The clerk, chief clerk, secretary, or secretary general (British English: ; American English: ) 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 preside over an election of a new presiding officer. The clerk sometimes 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 procedural operations within a legislature, and usually assist the clerk of the House in fulfilling their duties. The expression clerking can be used to describe working with the procedural aspects of a legislative assembly.
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. Junior clerks may be appointed by the clerk of the House or by the presiding officer, and may have to be confirmed by the members.
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 Legislature Clerk of sole or lower house Clerk of upper house Notes Parliament of Australia Clerk Clerk — Australian Capital Territory Legislative Assembly Clerk N/A Unicameral. Federal territory of Australia. — Parliament of New South Wales Clerk Clerk The clerk of the Legislative Council is formally known as the clerk of the Parliaments and clerk of the Legislative Council. — Northern Territory Legislative Assembly Clerk N/A Unicameral. Federal territory of Australia. — Parliament of Queensland Clerk N/A Unicameral. — Parliament of South Australia Clerk Clerk — Parliament of Tasmania Clerk Clerk — Parliament of Victoria Clerk Clerk — Parliament of Western Australia Clerk Clerk The clerk of the Legislative Council is formally known as the clerk of the Legislative Council and clerk of the Parliaments. Parliament of Canada Clerk Clerk The clerk of the Senate is formally known as the clerk of the Senate and clerk of the Parliaments. — Legislative Assembly of Alberta Clerk N/A Unicameral. — Legislative Assembly of British Columbia Clerk N/A Unicameral — Legislative Assembly of Manitoba Clerk N/A Unicameral — Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick Clerk N/A Unicameral — Newfoundland and Labrador House of Assembly Clerk N/A Unicameral — Legislative Assembly of the Northwest Territories Clerk N/A Unicameral — Nova Scotia House of Assembly Chief Clerk N/A Unicameral — Nunavut Legislative Assembly Clerk N/A Unicameral — Legislative Assembly of Ontario Clerk N/A Unicameral — Legislative Assembly of Prince Edward Island Clerk N/A Unicameral — National Assembly of Quebec Secretary General N/A Unicameral. The post of secretary general was formerly called greffier in French. — Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan Clerk N/A Unicameral — Yukon Legislative Assembly Clerk N/A Unicameral Parliament of India Secretary General Secretary General Parliament of New Zealand Clerk N/A Unicameral. The Clerk of the upper house was called the clerk of the Parliaments prior to abolition. Parliament of the United Kingdom Clerk Clerk The clerk of the House of Lords is known as the clerk of the Parliaments, and the clerk of the House of Commons is formally the under-clerk of the Parliaments, but the latter title is seldom used. — Northern Ireland Assembly Clerk N/A Unicameral — Scottish Parliament Clerk N/A Unicameral — Senedd Cymru/Welsh Parliament Clerk (Clerc) N/A Unicameral — Tynwald Court Secretary Clerk Bicameral, however when the Houses are sitting together they become the Tynwald Court. The clerk of Tynwald is ex-officio the secretary of the House of Keys and the chief administrative officer for the entire Court.
Africa Legislature Clerk of sole or lower house Clerk of upper house Notes Parliament of Zimbabwe Clerk Bicameral, but the same Clerk serves both the National Assembly and the Senate
Asia Legislature Clerk of sole or lower house Clerk of upper house Notes National People's Congress Secretary General N/A Unicameral, however the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress is a permanent body of the Congress which often acts as the national legislature. — Legislative Council of Hong Kong Secretary General N/A Unicameral — Legislative Assembly of Macau Secretary General N/A Unicameral Knesset Secretary N/A Unicameral Congress of the Philippines Secretary General Secretary
Europe Legislature Clerk of sole or lower house Clerk of upper house Notes National Assembly of Belarus Director of the Secretariat Director of the Secretariat 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. The regional assemblies also have this officer with the same name of senior clerk.
