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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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h |
By Individual Members: Bills and
resolutions that relate to budgetary,
revenue or financial matter
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h |
By Committees: Bills and resolutions
on any subject
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h |
By Legislative Leaders: Bills and
resolutions certified as emergencies by the
Speaker and President Pro Tempore
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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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