Glossary of Legislative Terms
A
Act (also known as Public Act)
A bill that has been approved by the Legislature and signed into law by the Governor, filed with the Secretary of State, and assigned a Public Act number.
Ad Hoc Committee
A committee appointed for a special purpose. An ad hoc committee automatically dissolves upon the completion of a specified task or at the end of a biennial session. test
Adjournment
The conclusion of the day's session, until the next session day designated by the Legislature. The final adjournment, sine die, ends the year's session.
Adoption
Approval or acceptance by a house; applied to amendments, resolutions, and joint resolutions. This is in contrast to "pass", which means to enact a bill by the required number of votes.
Advice and Consent
A constitutional provision providing for confirmation by the Senate of certain appointments made by the Governor.
Agenda
Schedule of business proposed for each legislative day or for a committee or subcommittee meeting.
Alerts
Documents containing alert messages pertinent to the section or statute language. An alert message serves to notify the reader of circumstances that may affect the statute or section, such as pending expiration.
Amendatory Bill
A bill to amend or repeal existing law. The title of the bill will begin with "A bill to amend" or "A bill to repeal." The title will show the sections being amended or repealed. The bill contains lower case and upper case type or stricken material or both.
Amendment
A proposed change, addition, or deletion to a bill, joint resolution or resolution. Amendments may be offered by individual legislators or by a committee.
Analysis
A detailed description, generally in non-legal language, of a bill or joint resolution considered by the Legislature. Prepared by the House Legislative Analysis Section and the Senate Fiscal Agency Legislative Analysis Unit, analyses often contain background information on a bill or joint resolution and its fiscal implications, where appropriate.
Appropriations
The authorization to spend state and federal funds. Probably the most important function of the Legislature, appropriating money is carried out by passing bills which authorize units (departments, agencies, and institutions) of government to spend money for specified purposes.
Approved by Governor
Signature of the Governor on a bill passed by both houses of the Legislature.
At the Call of the chair
A recess of the House or Senate which is ended by the presiding officer calling the body to order (usually very brief).
B
Bill
A proposed law introduced in the Legislature for consideration.
Bill History
A record of all the action on any given proposal. The term is also applied to action on resolutions and joint resolutions.
Bill Laid Over
A parliamentary procedure which allows a bill to lie over one day under the rules.
Bill Printed and Filed
Process by which copies of bills are made available to Members and to the public. This is a formal notice and is printed in the House and Senate Journal by bill number, a joint resolution letter, and date of filing.
C
Calendar
The listing of bills, resolutions and other business items to be considered by the Senate or House. The calendars are published for each session day, and items are considered in the order listed unless changes are made during a session. The calendar also contains a list of future committee meetings and public hearings.
Call of the Senate or House
An order of the majority of members present to compel the attendance of all the members to their chamber. During a call of the House or Senate, the doors are closed, members are not permitted to leave the floor area, and the Sergeant-at-Arms (and occasionally the State Police) may be sent to bring absent members to the chambers.
Call the Question
A motion to halt debate on a question in order to begin the vote on the question. (Sometimes called "call the previous question" or "move the previous question").
Caucus
Meeting of a group of legislators called on the basis of party affiliation or other interest. Caucuses are usually closed to staff, the media, and the public.
Censure
An act by a legislative body to officially reprimand one of its members. The act of censuring is an official condemnation for actions committed by a public official while holding a public trust.
Chair
Presiding officer during session or Chair of a committee, subcommittee, or task force.
Chamber
Official hall for the meeting of a legislative body.
Clerk of the House
Parliamentarian for the House of Representatives. The person in this position performs numerous administrative and technical services, especially during House sessions. The Assistant Clerk of the House aids in performance of those duties.
Co-sponsor
Any member signed on, other than the prime sponsor, proposing any bill, joint resolution, or resolution. Each bill/joint resolution/resolution has a prime sponsor and co-sponsors.
