A Guide for Navigating the Legislative Process

Transcription

1 following legislation A Guide for Navigating the Legislative Process Distributed by: Distributed by: Indiana House Republicans

2 TABLE OF CONTENTS HOW A BILL BECOMES LAW FIND A BILL TRACK A BILL ROLL CALLS BILL ACTIONS WATCH LIVE SESSION CALENDAR HOUSE FLOOR CALENDAR STANDING COMMITTEES COMMITTEE SCHEDULES ARCHIVES RESOURCES Page 2

3 FOLLOWING LEGISLATION Below is a graph depicting how a bill becomes a law. Through this guide you will find out how to track legislation via our website, Page 3

4 Visit the Indiana House Republican Caucus website at Click Session & Legislation FIND A BILL View all proposed legislation in one convenient location Search legislation by: Bills, resolutions, legislator and subject Bills are continually updated Bills highlighted in blue are still active Bills highlighted in gray are no longer moving through the process Page 4

5 TRACK A BILL FOLLOWING LEGISLATION Click on the bill number and title Find important and relevant information, including: All versions of the bill Latest fiscal note These provide a short summary of the legislation and highlight the fiscal impact if enacted Roll calls (votes) Bill actions Follow where the legislation is in the process and the last action that was taken House and Senate amendments To see the changes made to the bill Committee reports Conference committee reports/concurrence/ dissent Shows the final action that was taken on amended bills Page 5

6 ROLL CALLS FOLLOWING LEGISLATION The roll call sheet shows how each legislator voted on a bill After choosing a bill, roll call sheets can be accessed. Senate roll calls show how each senator voted and House roll calls show how each representative voted. READING ROLL CALL SHEETS It is important to know that some bills will have several roll calls. Members may be excused from a vote due to illness or emergency, or choose to not vote due to a conflict of interest. Identify the roll call by date or roll call number. Roll calls will be taken for first, second and third reading. Legislators voting Yea approve of the bill or amendment language. Legislators voting Nay do not approve of the bill or amendment language. Page 6

7 BILL ACTIONS FOLLOWING LEGISLATION The bill actions page contains all information about the life of a bill. At the top of the page there are three options All Actions, House Actions or Senate Actions The most recent bill action is at the top of the page A bill must be authored by a legislator from either the House or Senate If the bill passes out of that chamber on third reading, it will go to the other chamber (House to Senate or Senate to House) Action starts at bottom Page 7

8 WATCH LIVE Watch live-streaming videos of session, as well as, standing and interim committee hearings/meetings Closed captioning is available SESSION CALENDAR Calendar for session days, including all deadlines in the process Page 8

9 HOUSE FLOOR CALENDAR The bills on 2nd and 3rd reading in the House for that day 2nd Reading Amendments are offered (if any) 3rd Reading Bill is debated on overall merits and voted for (yea or nay) STANDING COMMITTEES A list of all the committee assignments COMMITTEE SCHEDULE When and where each committee usually meets Page 9

10 ARCHIVES Watch past sessions in the video archive Look up bills from previous sessions View Indiana code Read reports from agencies Page 10

11 THE INDIANA GENERAL ASSEMBLY WEBSITE IS IGA.IN.GOV THE INDIANA GENERAL ASSEMBLY WEBSITE INCLUDES: The Indiana Constitution, Indiana code, acts and other non-code statutes Indiana Handbook on Taxes, Revenues, and Apportions Tax incentive review Property tax studies Fiscal reports on: Economic development Education Environment Income tax credit reviews Individual Income tax; and Pensions Evaluation reports Agency reports to the General Assembly Page 11