Ruling
May 8, 1974
Miscellaneous; committees; request for documents
Hon. Lucien Lamoureux
Speaker of the House
Ruling Text
As has been stated on many occasions in the past, "it might be very unwise for the House to decide that proceedings in one committee be investigated by another committee". It is not procedurally acceptable to raise a proceeding of a standing committee in the House under the heading of privilege except as a report. This applies, as well, to the conduct of a witness; only upon receipt of a report can the House take up the matter. Associated with this problem in this case is the power of a committee to send for papers. It is a fundamental question "whether a committee, without reference and submission to the House, has the authority to exercise that power in every case... The Chair will have to think about it seriously."
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Holding
"Matters arising from a committee, including witness conduct, cannot be raised in the House as a question of privilege and must be presented via a formal report; the Chair will take under advisement the extent of a committee's power to send for papers without House approval."
AI Summary
The Speaker rules that committee proceedings can only be brought to the House via a formal report and takes the question of a committee's power to compel documents under advisement.
AI Analysis
- Outcome
- Taken under advisement
- Tone
- Educational
- Procedural Stage
- Not specified
- Significance
Low
High