Colorado LegiSource

An informational and educational resource for the Colorado General Assembly by the Office of Legislative Legal Services.

Month: January 2012

  • After my bill is delivered to the House or the Senate, how do I add sponsors?

    After you approve your bill draft for introduction, the OLLS will deliver it to the front desk of the House or the Senate or the OLLS will deliver it to the sergeants who will give the bill to you. Please do not contact the OLLS to add sponsors after your bill has been delivered to the front desk or to you.

    Sponsors
    If the sergeants deliver the bill to you, you will receive a copy of your bill stapled to a heavier sheet of green paper (if you’re a representative) or buff paper (if you’re a senator).  This is called a “bill back”. Also attached to the bill back are a sheet of paper with the name of each senator and one with the name of each representative. If you would like a representative or senator to sign on as a sponsor for your bill, ask that person to sign the attached paper next to his or her name. When you turn the bill back in to the front desk, the staff will include each person who has signed as a sponsor of your bill before the bill is sent to the printer, and the sponsor names will appear on the introduced version of the bill. Neither the House nor the Senate can add sponsors after your bill is sent to the printer.

    Prime sponsors
    If you want to designate your second-house prime sponsor after your bill is delivered upstairs, you must sign a form that formally designates the second-house prime sponsor before your bill passes on third reading. The form is available from the Chief Clerk of the  House, for representatives, or the Secretary of the Senate, for senators. If you sign the form and turn it in to the front desk with your bill back or before your bill goes to the printer, the front desk staff will add the second-house prime sponsor immediately, and his or her name will appear on the introduced version of your bill.

    After your bill is printed and introduced, anyone who wants to sign on as a co-sponsor will have an opportunity to do so on third reading.

  • Need a Hint? Tips For Legislators

    by Nate Carr

    Most of us appreciate getting a few pointers every now and then. With the start of a new legislative session, you might find it interesting to learn some of the advice given to your predecessors 111 years ago in the Colorado Legislative Manual – 1901 edition:

    1)    Avoid personalities in debates.

    2)    Do not crowd through too many bills.

    3)    Watch your bills and keep pushing them forward at all times.

    4)    Read section 40 of article V of the state constitution.

    5)    Be as regular as possible in attendance. It is the watchful and attentive member who advances legislation.

    6)    Endeavor to be present at roll call at the morning session and listen to the reading of the journal, that action on your measures and your own movements be correctly recorded. If the journal as read is in error, ask to have it corrected.

    7)    After your measure has been considered in committee of the whole, ask the clerk to permit you to see that all amendments and alterations are properly incorporated into your measure.

    8)    On the last day of session, have all surplus stationary and supplies in your desk or committee room collected and turned over to the secretary of state, for use at the next session. This is both law and practical economy.

    9)    The legislative session closes at midnight on the ninetieth day. It has sometimes been the practice to stop the clock, and proceed with business beyond that hour, but this can be prevented by simply entering a protest for record on the journal.

    Words of wisdom written long ago can be as useful now, in many respects, as they were back then. Although stopping the clock to proceed with business beyond the constitutionally mandated time for sine die probably would not be tolerated today.

  • The OLLS: We Are Here To Help With More Than Bill and Amendment Drafting

    by Dan Cartin

    You may recall from your New Member Orientation experience the presentation by the OLLS on the variety of services we can provide for you in addition to your bill and amendment drafting needs. Hopefully, you have used the OLLS attorneys and legislative assistants during your time in the General Assembly to access these ancillary services. As the 2012 session begins, we want to remind you of the availability of these materials and services and of some limitations on what we can provide you due to the OLLS’ nonpartisan role. (more…)

  • Delayed Bills 101

    by Patti Dahlberg

    Joint Rules 23 and 24 limit the number of bill requests a legislator may submit as well as the deadlines for moving bills through the legislative process. The expectation is that all bill requests and bills will adhere to these limitations and deadlines. However, on occasion, a legislator may need to seek delayed bill authorization for a bill request or a bill that will not meet these limitations or deadlines. (more…)

  • The session is about to start – how much longer do I have to request my bills?

    Your first three bill requests, which are intended to meet the early bill introduction deadlines, had to be submitted by December 1, 2011. If you submitted only three bill requests at that time, you can request two more bills. You must submit these last two bill requests to the OLLS on or before Monday, January 16, 2012, unless the General Assembly decides that it will not meet on that day, since it is Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. If that happens, the deadline for submitting your last two bill requests to the OLLS is Tuesday, January 17, 2012.

    If you submitted four bill requests by December 1, you can submit one more request, but if you submitted five bill requests by December 1, you cannot submit any more bill requests unless you withdraw, or kill, one of the bill requests you already have in. If you have already requested more than three bills, and you have three bills that will meet the early introduction deadlines, you can replace up to two bill requests with new bill requests so long as you submit them to the OLLS on or before Monday, January 16, 2012, or Tuesday, January 17, 2012, if the General Assembly does not meet on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.