. On 2nd reading, each house
reviews amendments and, by the selective adoption or rejection of various
amendments, improves the bill overall. Debate is limited to the amendments,
and while it may be impossible to discuss an amendment without touching on
the bill as well, the overall debate concerning the merits of the proposal
has to
wait until the 3rd reading stage.
  In practice, each Legislature considers a large number of proposals that
are
noncontroversial. Some are passed as originally introduced. For others, the
original author or the committee which considered the proposal has brought
in a substitute amendment to fix some things overlooked in the original pro-
posal and, as shown by the substitute amendment, the proposal passes with-
out further change. In most of these cases the majority leader, immediately
following the vote to engross the proposal, asks and receives unanimous con-
sent to suspend the rules so that the proposal can be given its third reading
at
that time. Following that, the majority leader suspends the rules one more
time so that the action on the proposal can be immediately messaged to the
other house. When the proposal is noncontroversial, there is no reason for
delay.
  The standing rules, on the other hand, are concerned with the orderly
transaction of business, even if the issues considered are controversial.
Sen-
ate Rule 35 and Assembly Rule 40 (1), requiring 3 readings of proposals,
both
provide that each reading must be on a different day. In addition, the rules
governing the motion for reconsideration (Senate Rule 67; Assembly Rule 73)
also
provide that any reconsideration of the vote by which the proposal was
passed will be on a day other than the day of that vote.
  When the amendments on a proposal have been debated and the question:
"shall the proposal be ordered engrossed and read the 3rd time?"
has been
answered in the affirmative, third reading consideration of the proposal
(un-
less taken up immediately under suspension of the rules) automatically goes
to a future calendar. The delay provides time for further reflection. Oppo-
nents will have one more opportunity to state their case. Proponents can
review the proposal one more time before the vote on passage.
   In the Senate, third reading of the bill will be on the calendar for the
Sen-
ate's next business day even if the the vote on engrossment was taken too
late
to insert third reading on the printed calendar for that day. If there was
a


184