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Rules of Procedure

PART C
ARRANGEMENT OF BUSINESS
PART C ARRANGEMENT OF BUSINESS
  • PART A MEMBERS AND OFFICERS OF THE COUNCIL
  • 1.Oath or Affirmation
  • 1A.Precedence of Members
  • 1B.The President of the Legislative Council
  • 2.Language
  • 3.Presiding in Council and in Committee of the Whole Council
  • 4.Election of President
  • 5.President’s Deputy
  • 6.Duties of the Clerk
  • 7.Counsel to the Legislature
  • 8.Attendance of the Chief Executive
  • 9.Attendance of Public Officers
  • 10.Participation of Public Officers in Proceedings
  • PART B SESSIONS, MEETINGS AND ADJOURNMENTS OF THE COUNCIL
  • 11.Ordinary Sessions
  • 12.First Meeting of Term
  • 13.The Chief Executive’s Policy Address
  • 14.Days and Hours of Meetings
  • 15.Meetings for Urgent Business
  • 16.Motions for the Adjournment of the Council
  • 17.Quorum
  • PART C ARRANGEMENT OF BUSINESS
  • 18.Order of Business at a Meeting
  • 19.The Agenda of the Council
  • PART D PETITIONS AND PAPERS
  • 20.Presentation of Petitions
  • 21.Presentation of Papers
  • PART E QUESTIONS TO THE GOVERNMENT
  • 22.Nature of Questions
  • 23.Question Time
  • 24.Notice of Questions
  • 25.Contents of Questions
  • 26.Asking and Answering of Questions
  • 27.Meeting under Rule 8
  • PART F STATEMENTS AND PERSONAL EXPLANATIONS
  • 28.Statements by Designated Public Officers
  • 28A.Personal Explanations
  • PART G MOTIONS
  • 29.Notice of Motions and Amendments
  • 30.Manner of Giving Notice of Motions and Amendments
  • 31.Restriction on Motions and Amendments
  • 32.Motions on Previous Decisions of Council
  • 33.Manner of Debating Motions
  • 34.Manner of Debating Amendments to Motions
  • 35.Withdrawal of Motions and Amendments
  • PART H RULES OF SPEAKING
  • 36.Time and Manner of Speaking
  • 37.Recommendations of House Committee as to Time of Speaking
  • 38.Occasions when a Member may Speak more than once
  • 39.Interruptions
  • 40.Adjournment of Debate or of Proceedings of a Committee of the Whole Council
  • 41.Contents of Speeches
  • 42.Behaviour of Members during Meeting
  • 43.Application of Rules to Committees
  • PART I RULES OF ORDER
  • 44.Decision of the Chair
  • 45.Order in Council and Committee
  • 45A.Naming and Suspending
  • PART J VOTING
  • 46.Decision on Motions
  • 47.Decision of Council and Committee of the Whole Council
  • 48.Use of Electronic Voting System
  • 49.Divisions
  • PART JA PROCEDURES FOR PARTICULAR MOTIONS
  • 49A.Application of this Part
  • 49B.Disqualification of Member from Office
  • PART JB REPORTS OF HOUSE COMMITTEE ON SUBSIDIARY LEGISLATION AND OTHER INSTRUMENTS AND RELATED MOTIONS
  • 49C.Application of this Part
  • 49D.Presentation of Reports of House Committee on Consideration of Subsidiary Legislation and Other Instruments
  • 49E.Motions on Reports of House Committee on Consideration of Subsidiary Legislation and Other Instruments
  • PART K PROCEDURE ON BILLS
  • 50.Form of Bills
  • 51.Notice of Presentation of Bills
  • 52.Presentation and Publication of Bills
  • 53.First Reading of Bills
  • 54.Second Reading
  • 55.Committal of Bills
  • 56.Functions of Committees on Bills
  • 57.Amendments to Bills
  • 58.Procedure in Committee of the Whole Council on a Bill
  • 59.Procedure on Reporting of Bill from Committee of the Whole Council
  • 60.Procedure in Select Committee on a Bill
  • 61.Procedure on Reporting of Bill from a Select Committee
  • 62.Procedure on Recommittal of Bill Reported from Select Committee
  • 63.Third Reading
  • 64.Withdrawal or Postponement of Bills
  • 65.Presentation of Bill for Signature of Chief Executive
  • 66.Bills Returned for Reconsideration
  • PART L FINANCIAL PROCEDURE
  • 67.Presentation and Second Reading of Appropriation Bill
  • 68.Procedure in Committee of the Whole Council on Appropriation Bill
  • 69.Amendments to Heads of Estimates in Committee of the Whole Council on Appropriation Bill
  • 69A.Procedure on Reporting of Appropriation Bill from Committee of the Whole Council
  • 70.Third Reading of Appropriation Bill
  • PART M COMMITTEES
  • 71.Finance Committee
  • 72.Public Accounts Committee
  • 73.Committee on Members’ Interests
  • 73A.Investigation Committee
  • 74.Committee on Rules of Procedure
  • 74A.Committee on Access to the Legislature’s Documents and Records
  • 75.House Committee
  • 76.Bills Committees
  • 77.Panels
  • 78.Select Committees
  • 79.Procedure of Select Committees
  • 79A.Exercise of Voting Rights of Chairmen of Committees
  • 79B.Determining the Time and the Place of a Meeting of a Committee by the Deputy Chairman of the Committee
  • 79C.Determining the Agenda of a Meeting of a Committee by Chairmen of Committees
  • 79D.Powers of Chairman and Deputy Chairman of a Committee in Office
  • 80.Attendance of Witness
  • 81.Premature Publication of Evidence
  • PART N MISCELLANEOUS MATTERS
  • 81A.Remote Meetings of Council or Committee
  • 82.Employment of Members in Professional Capacity
  • 83.Registration of Interests
  • 83A.Personal Pecuniary Interest to be Disclosed
  • 83AA.Claims for Reimbursement of Operating Expenses or Applications for Advance of Operating Funds
  • 84.Voting or Withdrawal in case of Direct Pecuniary Interest
  • 85.Sanctions relating to Interests, Operating Expenses or Operating Funds
  • 86.Admission of Press and Public
  • 87.Disorderly Conduct
  • 88.Withdrawal of Members of the Press and of the Public
  • 89.Procedure for Obtaining Leave for Member to Attend as Witness in Civil Proceedings
  • 90.Procedure for Obtaining Leave to Give Evidence of Council Proceedings
  • 91.Suspension of Rules
  • 92.Procedure if Rules of Procedure do not Provide
  • 93.Interpretation
  • Schedule 1 Procedure for the Election of the President of the Legislative Council
  • Schedule 2 Policy on Access to the Legislature’s Documents and Records
  • Schedule 3 Procedure for Conducting Remote Meetings of the Council and a Committee
  • Table showing dates at which Rules of Procedure were made and amended