Committee
A body of elected members delegated by the House or Senate to consider and make recommendations concerning disposition of bills, resolutions, and other related matters referred to it. Committees are appointed by the Speaker of the House or the Senate Majority Leader and are organized according to subject matter.
Committee Bill Record
The listing of bills and resolutions that have been referred to committees. The committee bill records also list any action taken on a bill or resolution by the committee. Both House and Senate committee bill records are updated daily while the chamber is in session.
Committee Chair
A member appointed by the Speaker of the House or the Senate Majority Leader to function as the parliamentary head of a standing or special committee.
Committee Meetings
Meetings by bodies of elected members delegated by the House or Senate to consider and make recommendations concerning disposition of bills, resolutions, and other related matters referred to them. Committees are appointed by the Speaker of the House or the Senate Majority Leader and are organized according to subject matter.
Committee of the Whole
A parliamentary procedure (in the Senate) in which the entire body becomes a committee for the purpose of working on a bill or joint resolution.
Committee Report
An official release from a committee of a bill or resolution with a specific recommendation or without recommendation.
Communications
Information transmitted between the two houses; and to and from them, the Governor, state agencies, or other public bodies.
Companion Bill
A bill which is part of a group or package of bills that is necessary to accomplish a single legislative goal. Companion bills are often tie-barred.
Compiled Laws
Database or book comprising all existing state laws up to a specific date.
Concur
Agreement on the part of one of the houses to the other's actions, or agreement by a house to the recommendation of a committee.
Concurrent Resolutions
A resolution expressing the sentiment or intent of both houses, on matters of interest of the Legislature, the State, and the Nation.
Conference Committee
A committee, consisting of three members from each house, which is appointed to resolve differences in a bill or resolution that has been passed in different versions in each house.
Conference Report
A report, signed by a majority of the conferees of each house, consisting of agreements reconciling the different versions of a bill passed by the House and Senate. A conference report must be approved in each house by the same number votes as it takes to pass the bill.
Confirmation
Approval by the Senate of an executive appointment.
Conflict of Interest
Untenable position which threatens the ability of a legislator to vote impartially.
Consent Calendar
Noncontroversial bills in the House, or resolutions in the Senate, which are scheduled for action and are not subject to amendment or debate.
Constitution
The fundamental principles of the State that guarantee powers and duties of the government and guarantee certain rights to the people. The current state constitution of Michigan was adopted in 1963.
Constitutional Amendment
A Joint Resolution passed by both houses which affects the State Constitution and which requires approval by voters at a general election.
Convene
The meeting of the Legislature daily, weekly, and at the beginning of a session as provided by the Constitution or law.
D
Daily Session
Each day's meeting of the House or Senate.
Deposited with Secretary of State
The act of filing a bill signed by the Governor or a joint resolution passed by the Legislature with the Secretary of State who maintains an official repository of State laws and state agency administrative rules.
Digest Title
A brief descriptive title of the contents of a bill which appears on the calendar and in the status.
Discharge
An action to relieve a committee of further jurisdiction over a bill or resolution that had been referred to it.
Dissent
The Consititution of Michigan guarantees the right of a member "to dissent from and protest against any act, proceeding or resolution which he deems injurious to any person or the public, and have the reason for his dissent entered in the journal." A no vote explanation is a form of dissent.
Division of Question
A parliamentary procedure to separate a matter to be voted upon into two or more questions.
Division Vote
A vote in which each member's yes or no is cast individually, but which is not permanently recorded by member's name in the journal.
E
Effective Date
The date a law becomes binding, either upon a date specified in the law itself in combination with immediate effect, or in the absence of a specific date or immediate effect vote, 90 days after sine die adjournment. Immediate effect requires a vote of two thirds of the Members elected and serving.
En bloc Voting
To consider in a mass or as a whole; to adopt or reject a series of amendments by a single vote.
Enacting Section
Those sections of a bill which establish effective dates, repeals, tie bars, or other conditions on effectiveness of the legislation. Enacting sections appear at the end of the bill.
Enrolled Bill
The final copy of a bill passed by the Legislature which is submitted to the Governor for signature. The enrolled bill is signed by the Clerk of the House and Secretary of the Senate before presentation.
