ills and ill Processing 3-17 Referral of ills The first major step in the legislative process is to introduce a bill; the second is to have it heard by a committee. ut how does legislation get from one point to the next? Each bill is assigned (or referred) to a specific committee but there are a variety of ways to do this (see table 96-3.5). In two-thirds of the legislative assemblies, the presiding officer (that is, the president of the enate or speaker of the ouse) makes the final bill referrals. Eighteen chambers have another leader set the assignment. Nine legislative assemblies use a committee and, in Virginia, the chamber clerk makes this determination. In Maine, the full enate or ouse sets the final referrals. Often specific criteria help determine where bills will be assigned. Nineteen chambers responded that they did not use criteria to refer bills; these bodies are: Arizona enate Colorado enate and ouse Georgia ouse Idaho enate and ouse Indiana ouse Iowa enate Michigan ouse Montana enate and ouse Ohio ouse Oklahoma enate outh Dakota enate and ouse Utah ouse Wisconsin Assembly Wyoming enate and ouse The remaining legislative bodies have guides that help determine bill assignments. Table 96-3.6 shows the criteria used to refer bills. In most legislative bodies, a referring authority will take into consideration suggestions about where a bill should go (see table 96-3.7). In half of the nation s 99 legislative chambers, the ideas can come from any member, while in about 35 percent, suggestions may come only from selected individuals. For example, the request may be offered by the author of the bill in 22 bodies and, in another 21, the ideas come from selected chamber leaders or committee chairs. ometimes, even lobbyists are allowed to make recommendations (this is true in the Arizona ouse, Oregon enate, Washington ouse, and Wisconsin enate and Assembly). The five chambers shown below do not take suggestions on bill referrals: Arkansas ouse Florida ouse New York Assembly Tennessee ouse Virginia enate Can a bill s committee referral be changed? Yes said almost every chamber responding; only the Colorado ouse, Iowa enate, Ohio ouse and Pennsylvania enate and ouse indicated that the final referral could not be altered. A vote of the body, used by more than 60 percent of the chambers, is the most common way to overturn a bill referral. The presiding officer or another leader also can frequently change a bill s committee assignment; this means is used by 36 legislative assemblies. Table 96-3.8 highlights the procedures to change a final bill referral.
3-18 Inside the Legislative Process Table 96-3.5 Final Referral of a ill tate (1) y the lieutenant governor as the presiding officer y the presiding officer who is a member y the president pro tem or the speaker pro tem y the majority leader Alabama Alaska Arizona Arkansas California 2 Colorado Connecticut Delaware Florida Georgia awaii Idaho Illinois 3 Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky 4 Louisiana Maine 5 Maryland 6 Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Montana
ills and ill Processing 3-19 Table 96-3.5 Final Referral of a ill, cont d. tate (1) y the lieutenant governor as the presiding officer y the presiding officer who is a member y the president pro tem or the speaker pro tem y the majority leader Nebraska 7 Nevada New ampshire New Jersey New Mexico New York North Carolina North Dakota Ohio 8 Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania Rhode Island outh Carolina outh Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Vermont Virginia 9 Washington West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming
3-20 Inside the Legislative Process Table 96-3.5 Final Referral of a ill, cont d. Key: =enate =ouse or Assembly =oth chambers Notes: 1. The following chambers did not respond to the survey: Delaware enate, Georgia enate, Massachusetts enate and ouse, Mississippi enate, North Carolina enate, Rhode Island ouse, outh Carolina enate; nor did any legislatures from the U.. territories respond. 2. California enate and ouse: ills are assigned by the respective chamber s rules committee. 3. Illinois enate and ouse: ills are assigned by the respective chamber s rules committee. 4. Kentucky enate and ouse: The committee on committees within each chamber has this responsibility. 5. Maine enate and ouse: ills are referred by the full enate or ouse. 6. Maryland ouse: Leadership staff also are involved in the final referral decision. 7. Nebraska enate: A management committee makes the final determination. 8. Ohio enate and ouse: In the enate, a reference committee makes the determination; in the ouse, the rules committee assigns bills. 9. Virginia enate and ouse: ills are referred by the clerk of the enate. The ouse clerk, with direction from the speaker, sets the assignment.
