The purpose of standing committees is :
-to investigate the need for a bill
-to investigate the impact of a bill if passed.
-to oversee the implementation of government programs.

The chair decides which bills to hear (set the agenda).
-Run the meeting and actions on the bills using parliamentary procedure.
-Read the bill to the committee.
-After the committee has finished with the bill, write the committee's name, and put your initials along side the name. Hold up the bill when you are finished .

What to do in your standing committees:

1. Select a chairperson. Use this procedure:
-Determine which political party has a majority in your committee.
-Determine which person for the majority party has the most seniority, this person is the chairman.

2. Decide which order to hear the bills you are given (set the agenda).
-Run the meeting and actions on the bills using parliamentary procedure.
-Read the bill to the committee.
-After the committee has discussed the bill, consider ...

3. The chairman will run the meeting using parliamentary procedure,any
changes or actions on the bill have to use parliamentary procedure
(amendments, motion to table etc.).

4. After the bill is read, decide for yourself the following:
a. is the bill needed?
b. s it clearly written?
c. impact of the bill if passed.
d. does the bill need any amendments to fix it?

5. . Your committee can do any of the following:
-kill the bill (unneeded, unclear, bad impact on society). Use a
motion to table for this procedure.
-pass the bill in its original form.
-amend the bill to suit the committee.
-call the author of the bill to explain the bill. Once the author leaves his/her committee, their committee continues work without them.

6. Hold the bill up when the committee is finished, the teacher will pick it up.

Bills must pass two standing committees, and the be placed on the calendar by the rules committee to be debated in the Committee of the Whole, in session.