Enrollment
The process of having a bill or joint resolution reprinted in its final form as passed by both houses. The enrolled version includes all amendments, without the stricken or inserted new language specifically noted. It is in this form that bills are presented to the Governor for approval (or veto).
Enrollment Vacated
The returning of an enrolled bill by the Governor to the house of origin at the request of the house last having passed the bill or the house of origin for the purpose of correcting errors or giving the bill immediate effect. Enrollment may also be vacated before a bill is presented to the Governor.
Excused
Absence of a Member with permission of the body.
Executive Budget
Recommended allocation of state moneys presented by the Governor for consideration by the Legislature. The Executive Budget is normally submitted in January.
Executive Order
An order issued by the Governor. It may take several forms, but the types of Executive Orders most often of interest to the Legislature and possibly acted upon by the Legislature are those to re-organize State government pursuant to the Governor's constitutional re-organization powers or to reduce appropriation line items.
Extraordinary Vote
A vote that requires more than a majority of the members elected and serving for passage, such as requirements for a 2/3 or 3/4 majority.
F
Favorable Report
Report of a bill or resolution from a committee to the body indicating the committee recommends the bill or resolution be passed.
Fiscal Note
Prepared by House and Senate Fiscal Agencies. Fiscal notes discuss the present and future fiscal implications of pending legislation.
Fiscal Year
An accounting period of 12 months which starts on October 1 in Michigan.
Five Day Rule-Appropriations
The House Rules prevent an appropriations bill from being read a second time until five days after the bill is reported out of the Appropriations Committee.
Five Day Rule-State Constitution
Michigan's State Constitution requires that all bills must be printed and in possession of the Members five days before they are passed.
Floor
That portion of the chamber of each body reserved during session for members and officers of the body and other persons who granted the privilege.
G
Gallery
Balconies of each chamber from which people may view proceedings of the Legislature.
General Orders
An order of business in which the Senate meets as a Committee of the Whole to consider a bill or joint resolution after the bill or joint resolution is reported out of committee back to the full Senate with the committee's recommendation. During General Orders, other amendments offered by other members of the Senate are considered, as well as advancement of the bill or joint resolution to the order of Third Reading of Bills for final passage or adoption.
Germane
A point of order raised by a member to question whether an amendment is relevant, appropriate, and in a natural and logical sequence to the subject matter to be included in the bill or resolution (or in discussions of the bill or resolution) before the body.
H
House Committee Bill Record
A House committee bill record is a report of all bills and resolutions that have been referred to that committee in the current session. There is one House Committee Bill Record for each standing committee.
House Journal or Senate Journal
An official chronological recored of the action taken on all bills, joint resolutions, and resolutions and all proceedings of the respective houses. Journals are published for each day the House and Senate are in session.
House Minority Leader
Elected by the members of the House minority party to lead them. Included in this person's responsibilities are being the spokesperson for the minority party, nomination and consultation with the Speaker of the House on the appointment of minority members to committees, as well as other leadership responsibilities.
House of Representatives
One of the legislative bodies of Michigan's bicameral (two-house) Legislature, consisting of 110 Representatives elected for two-year terms. This body is commonly referred to as the "House." (By itself, the word "house" may refer either to the House of Representatives or the Senate.)
House or Senate Resolution
A resolution that takes effect after it is adopted by one house only.
I
Immediate effect
A vote to have a bill become effective immediately upon its approval by the Governor and filing with the Secretary of State or upon a date specified. If a bill is not given immediate effect, it takes effect in accordance with the constitutional provision that states no act shall take effect until the expiration of 90 days from the end of the session at which the bill was enacted. The motion to give a bill immediate effect requires a two-thirds vote in each house.
Immediate Passage
Motion allowing a bill to move from one order of business to the Order of Third Reading for passage on the same legislative day.