ills and ill Processing 3-21 Table 96-3.6 Criteria Used to Refer ills tate (1) Constitutional cite tatute cite Committee jurisdiction General bill topic Alabama Alaska 2 Arizona Arkansas California Colorado Connecticut Delaware Florida Georgia awaii Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana 3 Maine Maryland Massachusetts Michigan 4 Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Montana
3-22 Inside the Legislative Process Table 96-3.6 Criteria Used to Refer ills, cont d. tate (1) Constitutional cite tatute cite Committee jurisdiction General bill topic Nebraska Nevada 5 New ampshire New Jersey New Mexico 6 New York 7 North Carolina 8 North Dakota Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania Rhode Island outh Carolina outh Dakota Tennessee 9 Texas 10 Utah 11 Vermont Virginia 12 Washington 13 West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming
ills and ill Processing 3-23 Table 96-3.6 Criteria Used to Refer ills, cont d. Key: =enate =ouse or Assembly =oth chambers Notes: 1. The following chambers did not respond to the survey: Delaware enate, Georgia enate, Massachusetts enate and ouse, Mississippi enate, North Carolina enate, Rhode Island ouse, outh Carolina enate; nor did any legislatures from the U.. territories respond. 2. Alaska enate and ouse: The uniform rules of procedure also are used. 3. Louisiana ouse: y tradition, some subjects are referred to certain committees. 4. Michigan enate: ometimes committee workload will influence a bill s assignment. 5. Nevada enate: The chamber rules particularly rule 40 help determine bill referrals. 6. New Mexico enate: y tradition, some subjects are referred to certain committees. 7. New York Assembly: The chamber rules help determine bill referrals. 8. North Carolina ouse: The chamber rules also help determine bill referrals. 9. Tennessee enate: The chamber rules particularly rule 84 help determine bill referrals. 10. Texas ouse: y tradition, some subjects are referred to certain committees. 11. Utah enate: ometimes committee workload will influence a bill s assignment. 12. Virginia enate: The chamber rules also help determine bill referrals. 13. Washington ouse: The committee assignments of a bill sponsor also are considered.
3-24 Inside the Legislative Process Table 96-3.7 uggestions on ill Referrals tate (1) Any member elected legislative leader(s) Author of the bill Committee chair Rules, management or committee on committees elected legislative staff Alabama Alaska Arizona 2 Arkansas California Colorado Connecticut Delaware Florida Georgia awaii Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Montana
ills and ill Processing 3-25 Table 96-3.7 uggestions on ill Referrals, cont d. tate (1) Any member elected legislative leader(s) Author of the bill Committee chair Rules, management or committee on committees elected legislative staff Nebraska Nevada New ampshire New Jersey New Mexico New York North Carolina North Dakota Ohio Oklahoma Oregon 3 Pennsylvania Rhode Island outh Carolina outh Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Vermont Virginia Washington 4 West Virginia Wisconsin 5 Wyoming
3-26 Inside the Legislative Process Table 96-3.7 uggestions on ill Referrals, cont d. Key: =enate =ouse or Assembly =oth chambers Notes: 1. The following chambers did not respond to the survey: Delaware enate, Georgia enate, Massachusetts enate and ouse, Mississippi enate, North Carolina enate, Rhode Island ouse, outh Carolina enate; nor did any legislatures from the U.. territories respond. 2. Arizona ouse: Lobbyists and constituents also may offer suggestions. 3. Oregon enate: Lobbyists can offer recommendations. 4. Washington ouse: Ideas from lobbyists and executive branch staff also will be considered. 5. Wisconsin enate and Assembly: Lobbyists, constituents and state agencies also may offer suggestions.
ills and ill Processing 3-27 Table 96-3.8 Changing the Final Referral of a ill tate (1) Vote of the body y the chamber's presiding officer y the president pro tem or the speaker pro tem y the majority leader y the rules committee or the committee on committees y the committee chair(s) Alabama Alaska Arizona Arkansas California Colorado Connecticut Delaware Florida Georgia awaii Idaho 2 Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Maryland Massachusetts Michigan 3 Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Montana
3-28 Inside the Legislative Process Table 96-3.8 Changing the Final Referral of a ill, cont d. tate (1) Vote of the body y the chamber's presiding officer y the president pro tem or the speaker pro tem y the majority leader y the rules committee or the committee on committees y the committee chair(s) Nebraska Nevada New ampshire New Jersey New Mexico New York North Carolina North Dakota Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania Rhode Island outh Carolina outh Dakota 4 Tennessee Texas Utah Vermont Virginia 5 Washington West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming
ills and ill Processing 3-29 Table 96-3.8 Changing the Final Referral of a ill, cont d. Key: =enate =ouse or Assembly =oth chambers Notes: 1. The following chambers did not respond to the survey: Delaware enate, Georgia enate, Massachusetts enate and ouse, Mississippi enate, North Carolina enate, Rhode Island ouse, outh Carolina enate; nor did any legislatures from the U.. territories respond. 2. Idaho ouse: A committee can vote to change the bill referral. 3. Michigan ouse: A committee can vote to change the bill referral. 4. outh Dakota enate and ouse: A committee can vote to change the bill referral. 5. Virginia ouse: A committee can vote to change the bill referral.