Florida House Republican Conference

Class of 2016 Caucus

Leader Election Rules

ARTICLE I: MEMBERSHIP
ARTICLE II: OBJECTIVE
ARTICLE III: ORGANIZATIONAL MEETING
ARTICLE IV: ELECTION OF LEADER
ARTICLE V: MEMBER AGREEMENT

Version 2017.04.18
 Florida House Republican Conference Class of 2016 Caucus
Leader Election Rules

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 Florida House Republican Conference Class of 2016 Caucus
Leader Election Rules

ARTICLE I: MEMBERSHIP
Section 1: Reference

The word caucus includes the collective body of the Florida House Republican Conference Class of
2016.

Section 2: Qualifications

Membership of the caucus shall consist of Republican members of the Florida House of
Representatives duly elected in 2016 and who are eligible to serve consecutive terms through 2024.

Section 3: Eligible Members

Twenty-seven members of the Florida House of Representatives qualify for the caucus, with the
membership consisting as follows:

District 2: Representative White District 36: Representative Mariano

District 3: Representative Williamson
District 4: Representative Ponder
District 11: Representative Byrd
District 12: Representative Yarborough
District 16: Representative Fischer
District 17: Representative Stevenson
District 19: Representative Payne
District 21: Representative Clemons
District 23: Representative McClain
District 24: Representative Renner
District 25: Representative Leek
District 33: Representative Hahnfeldt
District 34: Representative Massullo
District 41: Representative Killebrew
District 52: Representative Altman
District 53: Representative Fine
District 54: Representative Grall
District 60: Representative Toledo
District 64: Representative J. Grant
District 72: Representative A. Miller
District 73: Representative Gruters
District 75: Representative M. Grant
District 80: Representative Donalds
District 85: Representative Roth
District 106: Representative Rommel

ARTICLE II: OBJECTIVE

The general purposes of these rules are to achieve the following objectives and aims:

(a) Election of the Republican leader for the term 2022 2024
(b) Foster a cohesive team among the caucus
(c) Promote a unified message from the caucus

These rules are exclusively for the Florida House Republican Conference Class of 2016 Caucus and
are not for the purpose of setting precedent for future members of the House Republican Conference.

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Leader Election Rules

ARTICLE III: ORGANIZATIONAL MEETING

Section 1: Reference

The word meeting includes the organizational meeting to select the leader of the caucus.

Section 2: Notice of Meeting

The meeting shall be called for June 30, 2017, at a time and location that will be determined. Such
information will be confirmed at least 30 days prior and notice given to the caucus via personal email.

Section 3: Presiding Officer

The presiding officer shall open the meeting and conduct the election for caucus leader.

The House Public Integrity & Ethics Committee Chair, and in the absence of the House Public
Integrity & Ethics Committee Chair, the House Majority Whip or the House Ways & Means Chair, in
that order, shall preside.

If none of the said individuals are present, the membership, by a majority vote, shall name the
presiding officer from a Republican member of the Florida House of Representatives, who is not a
member of the caucus.

If no individuals who are not members of the caucus are present, the membership, by a majority vote,
shall name a member of the caucus as the presiding officer. At no time is the presiding officer
eligible to be elected leader of the caucus.

Section 4: Proxies

Proxy voting is permitted during the meeting. Authorization for proxy voting must be either a
document with an original signature, or an email from a verifiable email address, or a text from the
personal cell phone of the member requesting a proxy vote. The proxy designation must name the
caucus member authorized to vote on behalf of an absent member.

Absent members will not be allowed to attend remotely. Voting instructions must be given by the
absent member to the proxy designate. Any concerns regarding execution of the voting instructions
are exclusively between the absent member and the proxy designate.

Article III, Section 6 necessitates that a proxy designation and directions must be given either prior to
commencement of the meeting or prior to leaving the meeting prematurely. At no time may a caucus
member be the proxy designate for more than one absent caucus member.

Section 5: Quorum

Fourteen members of the caucus shall be present to constitute a quorum, including those deemed
present under Article III, Section 4. At no time shall less than fourteen of the members constitute a
quorum.

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Leader Election Rules
Section 6: Conduct

Once the meeting is called to order, no outside communications are allowed until the meeting is
adjourned. This includes text, social media, emails and phone calls.

Should the meeting take a recess, no outside communications may occur regarding information about
the meeting, including with caucus members who are not present.

Only members of the caucus and the presiding officer are permitted to attend the meeting. No other
individuals are allowed in the meeting room until the meeting is adjourned.

