Unit Four: The Nuts and Bolts

• The date which the committee reports the bill out of committee
• The standing committee which has considered the bill.
• The sponsor(s) of the bill.
• The number and full title of the bill, and an indication of whether the committee has proposed to substitute its own version or has amended the original bill.
• Signatures of a majority of members of the committee -- although individual members often have different recommendations on whether the bill should pass, fail or be amended. (When a bill is reported out of committee without at least one "do pass" recommendation -- unless the bill has additional committee referrals -- the presiding officer must ask the whole body if the bill should be referred to the Rules Committee.)
• If necessary, a fiscal note (usually prepared by the state agency affected) detailing the cost of the legislation for the coming fiscal year and at least two subsequent years.
• In some cases, a "letter of intent" communicating the committee’s objectives with regard to legislation, providing grounds for later interpretation should the bill become law.
• The next committee of referral, as previously determined by the presiding officer of the House or Senate. (All bills which do not receive another committee referral are delivered to the Rules Committee to be calendared for a vote on the floor.)

• The date on which the resolution is introduced in either the House or the Senate.
• The standing committee which has considered the resolution.
• The sponsor(s) of the resolution.
• The full title and number of the resolution.
• The body of the resolution, listing the "whereas" clauses that support the conclusions and recommendations therein.
• Names of the individuals, departments, and other entities who will receive copies of the resolution.

• The date the bill was introduced. A bill is considered formally introduced when the Clerk or Secretary reads the heading or title aloud in open session (First Reading).
• Committee referral(s) in the house of origin. Referrals are made by the presiding officer, to a single committee or several committees. By a majority vote of the house, the bill may be referred to any other standing committee. The presiding officer sometimes make additional referrals as the bill progresses.
• The house of origin.
• Sponsor(s). They can be any member, group of members, standing or special committees, the governor and/or Legislative Council through the Rules Committee.
• The bill number. It is retained through subsequent changes and substitutions. The bill number at the top of the page does not change at any time; amendments and/or substitutions are reflected at the bottom of the page.
• The session the bill was introduced.
• The title of the bill, indicating its subject. Unless the title of the bill is changed, other subjects cannot be included.
• References to the pertinent Title, Chapter, and Section of the existing Alaska Statutes.
• Underlined material showing what is being added to current statutes.
• Bracketed material showing what is being deleted [DELETED].
• Amendments and/or substitutions to the bill.

Make sure you are working with the most recent version of the bill. Each amendment is another version. This is where referring to the ‘‘Current Status of a Bill" comes in as a constant activity.