GOP leaders' proposed House rules change to fine lawmakers who take photos or video on the floor might be unconstitutional, Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) warned Wednesday.

Democrats are furious over a provision in the draft House rules package for the new Congress that would impose a $500 fine on any member who violates the prohibition on filming or photographing the chamber floor. Subsequent offenses could result in $2,500 fines.

The proposed rule changes are meant to deter Democrats from starting another House floor sit-in, as they did in June to call for action on gun control legislation after the shooting at Pulse nightclub in Orlando, Fla. Multiple Democrats live-streamed the sit-in proceedings from their phones when GOP leaders forced the chamber into recess, thereby causing the C-SPAN cameras to be shut off.

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Republicans want to prevent the House minority from establishing what they see as a dangerous institutional precedent of commandeering control of the floor from the majority party. But Pelosi said the proposed rule ordering the chief administrative officer to deduct the fines from lawmakers' salary might run afoul of the Constitution.

"The Republican rules package is nothing less than an egregious attack on the sacred freedom of expression on the House Floor," Pelosi wrote in a letter to House Democrats.

"The manner in which the Sergeant-at-Arms and House Administrative officers are directed to create and implement policy and to assess fines offends the dignity of the House, assaults freedom of speech, and may even be unconstitutional," she wrote.

Pelosi's warning that the proposal may be unconstitutional is a step further from a statement issued by a spokesman on Tuesday saying that "Speaker [Paul] Ryan can continue to shamefully ignore the calls for action from the American people but House Democrats will never stop speaking out against the daily tragedy of gun violence in this country."

Politico reported earlier Wednesday that the proposed rules change could violate Article I of the Constitution, which says “each House may determine the rules of its proceedings, punish its members for disorderly behavior, and, with the concurrence of two thirds, expel a member."

Experts say that's been interpreted over the years to mean punishments against lawmakers must be approved by a full floor vote.

Lawmakers have long been prohibited from taking photos or video on the House floor, but members of both parties have frequently ignored the rule during high-profile events like the State of the Union and addresses from foreign leaders. Tangible punishment would ensue from the proposed rules change.

Other provisions in the rules package are also clearly aimed at preventing another sit-in. The proposed changes to House rules would explicitly disallow members and staffers from “intentionally obstructing or impeding the passage of other in the chamber” and “[using] an exhibit to impede, disrupt, or disturb the proceedings of the House.”

Lawmakers in violation of those rules would be referred to the House Ethics Committee for review.

House Democrats will hold a conference call Thursday afternoon to discuss strategy for the first day of the new Congress next Tuesday.

The House will consider the rules package as one of its first orders of business on Tuesday. What's typically a routine party-line vote to approve the rules is sure to be more controversial this year with Democrats seething over the rules change aimed at their sit-in.