Initiative
The method of initiating legislation by the people. If sufficient signatures are certified by the State Board of Canvassers, the petition is sent to each house of the Legislature for action within 40 days. If not enacted by the Legislature, an initiative petition goes on the next general election ballot for action by the People. If adopted by the People, an initiated law may be amended by the Legislature by three-fourths vote of the Members elected and serving in each house.
Invocation
Prayer rendered at the beginning of a session.
J
Joint
Involving both houses (e.g. joint session, joint rules).
Joint Committee
A committee of the Legislature composed of both Senate and House members.
Joint Convention or Joint Session
The assembling of both houses of the Legislature for a meeting. Joint conventions are normally held in the House Chamber.
Joint Resolutions
A document used to propose an amendment to the Michigan Constitution, to ratify an amendment to the Constitution of the United States, or to handle certain matters where power is solely vested in the Legislatures of the states by the United States Constitution. Joint resolutions used to propose amendments to the Michigan Constitution require a two-thirds majority in each house to pass. Joint resolutions are not considered by the Governor.
Joint Rules
Joint Rules governing relationships between and affecting matters between the two houses.
Journals
The official records of the actions of the House of Representatives and the Senate published following each day's session. Although not a verbatim account of what takes place on the floor, the journals record all actions, communications, and roll call votes. The journals are published in bound volumes for each year.
K
L
Laid Over
Under the rules, any items requiring publication in the journal before consideration must be postponed one day. The act of an item being laid over could also be accomplished by a motion to postpone consideration.
Land Conveyance
An act transferring land from one individual institution or political subdivision to another.
Lay on the Table
Postponement of the matter before the house, which may later be brought up for consideration by a motion to "take from the table."
Leave of Absence
Permission granted by the legislative body to a member who wishes to be absent, usually for a specific period.
Legislative Auditor General
A constitutional officer appointed by majority vote of each house of the Legislature who conducts audits of all state agencies.
Legislative Council
A joint, bi-partisan committee which has a number of constitutional and statutory functions. One of its primary functions is oversight of the legal drafting, research, and editing staff for the Legislature.
Legislators
Elected Representative or Senator.
Line-item Veto
Power exercised by the Governor to veto specific items in an appropriation bill, while still signing the remainder of the bill into law.
Local Act
Legislation enacted into law that applies to a local unit of government only. It requires a 2/3 vote to pass.
M
Main Motion
Consideration of a bill is a main motion. Consideration of an amendment to that bill would be a subsidiary or secondary motion. Consideration of a bill may be postponed but consideration of an amendment to that bill generally cannot be deferred to another day, if the body is to continue its deliberations on the bill.
Majority Elected and Serving
A number of members equal to one more than one-half of those members who are currently serving in a house.
Mason's Manual
A manual of legislative practice and procedure (similar to but not the same as Robert's Rules) used as a supplement to the State Constitution, the House or Senate Rules, Joint Rules, and statutes. The adopted parliamentary authority of the Legislature is Mason's Manual of Legislative Procedure.
Message from Senate or House
An official communication from the opposite house that is read into the official record. The most common message is related to bills.
Message from the Governor
An official communication from the Governor that is read into the official record and published in the Journals.
Messages
A portion of each session is set aside to formally receive and record communications from the opposite chamber (these primarily deal with bills and resolutions which have been acted upon). Messages also includes those communications of record received from the Governor pertaining to appointments, executive orders, signing bills and vetoes.
Michigan Compiled Laws
All existing general and permanent laws of the State.
Minutes
An accurate record of the proceedings of a committee meeting which are signed by the Chair and become part of the committee records for archival purposes.
Motion
A formal proposal submitted by a member of a legislative body requesting some action be taken by that body. Sometimes called questions, motions are categorized by the order (precedence) in which they must be considered.
Motion to Reconsider
A motion which, if adopted, places the question where a decision was just made in the same status it was prior to the vote on the question.
N
No Vote Explanation
A constitutional provision that permits any member to offer the reason for voting against any act or proceeding to be included in the journal as part of the record. The rules governing this constitutional right differ in the two houses.
