As the countdown begins for the 48th Legislature, Second Regular Session, 2008 may break a record for bill filings.
Lawmakers had opened more than 560 bill folders by Nov. 8, more than double the number of a year ago, according to Legislative Council, the bill-drafting arm of the Legislature.
Nov. 15 is the first day lawmakers may pre-file bills.
Although predictions from such early data are unreliable, if the trend holds, 2008 will likely produce a record number of bills.
A bill folder represents an idea for legislation. Whenever a lawmaker goes to Legislative Council with an idea for a new law, a bill folder is opened. However, not every folder results in a bill actually being introduced. Over the past ten years, between 70 and 75 percent of bill folders become bills.
At least one additional factor may portend a record number of bills in 2008. Recent history shows that more bills are introduced in the second year of a two-year legislative cycle than in the first year. This suggests that last year’s total of 1,434 bills (House: 794; Senate: 640) will likely be broken. That number was second only to 2006, when a record 1,453 were introduced.
Unless a lawmaker gets special permission from the Rules Committee, all bills, memorials and resolutions must be introduced in the first few weeks of a legislative session. The deadline in the Senate is the 22nd day of the session; the House keeps the bill hopper open until the 29th day. Additionally, House members may not be the primary sponsor of more than seven pieces of legislation, but the count does not begin until after the fourth day of the session, which means next year’s deadline is Jan 17. The Senate places no restriction on the number of bills a member may sponsor.