Colorado LegiSource

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

Year: 2012

  • 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.