Committee bill

A committee bill is a legislative procedure initiated by the Senate in 2015 that allows Senate bills to be introduced after the regular legislative deadlines.

Under Senate Rule 6-23, the author of a bill filed after the deadline may ask the chair of the committee to which the bill has been assigned by the Majority Floor Leader to hear the bill as a measure authored by the committee. Upon majority vote of the committee, the authorship of the measure is transferred to the committee from the individual Senator and the deadlines established under Senate rules are not applicable. Committee bills are also exempt from the requirements that no bill can be heard on General Order and passed on Third Reading without a House author.

For an example of a committee bill, see Senate Bill 827 (2015).