At no time shall less than the full caucus unanimously waive and/or modify sentences prefaced with
"At no time"' as written. Two-thirds of the full caucus may waive and/or modify any of the other
rules as written.

ARTICLE IV: ELECTION OF LEADER

Section 1: Nominations

All nominations shall be from the floor and must receive a first and a second to be a valid nomination.
Members may be the first or second for their own nomination. Should the Speaker of the Florida
House of Representatives declare a caucus member in violation of the Florida House Republican
Conference Rule 5.2 (a)(2), that caucus member would be ineligible to be nominated per Florida
House Republican Conference Rule 5.2 (a)(4).

(a) The presiding officer will open the floor for nominations.
1. Upon a first nomination being heard, the presiding officer shall confirm acceptance by
the nominee.
2. With an affirmative response, the presiding officer will ask for a second to the initial
nomination.
3. Receiving a second to the nomination will qualify the nominee as a candidate for caucus
leader.
4. When either lacking an affirmative response from the nominee or lacking a second for
nomination, the presiding officer shall consider the initial nomination as invalid and open
the floor for additional nominations.
(b) The presiding officer shall ask for any other nominations.
1. Upon hearing an additional nomination, the presiding officer shall repeat Article IV,
Section 1 (a), 1 4.
2. Should the presiding officer ask for additional nominations three times without any
additional nominations, the presiding officer will ask for a motion to close nominations.
3. In the event there is but one nomination for caucus leader, the formal election may be
dispensed with by unanimous vote of the caucus members present, including those
deemed present under Article III, Section 4.
(c) Once nominations are closed, no new candidates for caucus leader may be considered unless two-
thirds of the full caucus agrees to reopen the nominations.

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Leader Election Rules
Section 2: Candidates

The word candidate includes all qualified nominees to be elected as leader of the caucus.

Section 3: Candidate Speaking Time

Candidates will address the caucus in the order of their nomination.

Each candidate will have up to ten minutes, hereby known as time, to address the caucus. Time
will be kept by the presiding officer or a designate of the presiding officer.

The member who was the first for the nomination and the member who was the second for the
nomination are eligible to speak on behalf of their candidate, should the candidate choose. All
speakers will count against the allocated time for each respective candidate. Division of the time and
speaking order are determined by the candidate.

Section 4: Election

The word election includes a contest between two or more nominees for leader of the caucus.

The election for caucus leader shall be by secret ballot. No ballot shall be preprinted with the name
of any candidate. The presiding officer shall count the ballots, and each candidate may designate a
caucus member to observe. The ballot count for each election will be announced by the presiding
officer.

The election will be decided when a candidate receives more than 13 ballots or all other candidates
remove themselves from consideration. A candidate may withdraw from consideration at any time.
After ballots have been counted and announced, they will be destroyed.

Should the election be between more than two candidates, with no candidate receiving more than 13
ballots, the candidate with the fewest votes will be eliminated from consideration. If it occurs that
three candidates remain and two candidates are tied for the fewest votes, all three candidates continue
to the next election.

There will be ten minutes between each ballot round. This period is for the purpose of candidates and
members to discuss achieving the goal of electing a caucus leader. Additional elections will continue
until a candidate receives more than 13 ballots.

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Leader Election Rules
ARTICLE V: MEMBER AGREEMENT
The signature of each caucus member shall be understood as acceptance and agreement to be
governed by the Florida House Republican Conference Class of 2016 Caucus Leader Election Rules.
Two-thirds of the membership shall be necessary for ratification. The document with the original
signatures will be filed with the Clerk of the Florida House of Representatives. Electronic copies
with the signatures will be filed with the Office of the Speaker and the Office of the House Majority.

District 2 Representative White

District 3 Representative Williamson

District 4 Representative Ponder

District 11 Representative Byrd

District 12 Representative Yarborough

District 16 Representative Fischer

District 17 Representative Stevenson

District 19 Representative Payne

District 21 Representative Clemons

District 23 Representative McClain

District 24 Representative Renner

District 25 Representative Leek

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Leader Election Rules

District 33 Representative Hahnfeldt

District 34 Representative Massullo

District 36 Representative Mariano

District 41 Representative Killebrew

District 52 Representative Altman

District 53 Representative Fine

District 54 Representative Grall

District 60 Representative Toledo

District 64 Representative J. Grant

District 72 Representative A. Miller

District 73 Representative Gruters

District 75 Representative M. Grant

District 80 Representative Donalds

District 85 Representative Roth

District 106 Representative Rommel

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