A beautiful Capitol building is in process of erection, and when completed, will provide ample accommodations for the two houses of our law-making body, as well as for all other state officials.

Officers and Attachés. The officers and attachés of the Senate are a president, a secretary, a sergeant at arms, a chaplain, a messenger, clerks and pages. Those of the House are the same, except that the presiding officer is called the speaker, and the second officer is called the chief clerk. All these officers and attachés are elected by each house, except the president of the Senate, who is the Lieutenant Governor. In the absence of the president of the Senate, that body chooses a president pro tem. The Lieutenant Governor, when presiding, gets no vote except in case of tie. The speaker of the House is a member of that body and has a right to vote on all measures the same as other members. None of the other officers or attachés named are members of either house.

Duties of Houses Separately. In addition to the choosing of the officers and attachés just named, each house is the judge of the elections, qualifications, and returns of its own members. Each house also adopts parliamentary rules to govern its procedure. Any member may be expelled by a two-thirds vote if good cause is shown. Each house must keep a journal of its proceedings, and in it shall be recorded the "yeas and nays" upon any question, when any three members request it, and upon all votes upon the final passage of a bill. A majority of each house constitute a quorum to do business, but a smaller number may adjourn, or compel the attendance of other members by sending the sergeant at arms after them. Neither

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house may adjourn to any other place, nor for more than three days without the consent of the other house. Such a provision is a wise one as it lessens the chance for delay in the work of legislation because of unnecessary or long adjournments by either house. How a Bill Becomes a Law. All bills may originate in either house, except bills for raising revenue, which must originate in the House of Representatives. A certain part of every session is set apart for the introduction of bills. At this time members wishing to introduce bills send them to the clerk, who reads them by title, and the presiding officer refers them to the appropriate committee. It would be impossible for all bills to be considered by the house as a whole. Instead, committees are appointed, each committee to have under consideration a certain class of bills. These committees inquire into the merits of the proposed legislation assigned them, and report to their respective houses. Unimportant bills may be disposed of in this way by committees, and not take up the time of the whole house to consider them. When a bill is reported by a committee, it is then printed, and put upon its readings. Every bill, besides being printed, with all its amendments, must be read upon three separate days, before a final vote is taken. In case of urgency, the three readings on three separate days may be dispensed with, but only by a two-thirds majority on a "yea" and nay vote. The final vote on all bills must be by "yeas" and "nays." No bill is considered passed unless a majority of the members present vote in favor of it.

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When a bill is passed in the first house, it is signed by the presiding officer, and sent to the other house,

where it must go through the same process, except the printing. If it passes the second house, it is signed by the presiding officer, and sent to the Governor for his signature. If the bill is in any way amended in the second house, it must go back again to the house where it originated. The two houses must agree upon exactly the same provisions and words, before the bill can go to the Governor for his consideration. Often it is necessary for the two houses to appoint a conference committee to agree upon certain features of a disputed measure, and report to their respective houses in the hope of reaching an agreement.

If the Governor signs the bill, it becomes a law in sixty days after the close of the session, unless an emergency is declared in the bill, in which case it may go into effect earlier, even immediately upon its final approval. If the Governor does not approve of the bill, he must return it with his objections to the house in which it originated. His objections are recorded on the journal, and then the house proceeds to reconsider the bill. If the measure is then passed by a two-thirds vote of both houses, it becomes a law without the signature of the Governor. Any bill which shall not be returned by the Governor in five days (Sundays excepted) after it has been presented to him, is a law the same as if he had signed it, unless the Legislature prevent its return by adjournment. Upon the adjournment of the Legislature, all bills which the Governor wishes to veto must be filed with his objections in the office of the Secretary of State, within ten days after the close of the Legislature, or they become law.

Miscellaneous Provisions. No laws shall be passed except by bill. That is to say, no resolutions are laws.

F

The enacting clause of every bill must read: "Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Idaho." The subject matter in a bill must be clearly expressed in the title. This is to avoid the possibility of passing any measure unawares, by having it tacked to another as an amendment. All laws must be as clearly worded as possible. The Legislature may propose amendments to the Constitution by a two-thirds vote of both houses; when such amendments are ratified by a majority of the votes at a general election, they become a part of the Constitution. The Legislature may also, if it thinks advisable, provide for calling a convention for the purpose of proposing amendments to the Constitution. The Legislature may ratify an amendment to the United States Constitution, when submitted to it by the United States Congress. (See U. S. Constitution, Art. V.) The Legislature is prohibited by the Constitution from passing special laws in a good many cases. A special law is one affecting only a few persons, or a certain county or locality. The business of the Legislature is to make laws for all people, not for a few. Read Article III, Section 19 of the state

Constitution.

SUGGESTIVE QUESTIONS

1. Have you ever visited the Legislature while in session? 2. Name the state senator from your county.

3. Name the representative or representatives from your county. 4. Why should the state build a beautiful and expensive Capitol

building?

5. A member of the Legislature cannot accept an office created by the Legislature of which he is a member. Why?

6. The Legislature has neither executive nor judicial officers over it; only the constitution. Explain why.

7. What amendments to the United States Constitution have been ratified by the Idaho state Legislature?

CHAPTER IX

EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT

The Executive Department. The Executive Department consists of a Governor, a Lieutenant Governor, a Secretary of State, a State Auditor, a State Treasurer, an Attorney General, and a Superintendent of Public Instruction. (Art. IV, Sec. 1.) Their term

of office is two years, beginning on the first Monday in January after their election. They are elected by the qualified voters of the state at the general election, the Tuesday after the first Monday in November of evennumbered years. In case of a tie vote for any of these offices, it is the duty of the Legislature, immediately upon assembling, to select for the office one of the candidates receiving a tie vote.

No one is eligible

Qualifications for State Offices. to any of the above named offices unless he is a citizen of the United States, and for two years next preceding his election a resident of the state. The Governor and the Attorney General must be at least thirty years of age, and all the others at least twenty-five. The Attorney General must also have been admitted to practice in the Supreme Court of the state or territory, and be in good standing at the time of his election. There are good reasons for these required qualifications. No one but a citizen should be put into such responsible positions, and no matter how well qualified, or of how