18. Order of Business at a Meeting

  • (1)
    The business of each meeting other than a meeting under Rule 8 (Attendance of the Chief Executive) or Rule 13 (The Chief Executive's Policy Address) shall be transacted in the following order:
    (L.N. 237 of 2021)
    • (a)
      (Repealed L.N. 237 of 2021)
    • (b)
      Obituary and other ceremonial speeches.
    • (c)
      Reading by the President of messages and announcements by the President.
    • (d)
      Presentation of petitions.
    • (e)
      Laying on the Table of papers and of reports of committees.
    • (f)
      Asking and answering of questions put to the Government.
    • (g)
      Statements by designated public officers.
    • (h)
      Personal explanations.
    • (i)
      Government bills.
    • (j)
      Government motions other than those specified in paragraph (ja). (L.N. 245 of 2009)
    • (ja)
      Government motions on subsidiary legislation and other instruments made under an Ordinance.
      (L.N. 245 of 2009)
    • (jb)
      Members' motions on subsidiary legislation and other instruments made under an Ordinance, excluding motions moved under Rule 49E(2) (Motions on Reports of House Committee on Consideration of Subsidiary Legislation and Other Instruments). (L.N. 245 of 2009; L.N. 47 of 2021)
    • (jc)
      Requests for leave under Rule 89 (Procedure for Obtaining Leave for Member to Attend as Witness in Civil Proceedings) and Rule 90 (Procedure for Obtaining Leave to Give Evidence of Council Proceedings). (L.N. 47 of 2021)
    • (k)
      Members' bills.
    • (l)
      Members' other motions.
      (L.N. 245 of 2009; L.N. 47 of 2021)
    • (m)
      (Repealed L.N. 47 of 2021)
    • (n)
      Proceedings under Rule 16(4) (Motions for the Adjournment of the Council).
  • (2)
    The items of business mentioned in paragraphs (b), (c), (g) and (h) of subrule (1) shall not require notice; but with the exception of the item of business mentioned in paragraph (c) they shall not be entered upon save with the previous leave of the President.
    (L.N. 47 of 2021; L.N. 237 of 2021)

19. The Agenda of the Council

  • (1)
    The Agenda of the Council shall be decided by the President, and shall be in Chinese and English. Subject to subrule (1A), all items of business for a meeting of which notice has been given shall be placed on the Agenda for that meeting in the order required by Rule 18 (Order of Business at a Meeting). (L.N. 187 of 2017)
  • (1A)
    In respect of any motion or any bill to be placed on the Agenda for a meeting of the Council, the President or the Chairman of a committee of the whole Council shall have the power to select the amendments, new clauses or new schedules to be proposed to such motion or bill, and also the power to direct two or more motions or amendments considered by him to be cognate to be combined, and to set a time limit on the consideration of such motion or bill.
    (L.N. 187 of 2017; L.N. 47 of 2021)
  • (2)
    All questions to the Government shall be placed on the Agenda of the Council in accordance with the provisions of Rule 26(1) and (2) (Asking and Answering of Questions).
  • (3)
    This Rule does not apply to a meeting under Rule 8 (Attendance of the Chief Executive) or Rule 13 (The Chief Executive's Policy Address). (L.N. 237 of 2021)
18. Order of Business at a Meeting
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Order of Business at a Meeting
The Agenda of the Council

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