Making laws
special rule
The House resolution setting the terms of debate on a bill: how long, which amendments are in order, and what points of order are waived. Open, structured, or closed.
In full
Before most major bills reach the House floor, the Rules Committee writes a special rule the full House must adopt. An open rule lets any germane amendment be offered; a structured rule lists the specific amendments allowed; a closed rule allows none. The rule is where a bill's real fate is often decided, because an amendment that is never in order can never lose a vote either.
Also written as: closed rule, open rule, structured rule
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A plain-language explanation for civic education, not legal advice. When in doubt, the official source named above controls.