Legislative Glossary
Here are some handy definitions that will help you better understand the legislative updates:
Act: Legislation enacted into law, that has been passed by both the House & Senate & signed by the Governor (Source)
Amend/Amended: Any alteration made (or proposed to be made) to a bill or clause thereof by adding, deleting, substituting, or omitting. (Source)
Appropriation: Funds allocated for various departments of government set aside by formal action for specific use. Allows money to be spent; is not actual expenditure record. (Source) There are committees for this specifically.
Assembly: A collection of legislative representatives (members of the House or Senate)
Bicameral: A legislature consisting of two separate chambers, each serving as a check on the other’s power. (Source)
Carry Over: Legislation that is held over from the first year of a legislative biennium to the second year
Caucus: An informal meeting of a group of the members; most commonly based on political party affiliation, but may have other bases, such as gender, race, geographic location or specific issue. (Source)
- Minority Caucus: A caucus made up of representatives from the chamber’s minority party.
- Majority Caucus: A caucus made up of representatives from the chamber’s majority party.
Chamber: Official hall for the meeting of a legislative body (Source) in referencing the House or Senate
Committee: Body of members appointed by the presiding officer (or another authority specified by the chamber) to consider and make recommendations concerning disposition of bills, resolutions and other related matters. (Source)
- Subcommittee: A subdivision of a committee that considers matters of a specific topic and reports back to the full committee.
- Joint Committee: committee composed of members from both chambers. (Source)
- Committee Substitute: A bill offered by a committee in lieu of another bill that was originally referred to the committee for consideration; technically, the committee substitute is an amendment to the original bill. (Source)
- Committee of the Whole: Either house of the legislature sitting in its entirety as a committee to consider bills or issues.(Source)
Crossed-Over: When a bill is referred from one chamber from another (House to Senate, or Senate to House)
Died-In-Committee: The defeat of a bill by not returning it from committee to the house for further action. (Only permitted in certain states.) .(Source)
Engross (Engrossment): Most commonly, the process by which a bill is updated--that is, how adopted amendments and other changes are incorporated into a bill—as it makes its way through the Senate or House.(Source)
Expunge: An action that directs the removal of specific portions from the journal. This is applicable in situations where objectionable, inflammatory or incorrect matter has been included in the journal. (Source)
Hearing: Public discussion and appearance on a proposal or bill; usually scheduled by a committee. (Source)
Journal: An official chronological record of the actions taken and proceedings of the respective chambers. (Source)
Reading: The presentation of a bill and/or its amendments.
- The first presentation (or first reading) of a bill or its title for consideration. In some states, the first reading is done at the time of introduction. (Source)
Referred: The assigning or referring a bill to a committee (Source) (or the other chamber)
Reported-Out (i.e. Committee Report): Official release of a bill or resolution from committee with (or without) a specific recommendation, such as "pass", "pass as amended" or "do not pass." (Source)
Resolution: A document that expresses the sentiment or intent of the legislature or a chamber, that governs the business of the legislature or a chamber, or that expresses recognition by the legislature or a chamber. (Source)
Session (Regular): Meeting intended for legislatures to conduct their usual and ordinary business. (Source)
- Executive Session: A session excluding from the chamber or committee room all persons other than members and essential staff personnel. (Source)
- Joint Session: A combined meeting of the Senate and House in one chamber (Source)
- Limited Scope Session: A meeting limited to addressing a specific issue (commonly these are fiscal issues) (Source)
- Special or Extraordinary Session: Meeting intended for the legislature to conduct business that was not completed during the regular session, or to address an emergency, or an emerging issue. (Source)
Sine Die: Final adjournment of the assembly without a day being set for reconvening. (Source)
Status of the Bill: The progress of a bill at any given time in the legislative process. It can be in committee, on the calendar, in the other house, etc. (Source)
Strike Out: The deletion of language from a bill or resolution. (Source)
Table or Lay on the Table: To set aside a matter for possible consideration at a future time.
Transmit: To move a bill from one chamber or branch to another.
Withdrawn/To withdraw: To remove a bill, amendment, or other legislative matter from a committee or from further consideration by the legislative body. (Source)
West Region
States included in the West Region:
Alaska, Arizona, California, Hawaii, Idaho, Nevada, Oregon and Washington.
Midwest Region
States included in the Midwest Region:
Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Ohio and Wisconsin.
Southwest Region
States include: Arkansas, Colorado, Louisiana, Montana, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Texas, Utah and Wyoming.
Northeast Region
States included in the Northeast Region:
Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia and West Virginia.
Southeast Region
States included in the Southeast Region:
Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee.
