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
–
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
–
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
–
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 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
–
58.8 % increase since 1988Rate of requests and introductions have risen proportionallyDaily totals for 1999– 9.58 % prefiled– 38.1 % filed on last day
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
–
58.8 % increase since 1988Rate of requests and introductions have risen proportionallyDaily totals for 1999– 9.58 % prefiled– 38.1 % filed on last day
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
–
58.8 % increase since 1988Rate of requests and introductions have risen proportionallyDaily totals for 1999– 9.58 % prefiled– 38.1 % filed on last day
Contributors to BottlenecksContributors to BottlenecksVolume of legislation introduced and passedLack of prefilingCo-patronageProcedural deadlinesNumber of committees and subcomittees
–
58.8 % increase since 1988Rate of requests and introductions have risen proportionallyDaily totals for 1999– 9.58 % prefiled– 38.1 % filed on last day