North America Legislature Clerk of sole or lower house Clerk of upper house Notes Inatsisartut Director N/A Congress of the Union Secretary General Secretary General United States Congress Clerk Secretary Elected every two years. —Alabama Legislature Clerk Secretary The deputy to the clerk of the House is called the chief clerk. — Alaska Legislature Chief Clerk Secretary — Arizona State Legislature Chief Clerk Secretary — Arkansas General Assembly Chief Clerk Secretary The chief clerk is appointed by the speaker and confirmed by the House by simple majority. — California State Legislature Chief Clerk Secretary Elected every two years. — Colorado General Assembly Chief Clerk Secretary — Connecticut General Assembly Clerk Clerk — Delaware General Assembly Chief Clerk Secretary — Council of the District of Columbia Secretary N/A Federal District. Unicameral. — Florida Legislature Clerk Secretary — Georgia General Assembly Clerk Secretary — Hawaii Legislature Chief Clerk Clerk — Idaho Legislature Chief Clerk Secretary — Illinois General Assembly Clerk Secretary — Iowa General Assembly Chief Clerk Secretary — Kansas Legislature Chief Clerk Secretary — Kentucky General Assembly Chief Clerk Chief Clerk — Louisiana Legislature Clerk Secretary — Maine Legislature Clerk Secretary — Maryland General Assembly Chief Clerk Secretary — Massachusetts General Court Clerk Clerk — Michigan Legislature Clerk Secretary — Minnesota Legislature Chief Clerk Secretary — Mississippi Legislature Clerk Secretary — Missouri General Assembly Chief Clerk Secretary — Montana Legislature Chief Clerk Secretary — Nebraska Legislature Clerk N/A Unicameral. The current sole house was the Senate before the House of Representatives was abolished in 1936. — Nevada Legislature Chief Clerk Secretary — New Hampshire General Court Clerk Clerk — New Jersey Legislature Clerk Secretary — New Mexico Legislature Chief Clerk Chief Clerk — New York Legislature Clerk Secretary — North Carolina General Assembly Clerk Clerk — North Dakota Legislative Assembly Chief Clerk Secretary — Ohio General Assembly Clerk Clerk — Oklahoma Legislature Chief Clerk Secretary — Oregon Legislative Assembly Chief Clerk Secretary — Pennsylvania General Assembly Chief Clerk Secretary-Parliamentarian The secretary-parliamentarian acts as both the chief administrative officer and parliamentarian of the Senate. The Senate also has a chief clerk, who is the chief fiscal officer, and holds other miscellaneous administrative duties. — Legislative Assembly of Puerto Rico Secretary Secretary Unincorporated territory of the United States. — Rhode Island General Assembly Clerk Secretary — South Carolina General Assembly Clerk Clerk — South Dakota Legislature Chief Clerk Secretary — Tennessee General Assembly Chief Clerk Chief Clerk — Texas Legislature Chief Clerk Secretary — Utah State Legislature Chief Clerk Secretary — Vermont General Assembly Clerk Secretary — Virginia General Assembly Clerk Clerk — Washington State Legislature Chief Clerk Secretary — West Virginia Legislature Clerk Clerk The clerk of the House is ex-officio the keeper of the Rolls of the Legislature.Joint Rules of the Senate and House of Delegates (West Virginia Legislature), Rule 18 Record of Enrolled Bills — Wisconsin State Legislature Chief Clerk Chief Clerk — Wyoming State Legislature Chief Clerk Chief Clerk
Other officials Other administrative and procedural officials in legislatures of English-speaking countries will often be referred to as clerks, even if their formal job title doesn't. It is noteworthy that whilst mostly similar, certain roles may have different responsibilities between the Commonwealth and United States.
Name Notes Clerk assistant Sometimes used as the title for the deputy clerk of the House, such as in the UK House of Commons. Committee clerk Responsible for the administrative operations of a parliamentary committee, and advises the chair and members on procedural matters. The most senior committee clerk is sometimes known as the Clerk of Committees. Journal clerk Responsible for the upkeep of the chamber's journal and other official records such as minutes of proceedings, however the verbatim record is usually the responsibility of a separate official. The most senior journal clerk is sometimes known as the clerk of the journals. Reading clerk In the United States they are usually responsible for the oral reading of bills, motions, amendments and other items that the chamber may order. 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, and recording daily attendance.
See also Clerk of the Crown in Chancery Serjeant-at-arms Speaker
Notes
References
External links American Society of Legislative Clerks & Secretaries (ASLCS) National Conference of State Legislatures Society of Clerks-at-the-Table in Commonwealth Parliaments The UK Parliamentary Archives holds the records of the Society of Clerks-at-the-Table