SJR 243 and Statistical Overview of the Legislative Process Legislative Services Commonwealth of Virginia Appendix B

SJR 243 and Statistical Overview SJR 243 and Statistical Overview of the Legislative Processof the Legislative Process

Legislative Services

Commonwealth of Virginia

Appendix B

SJR 243: Study of the SJR 243: Study of the Legislative ProcessLegislative ProcessJoint Rules Committee-- Oversight

National Conference of State Legislatures -- Internal Perspective

Citizen Advisory Board -- External Perspective

Joint Rules ExpectationsJoint Rules Expectations

Preservation of the part-time legislatureOpen, critical, and comprehensive

review of the processPromotion of a responsive,

accountable, informed, independent and efficient legislature

Report of recommendations by December 1, 2000

Study Directive TopicsStudy Directive TopicsBill Drafting PrefilingIntroduction and Patronage Committees and SubcommitteesTechnologyFloor ActivitiesBudget ProcessStaffing and Orientation of Members

Flow of LegislationFlow of Legislation

PrefilingFirst-Day Introduction BillsRequest DeadlineIntroduction Deadline CommitteesFloorGovernor’s Vetoes and

Recommendations

PrefilingPrefiling

32-year historyPermitted– 60 days prior to even-year sessions– 180 days prior to odd-year sessions

96% of members surveyed in 1996 favored encouraging ways to prefile

Only 5.8%of the legislation was prefiled in 2000

RequestsRequests

3,925 total requests in 2000

58.7% increase since 1988

Daily totals in 2000– 35.7% received once session began– 18.1% requested on the last day

IntroductionsIntroductions

3,173 introductions in 2000– 58.8% increase since 1988

Rate of requests and introductions rise proportionally

Daily totals for 1999– 9.58% prefiled– 38.1% filed on last day

Committees and SubcommitteesCommittees and Subcommittees11 Senate committees -- 98 meetings– 35 subcommittees -- 115 meetings

20 House committees --199 meetings– 59 subcommittees -- 293 meetings

Frequency and quorum problems

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58.8 % increase since 1988Rate of requests and introductions have risen proportionallyDaily totals for 1999– 9.58 % prefiled

– 38.1 % filed on last day

Committee WorkloadsCommittee WorkloadsDuring the past five years:

Senate Finance, Rules, and Courts, and General Laws have carried, on average, 55% of the workload

House Finance, Courts, Rules and General Laws have carried, on average, 49%of the workload

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58.8 % increase since 1988Rate of requests and introductions have risen proportionallyDaily totals for 1999– 9.58 % prefiled– 38.1 % filed on last day

Committee WorkloadsCommittee WorkloadsDuring the past five years:

Senate Agriculture, Rehabilitation and Social Services, and Privileges and Elections have carried, on average, 12% of the workload

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Committee WorkloadsCommittee Workloads

During the past five years:

House Agriculture, Chesapeake and Its Tributaries, Claims, Interstate Cooperation, Mining and Mineral Resources, and Science and Technology have carried, on average, 3% of the workload

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2000 Floor Activities2000 Floor ActivitiesSession length through Day 10 averaged (excluding Day 1 and weekends):

37 minutes in the House 29 minutes in the Senate

Election of judges, budget deadlines, crossover and last day of session accounted for the longest sessions

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Governor’s RecommendationsGovernor’s Recommendations1,089 bills submitted to the Governor in 2000 Governor’s timetable– Less than 7 session days -- 30 days from sine die– More than 7 session days -- 7 days to act

Percentage of bills returned by Governor has ranged from 18.9% in 1995 to 7.5% in 2000

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Contributors to BottlenecksContributors to BottlenecksVolume of legislation introduced and passedLack of prefilingCo-patronageProcedural deadlinesNumber of committees and subcomittees

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Documents

SJR 243 and Statistical Overview of the Legislative Process Legislative Services Commonwealth of Virginia Appendix B