House File 597 - Introduced HOUSE FILE 597 BY ANDREWS A BILL FOR An Act relating to the numbering of bills introduced by the 1 general assembly, and including effective date provisions. 2 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: 3 TLSB 2889YH (3) 91 ss/ns
H.F. 597 Section 1. SHORT TITLE. This Act shall be known and may be 1 cited as the One Bill, One Number Act. 2 Sec. 2. NEW SECTION . 2.34 Numbering of legislative bills 3 and resolutions. 4 1. A bill or resolution, in whatever form, that has been 5 introduced in a chamber of the general assembly and assigned 6 a file number shall retain that file number for the duration 7 of the legislative process and shall not be assigned any other 8 file number, including during consideration by committees and 9 subcommittees and debate in either chamber of the general 10 assembly. A bill or resolution introduced in a chamber shall 11 not receive a number by the chamber other than a file number. 12 2. This section shall not be construed to limit the ability 13 of a legislator, legislative committee, or chamber of the 14 general assembly to amend or substitute a bill or resolution. 15 3. The legislative council and legislative services agency 16 shall adopt policies and procedures as necessary to implement 17 the provisions of this section, including by modifying bill 18 tracking systems and legislative reporting mechanisms. 19 4. It is the intent of the general assembly that this 20 section be liberally construed to provide clarity for 21 legislators and members of the public in tracking bills and 22 participating in state government. 23 Sec. 3. EFFECTIVE DATE. This Act, being deemed of immediate 24 importance, takes effect upon enactment. 25 EXPLANATION 26 The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with 27 the explanations substance by the members of the general assembly. 28 This bill requires that a bill or resolution that has been 29 introduced in a chamber of the general assembly and assigned 30 a file number retain that number and be assigned no other 31 file number for the duration of the legislative process. The 32 bill does not limit the ability of legislators, legislative 33 committees, or chambers of the general assembly to amend 34 or substitute a bill or resolution. The bill requires the 35 -1- LSB 2889YH (3) 91 ss/ns 1/ 2
H.F. 597 legislative council and legislative services agency to adopt 1 policies and procedures necessary to implement the bill, 2 including by modifying bill tracking systems and legislative 3 reporting mechanisms. The bill takes effect upon enactment. 4 -2- LSB 2889YH (3) 91 ss/ns 2/ 2