The president pro tem. presides in the absence of the Lieutenant Governor, and in case of vacancy to this office would become Lieutenant Governor.
The president of the Senate appoints the standing committees, unless the opposite party is in power, then the president pro tem. virtually controls said appointments.
To be a member of the House of Representatives a person must be twenty-four years old.
His term of office is only two years but he receives the same salary as a Senator, $10.00 per day, mileage and stationery.
The body elects its speaker and other officers, and has the sole power of impeachment.
The principal work in both houses are done through the committees appointed by the President of the Senate and Speaker of the House.
A bill is prepared and introduced by a member of the Senate or House. If it pertains to revenue and taxation, it must originate in the House of Representatives.
When a bill is introduced the clerk of the body reads it by title only. The President of the Senate or Speaker of the House then refers it to the proper committee (of the body in which the bill originated). It is numbered and ordered printed when referred to the committee. The committee considers the bill and usually reports it back with expression of opinion that it should or should not pass to the body in which it originated. (The committee may pigeonhole it and not report it, or may report it too late for action by the body.)
The bill and the report from the committee is printed and placed on the calendar and takes its turn to be brought up for passage. (By consent a bill is acted upon out of its turn.)
The bill is taken in its regular order from the calendar and read the second time in full by the clerk. It is open to debate or amendment unless the previous question is ordered, which if adopted cuts off debate and amendment. Then the bill is read the third time by title only. (Any member may demand the reading in full of the engrossed bill if he desires.) It is then placed on its passage by the presiding officer of the body, and if passed it is then transmitted to the Senate by the House clerk, if a House bill. If a Senate bill, it is taken by the Senate clerk to the House for consideration.