The State Constitution and the
Legislature's Joint Rules restrict the
introduction of bills and resolutions
during even-year sessions to the
following:
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- By Individual Members: Bills and
resolutions that relate to budgetary,
revenue or financial matter
- By Committees: Bills and
resolutions on any subject
- By
Legislative Leaders:
Bills and resolutions certified as
emergencies by the Speaker and President Pro
Tempore
The Legislative Commissioners' Office is
permitted to draft only those bills and
resolutions that meet these requirements.
To help members determine whether a proposal
is constitutionally permitted, these
guidelines are issued before each even-year
session. Legislative leadership has
approved these guidelines over the years.
The legislative history of the
constitutional provision clearly indicates
an intent by the General Assembly to allow
proposed bills and resolutions by members
only if the "principal purpose" relates to
budgetary, revenue or financial matters.
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| 1) |
Types Of Bills
That Individual Members
May
Introduce:
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a) |
Revenue bills or bills directly
affecting state revenues - e.g., the
imposition, increase or reduction of
a tax or fee.
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b) |
Appropriation bills relating to existing
agencies or programs - e.g., an increase or
decrease in the amount of the prior year's
appropriation for an existing agency or
program.
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c) |
Bills authorizing bonds for an existing
program.
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d) |
Bills whose principal purpose is to save the
state money.
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| 2) |
Types Of Bills
That Individual Members
May
Not
Introduce:
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a) |
Bills establishing a new
agency or program, even if they carry or
require an appropriation.
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b) |
Bills without any fiscal impact, even if
they may have a fiscal impact in the
future.
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c) |
Bills concerned solely
with local finances or
taxes, unless their passage would have a
direct effect on state finances.
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Simply adding a tax, fee, or
appropriation to a bill that is not
on a budgetary, revenue or financial
matter does not make the bill
constitutionally permissible. (See
above re the "principal purpose"
requirement.)
If LCO cannot prepare a proposed bill
for a member based on these guidelines,
we will suggest that the member talk
with the appropriate committee about
raising a bill on the subject.
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