N.Y. Senate Rules Rule 10, § 4: Order and decorum

§ 4. Order and decorum. a. Prior to the order of business, the

presiding officer shall ask those in the chamber to rise and pledge

allegiance to the flag. Those in attendance shall remain standing during

the daily invocation and until asked to take their seats by the

presiding officer. Senators shall not interrupt the business of the

Senate, or read any newspaper while the journals or public papers are

being read; or walk out of or across the Chamber when the Presiding

Officer is putting a question; or when a Senator is speaking, pass

between him or her and the Chair. Cellular telephones and audible pagers

shall not be used in the Chamber or in the Senate Galleries. No sign,

placard or prop shall be displayed, posted or carried in the Chamber.

Cellular telephones shall not be used in the lobby by members of the

general public. No person shall be introduced by a Senator during the

regular business of the Senate, except that it shall be permissible to

introduce a person who has served as a member of the New York State

Legislature or a person who is present in the Chamber for the purpose of

nomination to an office to be confirmed by the Senate. On the nomination

of any person to an office which is subject to the confirmation of the

Senate, nominating and seconding speeches shall be limited to fifteen

minutes per conference.

b. Members are expected to uphold the highest standards of civility in

dealing with other members. Debate should be dignified and lacking in

personal invective. A Senator rising to debate or present a paper, to

give a notice, to make a motion or report, shall address the Presiding

Officer and shall not proceed further until recognized by the Chair; he

or she shall speak on the same subject but twice the same day without

leave of the Senate; and when two or more Senators address the Chair,

the Presiding Officer shall name the Senator who is first to speak. A

Senator, while speaking after recognition by the Chair, may, upon

request of a Senator, yield to him or her temporarily without thereby

relinquishing his or her prior right to the floor and, thereafter, may

terminate such interruption and resume speaking at any time; provided,

however, that it shall not be in order for a Senator to rise and request

that a Senator, other than the one with the right to the floor, yield to

a question. Furthermore, it shall not be in order for a Senator, with

the right to the floor, to ask another Senator to yield to a question,

unless such Senator has previously spoken during the debate on the

matter. All questions and responses shall be directed through the chair,

and the presiding officer shall not be interrupted when speaking. After

completion of the order of business for the day, and with the unanimous

consent of the Senate, a Senator may make a statement, not exceeding

fifteen minutes in length, concerning a subject or matter not pending

before the Senate for consideration.

c. When a Senator shall be called to order, he or she shall take his

or her seat until the Presiding Officer shall have determined whether he

or she is in order or not; and if decided to be out of order, he or she

shall not proceed without the permission of the Senate; and every

question of order shall be decided by the Presiding Officer, subject to

an appeal to the Senate by any Senator. It shall require an affirmative

vote of a majority of all members elected to overrule a ruling of the

Chair. No second appeal shall be determined until the original appeal

shall be decided; and if a Senator shall be called to order for words

spoken, the words excepted to shall be immediately taken down in

writing.