HOUSE SPEAKER'S AUTHORITY


Although third in line to become governor -- behind both the
lieutenant governor and the Senate president -- the House speaker
is regarded as the second most powerful person in state
government.

This measure of power largely stems from the speaker's authority
to appoint all standing committees in the House, including the
Rules and Legislative Administration Committee which makes the
key decisions on how the House is run. 

The speaker also assigns all bills and resolutions to committees
that she has created and names all members to conference
committees.

These appointments and referrals are not subject to amendment nor
appeal, giving the speaker final authority over the state's
largest representative body.

The speaker also has control of all the physical, fiscal, and
legal aspects of operating the House and, of course, controls the
actual proceedings when the House is in session.

Although not specified in any law or rule, the speaker also
traditionally chairs the Ways and Means Committee, which has the
authority to suspend rules that can kill legislation in a
session's waning days.

All of these powers, taken as a whole, can greatly influence the
outcome of legislation. That's why the position is generally
considered to be the second most powerful in state government.

Interestingly, the Minnesota Constitution doesn't specify that
the speaker of the House be a member of the House. That provision
was added in statute in 1894, 37 years after adoption of the
constitution.

Also, the speaker was not third in line to succeed the governor
until 1961. The constitution only specifies that the lieutenant
governor and Senate president would succeed the governor.



Originally printed in 1991 in Session Weekly, a weekly
newsmagazine published by the Minnesota House Public Information
Office.

***Last Update 8/5/94 (jtt) Last Review 8/5/94 (jtt) ***