1

COMMITTEE RULES

OF THE HOUSE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE FOR

THE IMPEACHMENT INVESTIGATION OF GOVERNOR ROBERT BENTLEY

These rules adopted by the House Judiciary Committee

apply only to the investigation pursuant to House Rule 79.1

initiated by the filing of HR367, preferring Articles of

Impeachment against Governor Robert Bentley. Pursuant to Rule

79.1, this Committee shall investigate the allegations

contained in HR367 and make a recommendation to the full House

10

of Representatives as to whether cause exists to impeach the

11

Governor. These proceedings shall be quasi-judicial in nature

12

and shall be conducted in a manner consistent with that tenor.

13
14

Rule 1. Committee Procedure. The Chair of the

15

Committee has the authority to call meetings of the Committee,

16

call the Committee to order, designate the order of business,

17

and generally supervise the affairs of the Committee. No

18

action shall be taken by the Committee unless a quorum is

19

present.

20

Rule 2. Hearings. Hearings shall be scheduled and

21

presided over by the Chair and conducted in accordance with

22

House Rules, unless specifically provided for by these rules.

23

Each member of the Committee and Governor Robert Bentley shall

24

be given at least 24 hours' notice of any hearing; provided,

Page 1

however, no action taken at a hearing shall be deemed invalid

solely because notice was not provided in accordance with this

rule. Notice to Governor Bentley shall be provided via

delivery to his office in the Capitol.

Rule 3. Subpoenas. The Chair, either on behalf of

the Committee or on behalf of Governor Bentley or his counsel,

may request the Clerk of the House to issue subpoenas in the

name of the Committee requiring a person or persons to appear

before the Committee and be questioned regarding any matter at

10

issue in this proceeding. The Chair, either on behalf of the

11

Committee or on behalf of Governor Bentley or his counsel, may

12

request the Clerk of the House to issue subpoenas duces tecum

13

in the name of the Committee requiring a person to appear

14

before the Committee and bring with him or her any materials,

15

including, but not limited to, books, records, papers,

16

documents, electronic data, electronic mail, videotapes, video

17

recordings, audio recordings, still photographs, and other

18

materials.

19

Rule 4. Notice to Witnesses. Service of a subpoena

20

requiring attendance of a person at a Committee hearing shall

21

be issued by the Clerk of the House.

22

Rule 5. Conduct of Hearings. (a) All hearings of the

23

Committee shall be public. The Chair shall supervise the

24

examination of witnesses as he or she sees fit, including by

25

recognizing who may examine witnesses, the length of any

26

examination of witnesses and all other proceedings. Committee

Page 2

members shall be given an opportunity to submit questions in

writing to the Chair that pertain to any witness both prior to

the witness being sworn in and prior to the final release of

the witness from service.

(b) Public access to these proceedings shall be

governed by the Public Access Guidelines adopted by the

Committee and attached as Exhibit A to these rules. Conduct of

the press shall be governed by the News Media Guidelines

adopted by the Committee and attached as Exhibit B to these

10

rules.

11

Rule 6. Right to Counsel. Each witness may be

12

accompanied by counsel of his or her own choosing who may

13

advise the witness as to his or her rights, subject to

14

reasonable limitations that the Chair may prescribe to prevent

15

obstruction of or interference with the orderly conduct of the

16

hearings. Nothing in these rules, however, shall be construed

17

to create a right to counsel at public expense for witnesses

18

testifying before the Committee.

19

Rule 7. Testimony. (a) The Committee shall record

20

all proceedings in which testimony or other evidence is

21

presented.

22

(b) All testimony given at the hearing shall be

23

under oath administered by the Chair along with instruction

24

that if a witness fails to tell the truth, the recording of

25

his or her testimony shall be referred to the appropriate law

26

enforcement entity for investigation and possible prosecution

Page 3

and advise the witness that he or she is subject to the

penalties of perjury.

(c) Any witness, or his or her counsel, with the

consent of the Chair, may file with the Committee sworn

written statements relevant to the purpose, subject matter, or

scope of the Committee's proceeding.

Rule 8. Evidentiary Questions. All procedural

questions regarding the conduct of the hearings, including the

relevance and admissibility of evidence, shall be determined

10

by the Chair with the advice of Counsel to the Committee.

11

Rule 9. Committee Record. Any and all materials

12

created by or submitted to the Committee during the course of

13

the investigation shall be inventoried and stored with the

14

Clerk of the House as the Committee Record.

15

Rule 10. Obtaining evidence or information. Nothing

16

contained in these rules shall be construed to limit or

17

prohibit the acquisition of evidence or information by the

18

Committee by any other lawful means.

19

Rule 11. Ex Parte Communications. No member of the

20

Committee shall communicate with Governor Bentley, his

21

counsel, or his staff concerning any matters pending regarding

22

his impeachment or the investigation of this Committee except

23

to provide notice of the proceedings.

24

Rule 12. Amendment. Proposed amendments to these

25

rules shall be submitted in writing by one or more members of

26

the Committee to the Chair and shall take effect upon adoption

Page 4

by the affirmative vote of four-fifths of the members of the

Committee.

Rule 13. Communications with the Press. Members

should avoid communicating with the press about the substance

of any of the hearings or proceedings before this Committee.

All inquiries by the press regarding these proceedings shall

be referred to the Public Information Officer of the House.

8
9

Rule 14. Special Counsel. An attorney shall be

recommended by the Chair and hired by the Committee to assist

10

in the process of investigating grounds for impeachment and

11

shall be known as Special Counsel to the Committee. Special

12

Counsel may be replaced by an affirmative vote of a majority

13

of the Committee members upon recommendation by the Chair.

14

Special Counsel shall conduct the investigation, shall assist

15

the Chair in the conducting of hearings as required, and shall

16

draft the report required from the Committee pursuant to Rule

17

79.1.

Page 5