Rule 2.2.  Organization meeting of the House

A.  The members of the House shall meet in the House Chamber every four years at 10:00 a.m. on the second Monday in January after their election.  The senior of those members-elect with most years of service as a member of the House who served in the House in the preceding term shall preside, or in his absence or inability or due to his candidacy to be elected as an officer of the House, the next most senior member shall preside.

B.  The first order of business for the House shall be the calling of the roll of the members-elect of the House.  The second order of business shall be offering of a prayer.  The third order of business shall be the recitation of the pledge of allegiance.  The fourth order of business shall be the judging of the qualifications and elections of the members.  The fifth order of business shall be the taking of the oath or affirmation of office by the members.  The sixth order of business shall be the election of the Clerk of the House and the Clerk's taking of the oath or affirmation of office.  The seventh order of business shall be the election of the Speaker of the House and the Speaker's taking of the oath or affirmation of office.  The eighth order of business shall be the election of the Speaker Pro Tempore of the House and the Speaker Pro Tempore's taking of the oath or affirmation of office.

HR 3, 1973; HR 5, 2nd Ex. Sess., 1983; HR 3, 1989; HR 76, 2007, eff. June 27, 2007.