House adopts rule change to clarify votes on ‘delete the enacting clause’ motions

The Wyoming House adopted an internal rules change, House Rule 12-9 section d (HR-17), clarifying how the chamber handles a “delete the enacting clause” amendment when members have voted to end debate.

Representative Yen sponsored the rule amendment and said it “enshrines what we did exactly last week” and is intended to give future legislatures clear procedure when the question is called against a delete-the-enacting-clause amendment. She described the change as an efficiency fix so the chamber does not encounter “hiccups in any future legislature.”

Opponents said the change could curtail debate. Representative Wharf said he opposed the amendment because it “will cease debate” and worried it limits the body’s ability to determine when debate should end. Representative Provenza and other supporters replied that the rule applies only after the body has already adopted the motion to end debate (House Rule 12-9), so the new section simply clarifies what happens to the delete-the-enacting-clause amendment once debate is ended by a two-thirds vote.

The chief clerk called the roll under House Rule 1-3 (a two-thirds threshold for rule changes); the record shows 57 aye, 2 no, 3 excused. The presiding officer announced, “By your vote, House rule 12 dash 9, section d has been adopted.” Representative Yen said the change does not alter the established requirement that ending debate itself requires a two-thirds vote.

The rule change will take effect immediately as an internal House rule and will govern the chamber’s procedure for handling delete-the-enacting-clause amendments going forward.