Senior administrative officer in a legislature
The clerk, chief clerk, secretary, or secretary general of a legislative chamber is the senior administrative officer responsible for ensuring that its business runs smoothly. This may encompass keeping custody of documents lain before the house, received, or produced; making records of proceedings; allocating office space; enrolling of members, and administering an oath of office. During the first sitting of a newly elected legislature, or when the current presiding officer steps down, they may act as the presiding officer in the election of a new presiding officer such as the speaker or president. The clerk in some cases has a ceremonial role. A clerk may also advise the speaker or members on parliamentary procedure, acting in American parlance as a "parliamentarian".
In the English speaking world, a parliamentary, legislative or congressional clerk is often used to refer to other officials who are involved with administrative operations within a legislature.
Appointment
In the Westminster system, the clerk is usually an apolitical civil servant, and typically attains the position through promotion and retains it until retirement. In the UK the Clerks of both houses are appointed by letters patent from the Sovereign.
In the United States, while clerks are usually nonpartisan, they are often elected by the assembly members at the beginning of each term. At the federal level, and typically at state level, the lower house has a "(chief) clerk" while the upper house has a "secretary".
Clerks of the House by legislature
Commonwealth
North America
Europe
Legislature |
Clerk of sole or lower house |
Clerk of upper house |
Notes
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National Assembly of Belarus |
Director of the Secretariat |
Director of the Secretariat |
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Cortes Generales |
General Secretary (Secretario General) |
Senior Clerk (Letrado mayor) |
The General Secretary of the Congress of Deputies is also ex officio Senior Clerk of the whole Parliament (Letrado mayor de las Cortes Generales). Both clerks are elected by the bureaus of their respective chambers, and must be civil servants from the Parliament.[8] The regional assemblies also have this officer with the same name of Senior Clerk.
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Asia
Other officials
This is a non-exhaustive list of some types of clerks.
Name |
Notes
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Calendar clerk |
Responsible for the planning and upkeep of the legislative calendar.
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Clerk assistant |
Sometimes used as the title for the deputy of the Clerk of the House. The Second clerk assistant is sometimes the title used for their deputy.
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Committee clerk |
Responsible for the administrative operations of a parliamentary committee. The most senior committee clerk is sometimes known as the Clerk of Committees.
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Journal clerk |
Responsible for the upkeep of the house's journal. The most senior journal clerk is sometimes known as the Clerk of the Journals.
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Reading clerk |
Usually responsible for the oral reading of bills, motions and amendments in the United States. The Reading Clerk in the House of Lords is responsible for reading letters patents and writs of summons of newly created peers, as well as commissions granting Royal Assent, as well as recording daily attendance.[9]
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See also
References
External links