As the 54th Speaker of the Virginia House of Delegates, Bill Howell performs a number of important duties in his capacity as the presiding officer of the 100-member chamber, the “oldest continuous law-making body in the New World.”

Key highlights of Speaker Howell’s legislative powers and responsibilities include:

	Appoints the chairman and vice-chairman of each of the 14 standing House committees, and all other delegates who serve on them;
	Names delegates to all House-Senate conference committees, including for the state budget;
	Assigns all bills to House committees, and names lawmakers as well as citizens to various legislative study committees, state boards and commissions; and.
	Serves as chairman of the House Rules Committee and chairs the Joint Rules Committee, whose House and State Senate members set administrative policy for the Virginia General Assembly and oversee other legislative branch agencies.

Specific duties and responsibilities of the Speaker are detailed in the Rules of the House as follows:

1. Principal Leader of the House

The Speaker shall have a general direction of the House Chamber with power, in case of disturbance or disorderly conduct in such part thereof as may be appropriated to spectators, to have the same cleared. Representatives of news media, wishing to report the proceedings of the House, may be admitted by the Speaker, who shall assign them to such places in the House Chamber as shall not interfere with the convenience of the members. [House Rule 4]

2. Preside over the Daily Sessions of the House

The Speaker shall take the Chair every day precisely at the hour to which the House shall have adjourned on the preceding legislative day. He shall immediately call the House to order … he shall direct that the roll of members be taken, pursuant to Rule 32, and the names of those members present entered upon the Journal. A quorum being present, he shall proceed with the business of the day …. [House Rule 3]

3. Preserve Order in the Chamber, State Motions, and Rule on Parliamentary Questions

The Speaker shall preserve order and decorum, may speak to points of order in preference to other members, rising from his seat for that purpose, and shall decide questions of order without debate, subject to an appeal to the House …. [House Rule 53]

When two or more members rise at the same time the Speaker shall name the person to speak. [House Rule 55]

Every motion or proposition shall be reduced to writing, if desired by the Speaker or any member, and shall be delivered at the Clerk's table to be there read; and the question shall be stated by the Chair before the same shall be debated …. [House ousHouHousRule 56]

If any member, in speaking, transgress the Rules of the House, the Speaker shall, or any member may, call him to order; in which case the member called to order shall immediately take his seat unless permitted to explain… For frequent or repeated violations of order, especially if persisted in after the admonition of the Speaker, a member shall be liable to the censure of the House. [House Rule 58]

If any member be called to order by another member for words spoken, the words excepted to shall be immediately taken down in writing in order that the Speaker and House may be better able to judge the matter. [House Rule 59]

4. Appoint Committee Chairmen, Vice Chairmen, and Members

All committee members shall be appointed by the Speaker. The Speaker shall designate the chairman and vice chairman of each committee provided that no member shall be chairman of more than one committee, and no member shall be vice chairman of more than one committee, as designated in Rule 16. If the chairman and vice chairman are absent or excused by the House, one of the members shall act as the chairman, taking precedence in the order named by the Speaker. The Speaker shall serve as chairman of the Committee on Rules. [House Rule 15]

5. Appoint House Conferees to Committees of Conference

Upon an affirmative vote to form a committee of conference, the Speaker shall appoint the House membership to the committee… If a conference committee is unable to reach agreement and reports such action to the House, the Speaker may appoint new conferees or upon the motion of a member and an affirmative vote of the House a new set of conferees shall be appointed…. [House Rule 75(b)]

6. Refer Bills to Committee

… The Clerk shall, under the direction of the Speaker, refer all such "original" papers to the proper committee and enter the fact, with the names of the members presenting them, upon the Journal. Such bills shall be printed, unless otherwise ordered by the House, and numbered in the order in which they are handed to the Clerk.

7. Sign Legislation, Writs and Warrants

… The presiding officer of each house or upon his inability or failure to act a person designated by a majority of the members elected to each house shall, not later than three days after each bill is enrolled, sign each bill that has been passed by both houses and duly enrolled. The fact of signing shall be recorded in the journal. [Constitution of Virginia, Article IV, Section 11. Enactment of laws]

Also, all enrolled bills and joint resolutions proposing amendments to the Constitution shall be signed by the Speaker and all writs and warrants issued by order of the House shall be under his hand and seal, attested by the Clerk. [House Rule 5]

8. Act as the Official Spokesman for the House

[Tradition of the House and parliamentary bodies in general]

9. Chair the House Rules Committee and the Joint Rules Committee

The Speaker shall serve as chairman of the Committee on Rules. [House Rule 15] Chairing the Joint Rules Committee has been a tradition of the General Assembly.

10. Appoint Members to Interim Legislative Study Committees, Boards, and Commissions

Each year, the Speaker appoints to various entities hundreds of citizens and legislators who play an active role in the work of Virginia state government. [Tradition of the House and often stated in the enabling legislation or statute]