2004 Bill Drafting Request Lists

Request QuickLinks:
Daily Changes | Word Search | Current requests by Topic or Sponsor | Previous requests by Topic or Sponsor | Request Process explained
(Explanation of each list or function found below)

Explanation of each List or Function:

[CHANGES to the Request List by DAY]

This shows all requests for bill drafting that are ADDED or REMOVED from the Request List by day. Checking this file daily while bills are being drafted (prior to and during a session) will let you keep current without having to re-read the whole list. A new list is prepared each day until the session ends if the request List changes that day. [Currency note: Our service was begun Jan 1, 2004, so the list for that day shows all requests that were in process as of that date even if they had been begun prior to Jan. 1st.]

Please note:The file for the current day (today's file) may be updated more than once during the day. Tomorrow you may want to check today's file again for any late updates that may have been added late in the day. When you check it again, please RELOAD or REFRESH it so your browser gets the latest version.

[WORD SEARCH the Request Lists]

You can find any word or combination of words in a bill request. The search database includes all the daily lists, so if the words you seek have ever been part of a request, you will find them.

[Current List by TOPIC]

This is a list of all requests for bill drafting for the 2004 General Session that are currently being worked on. The list is shown in alphabetical order by topic. (See background for an explanation of when items are REMOVED from this list.)

[Current List by SPONSOR]

This is a list of all requests for bill drafting for the 2004 General Session that are currently being worked on. The list is shown in alphabetical order by sponsor or committee. (See background for an explanation of when items are REMOVED from this list.)

[Previous Request List by TOPIC]

When a drafting request is completed or abandoned, it is dropped from the current list. This list shows all requests that have been dropped in this way. (See background for more details.)

[Previous Request List by SPONSOR]

When a drafting request is completed or abandoned, it is dropped from the current list. This list shows all requests that have been dropped in this way. (See background for more details.)

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Explanation of Bill Requests Process

Bills can be requested prior to the beginning of a session. During an election year (even numbered years). incumbant legislators may begin requesting bills after the primary election. During odd numbered years they may begin requesting bills for the next general session 60 days after the end of the previous session.

Before a legislator can sponsor a bill, he or she has to request that the bill be prepared by legislative staff. The legislator can request that the fact of the request be kept "private" which means that no one other that the legislator and the staff know about the request. If the legislator does not ask for a "private" designation, the bill request is public and included on this list.

Committees can also request legislation be drafted before any specific legislative sponsor is designated. Committee requests are always public and on the list.

At the time of the request, a rough topic is given to the project. Sometimes a good deal of research and drafting work is needed before the bill is finished. Sometimes the bill can be completed in a short amount of time. Sometimes a legislator abandons a request with no bill ever being prepared. After the bill is drafted, it is given a short title which may or may not reflect the topic assigned to the request.

These lists include all requests that are public. If the legislator formally abandons the request, it is dropped from the "Current" list. Also, when the bill is prepared and pre-filed or introduced, the request is removed from the "Current" lists. (Pre-filed or introduced bills are ALWAYS public. The bill will show up in the introduced bill lists.) Some times the title of a request is changed. The new version of the title is shown on our list as a "new" request and the old title is shown as a "dropped" request. Requests that are dropped from the "Current" lists are still found in the "Previously Requested" lists and are also kept in the "Daily" lists.

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