7.01 DUTIES AND PRIVILEGES OF THE SPEAKER. The Speaker shall preside over the House and shall have all the powers and be charged with all the duties of the presiding officer.
The Speaker shall preserve order and decorum. The Speaker or the chair of the Committee of the Whole may order the lobby or galleries cleared in the case of disorderly conduct or other disturbance.
Except as provided by rule or law, the Speaker shall have general control of the Chamber of the House and of the corridors, passages and rooms assigned to the use of the House.
The Speaker shall sign all acts, addresses, joint resolutions, writs, warrants and subpoenas of the House or issued by order of the House. The Speaker shall sign all abstracts for the payment of money out of the legislative expense fund of the House; but no money shall be paid out of the fund unless the abstract is also signed by the Controller of the House. Abstracts for compensation for members shall be signed by the Chief Clerk pursuant to law.
The Speaker shall appoint the Chief Sergeant at Arms or shall designate that officer from among the Sergeants at Arms elected by the House or appointed by the Committee on Rules and Legislative Administration.
When an elected office of the House becomes vacant, the Speaker shall designate a person to exercise the powers and discharge the duties of the office as necessary until a successor is elected by the House.