O
Officers
That portion of the legislative staff elected by the membership. In Michigan, only the Clerk of the House and Secretary of the Senate are elected by the Membership.
Orders of Business
The order in which the House or Senate considers matters pending before it.
Out of Order
Not being conducted under proper parliamentary rules and procedures.
P
Parliamentary Inquiry
A question posed to the presiding officer which seeks clarification of a point in the proceedings.
Pass
To give a vote of final approval to a bill in either body. Also called "final passage".
Pass Temporarily
To defer consideration of a matter to later in the same legislative session day.
Passage of a Bill
Favorable action on a measure before either house. Most bills require only a majority of the Members elected and serving for passage.
Passed for the Day
Commonly-used wording for a motion to postpone consideration of an amendment, a bill or resolution until the next session day.
Pocket Veto
Failure of the Governor to sign a bill within the required 14 days of presentation after sine die adjournment.
Postpone Indefinitely
A form of final adverse disposition of a proposal for that session of the Legislature.
Postpone to a Day Certain
To deter consideration of a question to a definite later time or day.
Precedent
Interpretation or compilation of rulings by presiding officers on specific procedures or rules, and which are established by customs and practices.
President of the Senate
The Lieutenant Governor of Michigan who presides over Senate sessions. In his or her absence, the President pro tempore, Assistant President pro tempore, or Associate President pro tempore preside.
Presiding office
Person designated to preside at a legislative session.
Previous Question
A motion to bring the debate on a question to a close and to begin taking an immediate vote on that question.
Pro Tempore
The designated officer of the House or Senate acting in the absence of the regular presiding officer.
Prospectives
documents containing prospective information pertinent to the section or statute language. <BR><BR> When legislation is passed that will create a new section or statute or will add to or amend an existing section or statute but will not take effect until a particular date or under particular circumstances, that added, amended, or new section or statute is included in the MCL database and identified with the appropriate, corresponding suffix. These added, amended, or new sections or statutes are called prospective law. <BR><BR> In the case of added or amended law, both the original law and amended law would contain a message indicating at what time or under what circumstances the law would be changed. So, if section 3172 of chapter 500 was amended but passed without immediate effect, MCL would have the original section 3172 and a section 3172.amended which would show the law as it would be when it became effective. The original section would then be the prospective document and the amended section would be the provisional document.
Provisionals
Documents containing provisional information pertinent to the section or statute language. <BR><BR> When legislation is passed that will create a new section or statute or will add to or amend an existing section or statute but will not take effect until a particular date or under particular circumstances, that added, amended, or new section or statute is included in the MCL database and identified with the appropriate, corresponding suffix. These added, amended, or new sections or statutes are called prospective law. <BR><BR> In the case of added or amended law, both the original law and amended law would contain a message indicating at what time or under what circumstances the law would be changed. So, if section 3172 of chapter 500 was amended but passed without immediate effect, MCL would have the original section 3172 and a section 3172.amended which would show the law as it would be when it became effective. The original section would then be the prospective document and the amended section would be the provisional document.
Provisionals
Documents containing provisional information pertinent to the section or statute language.
Public Acts
Bills that have been approved by the Legislature and signed into law by the Governor, filed with the Secretary of State, and assigned a Public Act number.
Public Hearing
A public meeting where legislators seek information on an issue or legislation. A public hearing differs from a regular committee meeting in that it is usually held at various locations throughout the state for the purpose of taking testimony and usually no votes are taken.
Q
Quorum
The number of members which must be present in a session or a committee meeting (a majority of those elected and serving or a majority of the members on the committee) in order to conduct most business.
R
Re-Referral or Re-Committa
Sending a bill back to the committee from which it was reported.
Readings
The formal steps of consideration that a bill or joint resolution goes through. As in many legislative bodies across the country, each bill must be read three times in each house before becoming law. Rules of the Senate and House of Representatives provide that the first and second times may be by title only. However, the third time shall be in full, unless otherwise ordered unanimously by the Senate or 3/4 of the members serving in the House of Representatives. This is a constitutional requirement designed to make sure the citizens have notification of the bill before it becomes law.
