Glossary of Legislative Terms

 

A more extensive glossary may be found on the legislative webpage: http://www.state.co.us/gov_dir/lcsstaff/StaffInfo/definitions.htm

 

Act - A bill which has been approved or "enacted: by both houses of the General Assembly and has become a law either with or without the Governor's signature. The acts adopted during each session of the legislature are published annually in bound volumes, called the Session Laws of Colorado. Acts are also complied, edited, and published in Colorado Revised Statutes.

 

Amendment - An amendment changes a bill or other proposed legislation that may be offered either by a committee or an individual legislator.

 

Bill - A bill is a proposed law to amend or repeal an existing law or creates a new law.

 

Bill Title - The Colorado Constitution states that no bill, except general appropriations bills, shall pass containing more than one subject, which must be clearly expressed in its title.

 

Caucus - A caucus is a meeting of members of a single political party. Positions, policies, and strategies on pending legislation may be discussed in party caucuses.

 

Calendar - A listing of bills, resolutions, and memorials ready for introduction or for floor consideration on second or third reading. The calendar also lists meetings of committees scheduled for that day or for the next several days, as well as conference committees that are to report. The calendar for the Senate also includes board or commission confirmations ready for Senate action.

 

Chair - The chair is a term used to describe the presiding officer of a House or Senate committee.

 

Committee hearing - These hearings are the public's opportunity to comment on legislation through testimony. There are 11 standing committees in each house; agriculture, livestock & natural resources; appropriations; business affairs & labor; education; finance; health & human services; judiciary; local government; state, veterans and military affairs; transportation & energy; and house/senate services.

 

Concurrence - Concurrence occurs when the first house agrees to pass a bill, agrees to one or more amendments adopted by the other house, the action is known as concurrence.

 

Concurrent Resolution - This is a proposed amendment to the state constitution, or recommends the holding of a constitutional convention, or ratifies proposed amendments to the federal constitution. Concurrent resolutions are treated as bills, except that they do not have the same limits on the time of introduction and rate of dispatch through the legislative process.

 

Conference Committee - A conference committee is actually two committees, one from each house, meeting together to attempt to work out language acceptable to the Senate and House on some measure upon which agreement could not be reached through committee or floor amendments.

 

Co-Sponsor - The legislator introducing a bill is known as the prime sponsor and his/her name appears first on the bill jacket, on the first page of the bill, and in the journal. Those who "sign on" after third reading with their endorsement of the bill are known as co-sponsors. A bill must have a prime sponsor in each house.

 

C.R.S - Abbreviation for the Colorado Revised Statutes, the compilation of Colorado laws.

 

Division - This is a vote, whereby the number of proponents and opponents are counted. It differs from a roll call vote in that a division does not attribute a particular vote to a certain person.

 

Enacting Clause - The Constitution requires that each law be prepared by the phrase "Be it Enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Colorado." An amendment to strike the enacting clause "kills" a proposed law.

 

Engrossed bill - This is when a bill has been amended in the house in which it was first introduced, it is written to show the amendments adopted. This version is known as the engrossed bill.

 

First Reading - This occurs when a bill is officially introduced into one of the houses of the legislature, read by title by the reading clerk, and noted in the journal. At that time, the bill is assigned to a committee.

 

Fiscal Note - A fiscal note states the estimated amount of increase or decrease in revenue or expenditure that enactment of the bill. Each bill with fiscal implications must have a fiscal note before being acted upon by a committee of reference.

 

Item Veto - The Governor has the power to selectively veto items in appropriations bills. Usually, this means items in the Long Bill, which is the major funding bill for the operations of state government for a fiscal year.

 

Joint Resolutions - Joint resolutions pertain to the transaction of the business of both houses, establish investigating committees composed of member of both houses, or express the will or sentiment of both houses on any matter.

 

Postpone Indefinitely - A motion to postpone indefinitely a bill has the same effect as moving to kill it.

 

Prime Sponsor - The first legislator to sign a bill for introduction is known as the "prime sponsor." The prime sponsor's name appears first not on the original bill but on the printed act.

 

Quorum - A majority of the members elected to a legislative house. The Constitution requires a quorum for the transacting of legislative business; however, a smaller number may adjourn from day to day and compel the attendance of absent members.

 

Re-engrossed bill - This bill as passed on third reading in the house of introduction and including all amendments adopted by that house. The re-engrossed bill is transmitted to the second house.

 

Referendum - A measure sent to the voters by the General Assembly for approval of an amendment to the Colorado statutes; measure referred to voters statewide at even year election unless the statutory change relates to state matters arising under section 20 of article X (TABOR) in which case it can be referred at the odd-year election. (See Section 1 (3) of article V and section 20 of article X (TABOR) of the Colorado Constitution).

 

Revised bill - A bill passed on second reading in the second house. It includes any amendments made to the bill on second reading by the second house.

 

Second Reading - The stage where initial floor debate occurs.

 

Sine Die - "Sine die" means "without day." Adjournment sine die is the action which concludes a session of the General Assembly. A joint resolution is adopted by the two houses to fix the hour of adjournment sine die. The regular session last 120 calendar days.

 

Special Session - A session of both houses, called by the Governor or on its own initiative, where the General Assembly meets to carry out legislative business outside of the regular session.

 

Sponsor - A bill's sponsor is understood to be the legislator who introduced it, although he/she may have done so at the request of someone who is not a member of the General Assembly. There is always one House and one Senate sponsor for each bill. The Governor may recommend the passage of a bill, but only a member of the legislature may introduce a bill.

 

Sunset - "Sunset" requires the periodic statutory review of state agencies, their programs, task forces or other related activities established by statute. It is the exercise of the state's regulatory authority over agency activities to determine whether they continue to be necessary and be funded. Agencies and their statutory activities are terminated by specified dates unless their life is extended by legislative action.

 

Veto - After both houses have passed a bill, and it becomes an act, the Governor has the constitutional right to veto. If he/she received the act during a legislative session, the Governor has ten days to make his/her decision. The vetoed bill, with a statement by the Governor of objections, is returned to the legislative house in which the bill originated. If readopted by a two-thirds vote of the members present in each house, the act becomes law despite the Governor's objections. If he/she receives the bill after the legislature has adjourned for the year, the Governor has 30 consecutive days to sign or veto the bill.

 

Veto Message - The letter the Governor sends to the legislature giving his/her reasons for rejecting (vetoing) a bill after it passed the House and Senate.

 

Vote - The Colorado Constitution requires the recorded yeas and nays of individual members on the final passage of all legislation. A voice vote is sufficient for adoption of amendments and some other matters, although a roll call can be requested.