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SR 4

Senate Rules; amend Rule 65 to provide for removal of members of the Rules Committee.

2026 Regular Session

The bill would allow a district’s Rules Committee member to be removed by a 3/4 vote of Senators from that district.

Died In Committee
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Bill Summary · SR 4

Summary of Senate Resolution No. 4 (Session 2026, Mississippi)

Purpose

  • To amend Senate Rule 65 to establish a mechanism for removing members of the Senate Rules Committee.

Key Provisions

  • Rule 65: Rules Committee composition and removal
    • Current structure (as stated in the bill text):
    • Standing Committee on Rules includes:
      • The President (nonvoting member)
      • The President Pro Tempore
      • Four Senators (each at least four years in the Senate; one from each congressional district as constituted on Jan 1, 2004)
      • Caucus-based selection for the four district-specific members
    • Removal provision (new/modified):
    • A Senator representing a congressional district on the Rules Committee may be removed at any time by a caucus vote of at least three-fourths (3/4) of the Senators from that Senator’s respective congressional district.
    • Other leadership roles:
    • The President Pro Tempore serves as Chairman of the Rules Committee
    • The Vice Chairman is appointed by the President Pro Tempore from among the committee Senators
    • The remainder of Rule 65 outlines several ongoing duties and authorities of the Rules Committee (staffing, space allocation, salaries, travel reimbursements, and general governance of Senate operations). These provisions appear consistent with existing practice, now reaffirmed within the amended rule.

Who/What Is Affected

  • Members of the Senate Rules Committee:
    • Specifically changes the removal process for a Rules Committee member who represents a congressional district on the committee.
  • Senate organizational structure:
    • The President Pro Tempore remains Chairman; the Vice Chairman is appointed from among committee members.
  • Senate operations and personnel:
    • The Rule continues to authorize staffing, space management, employee salaries, travel reimbursements, and related governance through the Rules Committee.

Procedural and Timeline Aspects

  • Status:
    • Died in Committee (as of the provided action history)
    • Initial referral: Rules (January 9, 2026)
    • Outcome: Died in Committee (April 15, 2026)
  • Implications of the failure to advance:
    • The proposed removal mechanism would not take effect unless the resolution is revived, amended, and passed by the Senate and any required additional steps (if applicable under Mississippi Senate rules).
  • Related text:
    • The resolution expressly amends Rule 65; all other provisions of Rule 65 remain as stated, including authority over staffing, space allocation, discipline, and conduct within the Senate.

Practical Implications

  • Oversight and accountability:
    • The bill would have introduced a structured, district-based, supermajority removal mechanism (3/4 of the district’s Senators) for Rules Committee members, potentially increasing accountability of committee membership.
  • Governance dynamics:
    • As amended, removal could influence the stability or turnover of the Rules Committee, with potential effects on how committee decisions are made, space and personnel governance, and the operation of Senate procedures.

Notes for Reference

  • The bill title: Senate Rules; amend Rule 65 to provide for removal of members of the Rules Committee.
  • Source: SR4, Regular Session 2026, Mississippi.
  • Text indicates the removal mechanism is tied to each Senator’s own congressional district caucus, requiring a 3/4 vote by Senators from that district.
  • The bill’s action history shows it did not advance beyond committee in the 2026 session.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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