Recall of a Bill
A motion which enables the originating house to recall an enrolled bill that has been presented to the Governor. Both houses must approve the recall before the message is sent to the Governor.
Recede
Withdrawing from an amendment or position on a matter.
Recess
A temporary interruption in the day's session or several days of session, during which no business is considered. Sometimes used in connection with a seasonal adjournment of the Legislature, as in "Spring recess."
Reconsideration
To re-vote on an issue. Motions to reconsider a vote most often apply to the final passage of a bill or adoption of a joint resolution. A motion to reconsider must be made within the next two legislative days in the Senate or in the next legislative day for the House. Without the suspension of rules, no question can be reconsidered more than once in the Senate or more than twice in the House.
Record
By custom, Members often request that the "record show" or that they be "recorded" in a certain way; these requests, if approved, are entered in the journal.
Record Roll Call Vote
A vote in which each member's "aye" or "nay" ("yes" or "no") is recorded, except during Committee of the Whole in the Senate. The vote on the passage of all bills must be by record roll call. The State Constitution provides that, with the request of at least one-fifth of the members present, any question may be decided by a roll call vote and recorded in the journal. In the Senate, no record roll call votes are permitted while the Committee of the Whole is meeting.
Referral
The sending or referring a bill or resolution to a committee.
Regular Session
The one-year period during which a Legislature carries on business. The Constitution of the State of Michigan of 1963 requires that each regular session start on the second Wednesday in January at 12:00 noon. Each regular session shall adjourn without day, on a day determined by concurrent resolution, at 12:00 noon.
Repeal
A method by which legislative action is revoked or abrogated.
Repeals
Repealed, expired, terminated, ineffective, executed, rescinded, rejected, and revoked documents.
Repeals
Repealed, expired, terminated, ineffective, executed, rescinded, rejected, and revoked documents.
Report
A report of a committee is a record of actions, attendance, amendments or substitutes, and/or recommendations.
Report Out
To approve a bill, joint resolution, or resolution in committee and refer it to the full house for action.
Request the Return of a Bill
The motion which is used to ask the opposing house to return a bill, resolution or joint resolution to the requesting house. This may also be made to the Governor by both houses acting jointly.
Resolutions
A document expressing the will of the House or the Senate (or both, in the case of concurrent resolutions). Resolutions are used to urge state agencies or the Congress to take certain actions; to formally approve certain plans of governmental agencies; to conduct certain legislative business; or to establish study committees to examine issues. Some resolutions are also offered by members as an expression of congratulations, commemoration or tribute to an individual or group.
Roll Call
The recorded vote on an issue before the body; either by an electronic tabulating machine or by voice vote.
Rule Suspension
Temporarily set aside a rule.
Rules
Pursuant to the State Constitution, both the House and the Senate operate under their own set of rules, which specify the operations of the chamber and the procedures of session, including the actions involved in each stage of the lawmaking process. For matters involving both houses (such as conference committees), there are Joint Rules of the Senate and House of Representatives.
S
Same As
Identical bills introduced into both the House and Senate. The purpose of "same as" bills is to expedite progress by allowing simultaneous consideration.
Secretary of the Senate
The Senate's chief administrative officer and parliamentarian. The person in this position performs numerous administrative and technical services, especially during Senate sessions. The Assistant Secretary of the Senate aids in performance of those duties.
Select Committee
Committee appointed to consider and make recommendations for specific proposals.
Senate
One of the two legislative bodies that make up the bicameral (two-house) Michigan Legislature. The Senate consists of 38 members elected to four-year terms.
Senate Majority Leader
Elected by the members of the Senate majority party to lead the Senate. Included in this person's responsibilities are spokesperson for the Majority party, the appointment of members to committees, as well as numerous administrative responsibilities.
Senate Minority Leader
Elected by members of the Senate minority party to lead them. Included in this person's responsibilities is the spokesperson for the minority party, nomination and consultation with the Senate Majority Leader on the appointment of minority members to committees, as well as other leadership responsibilities.
