RULES OF THE HOUSE OF DELEGATES. 153

AMENDING BILLS BEFORE THE HOUSE.
House bills are open to amendment on the second reading,
and Senate bills on the third.

When a bill is before the House for amendment it is read
by sections, and amendments are only in order to the sec-
tion under consideration. After that is passed, it cai> be
returned to and amended as a whole.

An amendment submitted should be plainly written, and
endorsed with the name of the member submitting it, indi-
cating the section and the line to be amended, thus:

In section—, line—, after the word "—," insert the
words "——;" or, in section—, line—, strike out the
words "——," and insert the words "——;" or, in section —,
strike out all after the word "———," and insert "———."

When an amendment has been submitted to a section
under consideration, it is competent for any member to
submit an amendment to the amendment, but there the
amendments most cease until the latter has been disposed of.

When, however, an amendment has been submitted, the
intention of which is to strike out the entire section, it is
competent for a member to submit an amendment to the
section, and another amendment to that amendment. When
the two latter are disposed of, other amendments in the
same degree can be proposed. The question on the motion
to strike out being postponed until the friends of the
measure have an opportunity of making it acceptable by
amendments.

PREAMBLES AND TITLES.

After the bill has been considered the preamble comes
up for adoption, and the vote is taken on the whole by yeas
and nays. The title is then open to amendment.