A bill for an act relating to legislative clerks of members of the house of representatives.
Impact
One of the notable changes that HF2594 aims to implement is the explicit requirement for legislative clerks to be on duty from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, and on additional days as deemed necessary by the chief clerk of the House. By setting these specific hours, the bill seeks to enhance the availability and consistency of clerical support for legislative members during critical working hours. Moreover, the responsibility for determining the pay rate for these clerks is assigned to the chief clerk, thus establishing a standardized approach across the House.
Summary
House File 2594, introduced by Representative R. Johnson, relates to the hiring and operation of legislative clerks for members of the Iowa House of Representatives. If enacted, the bill stipulates that each member of the House has the authority to hire a legislative clerk who will work under the general supervision of the member and the chief clerk of the House. This move is designed to formalize the role and operational expectations of legislative clerks within the House framework.
Contention
While the bill appears to introduce more structure to the hiring and management of legislative clerks, there are potential areas of contention. Concerns may arise regarding the implications of pay rate determination by the chief clerk, as this could lead to a lack of flexibility in addressing individual members' needs for clerical support. Additionally, setting fixed working hours might not accommodate the varied and unpredictable nature of legislative work, which can often extend beyond traditional business hours.
A resolution to direct the Clerk of the House of Representatives to promptly present to the Governor nine bills that were passed by both houses of the Legislature and ordered enrolled in December 2024.
A resolution to direct the Clerk of the House of Representatives to only present to the Governor enrolled House bills finally passed by both houses of the One Hundred Third Legislature.
HOUSE RESOLUTION AMENDING THE RULES OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES FOR THE YEARS 2023 AND 2024 (Provides that members be limited to the introduction of 18 bills or resolutions during any legislative session with some exclusions.)