Separate Amendments
Procedure to vote on amendments separately or in groups smaller than introduced.
Session
Period during which the Legislature meets. Regular - the yearly session; Special - a session called by the Governor and limited to matters specified in advance; Daily - each day's meeting; Joint - meeting of the two legislative bodies together.
Session Schedules
A Schedule for the period during which the Legislature meets. Regular Session- the yearly session; Special Session - a session called by the Governor and limited to matters specified in advance; Daily Session - each day's meeting; Joint Session - meeting of the two legislative bodies together.
Simple Majority
A majority of those members who cast a vote on any particular question.
Sine Die
A Latin phrase that means "without day" or "without a day" set to reconvene. The Constitution of the State of Michigan of 1963 requires that the Legislature adjourn sine die as the final adjournment each year of a regular session. Adjournment must be at 12:00 noon on a day set by concurrent resolution.
Speaker of the House
Elected by the membership of the House of Representatives to lead that body. Included in this person's responsibilities is spokesperson for the Majority party, the appointment of members to committees as well as numerous administrative responsibilities. In the absence of the Speaker, the Speaker pro tempore or the Associate Speaker pro tempore preside.
Special Order
Matter of business set for consideration on a designated date.
Sponsor
A Representative or Senator who presents a matter for consideration. Co-sponsors are those who subsequently sign a bill or resolution.
Standing Committees
The committees of the House and Senate which function throughout the two-year Legislature. There are standing committees established by statute with specific responsibilities, although most standing committees are established by rule. Standing committees consider bills and resolutions, and are the heart of the lawmaking process.
Status
A brief digest describing a bill or resolution, along with a history of what actions have been taken on the bill or resolution.
Statutory Committee
A committee created by statute.
Strike Out
A term used to take out existing language in the law or in a bill or resolution.
Subcommittee
A part of a larger committee that is given responsibilities by the full committee.
Substitute or Sub
Another version of a bill, joint resolution or resolution, that incorporates into one document a substantial number of amendments to the original. House substitutes are offered by a committee or member in the House; Senate substitutes are offered by a committee or member in the Senate. Multiple substitutes may be offered in each body to the same original item, so each is referred to by its designation, i.e., "House Substitute (H-3)" or "Senate Substitute (S-2)."
Supplemental Appropriation
Adjustment of funds allocated over an original appropriation. This is done by legislation. A bill appropriating funds to programs for which the original fiscal year appropriation was insufficient.
Suspend the Rules
An action limited in scope and time, that permits a body to follow a course of action unhampered by the provisions in its rules.
T
Tie-bar
A device to condition the effectiveness of legislation on the enactment or passage of other specified legislation.
Title
A concise statement of the contents of a bill.
To table
To postpone consideration of an item or motion for the time being or indefinitely. Consideration of items placed on the table can be resumed only by a successful motion to remove them from the table.
U
Unanimous consent
Request granted by a legislative body with no dissentions or objections.
V
Veto
An action of the Governor rejecting a measure passed by the Legislature. A Governor's veto of a bill may be reconsidered by both houses, and if the bill is then passed by a two-thirds majority in each house, the veto is overridden and the measure becomes law.
Veto Override
To pass a bill over Governor's veto. This requires a two-thirds vote of the Members elected and serving.
Voice Vote
Oral expression of the Members when a question is submitted for their determination. Response is given by "ayes" and "nays" and the presiding officer states his decision as to which side prevailed.
W
Without Objection
A presiding officer may place a motion before the body so that it takes effect "without objection." If no member makes an objection, the motion is approved. A vote of this type also is referred to as unanimous consent.
Without Recommendation
A committee report on a bill or resolution which is neither favorable or unfavorable. In the Senate, such committee reports automatically places an item on the table.
X
Y
Yeas and Nays
A recorded vote that shows the names and votes of each member of a legislative body on an issue. Pursuant to the State Constitution, with the support of 1/5 of the members present, a member of a legislative body can request a record roll call vote on any question.