Glossary
Glossary of Legislative Terms
Act- A bill that has passed both chambers and has been signed by the Governor.
Acts of Assembly- A compilation of all the measures enacted during the General Assembly Session. The Acts of Assembly are divided into “chapters” according to the number given the bill when the Governor approved it.
Adjournment Sine Die- The final adjournment of a legislative session. The Latin translation is - without a day, an indefinite period
Amendment- A change which is introduced in committee or on the floor to correct or revise a bill or resolution.
Constitutional Amendment-A joint resolution that affects the Constitution and is passed by two General Assembly sessions separated by a general election of the House of Delegates. At the second session, a bill must also be passed to place the proposal on a ballot. Voters at a general election give final approval
Line-by-Line Amendment- Bill page and line numbers used to indicate where
specific changes are to be made on the original measure.
Amendment in the Nature of a Substitute- A complete redraft of the originally
introduced bill or resolution. This method is used when the original measure is
substantially modified.
Bill- A proposal to amend, add, or repeal section(s) of the Code of Virginia.
Administration Bill- originates from the Governor’s Office.
Appropriations Bill (Budget Bill)- proposes budgetary expenditures
Charter Bill- legislation relating to powers of counties, cities, and towns specifically granted by the General Assembly. Charters and changes thereto, are not codified and are found only in the Acts of Assembly.
Engrossed Bill- has passed its second reading.
Enrolled Bill- passed by both the Senate and the House of Delegates, signed by the Speaker of the House and the President of the Senate, and transmitted to the Governor.
General Bill- applies uniformly to all persons or places affected by it.
Original Bill- proposes a new law or sets of laws.
Special Bill- relates to particular persons or things or addresses individual cases or particular places or districts.
By Request- A member may add "by request" to his name when introducing a bill, which indicates that the bill has been introduced at the request of a constituent, a governmental agency, or an organization.
Calendar- Daily printed agenda for each chamber.
Chapter- A bill passed and signed into law by the Governor. The term also applies to Constitutional Amendments passed by the General Assembly and to bills passed, notwithstanding the Governor's objections or amendments
Clerk- Staff person who provides administrative support to the Senate, House of Delegates, or specific committees. The Clerk of the House serves as Keeper of the Rolls of the State and prepares the Acts of Assembly after each General Assembly Session.
Code of Virginia- A compilation of all codified Acts of Assembly. The Appropriations Acts, Charter Acts, and certain other special acts that are un-coded are published only in the Acts of Assembly.
Committee- A group of legislators from the House of Delegates or the Senate organized for the purpose of deciding the appropriate disposition of a bill or resolution.
Standing Committee- a permanent committee.
Subcommittee- members of a standing committee selected by the committee
chairman to consider certain categories of bills and make recommendations to the
full committee concerning the bills. Committees and subcommittees only meet while
General Assembly is in session.
Conference Committee- a group of six legislators, three from the House of
Delegates and three from the Senate, who meet to resolve the differences between
the versions of a bill as passed by their respective bodies.
Joint Committee or Subcommittee- a committee composed of members of both
Senate and the House of Delegates to consider similar legislation that has been
introduced in both chambers.
Open Session- committee meeting open to public attendance.
Executive Session- committee meeting closed to public attendance pursuant to
the Freedom of Information Act.
Committee Actions- Alternative dispositions available to a committee when it acts upon a measure.
Carried-Over or Continued- Action that removes the measure from consideration during an even-numbered year session and provides for its reconsideration at the next regular session of the General Assembly. No bill may be carried over in an odd-numbered year session. A carry-over bill retains its assigned bill number in the odd-numbered year session.
Fail to Report (Defeat)- The committee rejects a motion to report a bill to the full house.
Incorporate- The committee incorporates one or more bills into another bill.
No Action- no formal action is taken, thus killing the measure.
Passed-by-indefinitely (PBI)- voting takes place to pass by a measure indefinitely. This action effectively kills a measure. Sometimes referred to as tabling a measure.
Reconsideration- reconsidering its original action taken on a measure. A committee can only do this once.
Referred- the clerk of the Senate or the Speaker of the House assigns a measure to a standing committee for consideration or a standing committee sends a measure to one of its subcommittees for consideration.
Re-referred- the measure is sent to another standing committee for consideration by reporting the bill to the floor with the recommendation that it be re-referred to a particular committee.
Reported- voting in favor of a measure and sending it to the floor for consideration.
Strike- The bill is removed from the docket. This action frequently occurs at the request
of the patron.
Dillon Rule- Restricts the authority of local governments with respect to the enactment of ordinances. Local governments only have powers granted by the Constitution of Virginia and/or passed by the General Assembly.
Division- A method of voting; a request that members stand or raise hands to be counted when the outcome of a voice vote is unclear or in dispute.
Division of Legislative Services- The state agency with legislative responsibilities such as drafting proposed legislation for General Assembly members, commissions, Governor’s Secretaries, the Supreme Court, the Lieutenant Governor, the Attorney General and independent state agencies; providing legal and staff assistance to subcommittees, committees, and commissions during the Session; and performing studies of legislative issues between Sessions.
Docket- A list of all bills assigned to a standing committee or subcommittee, prepared by the committee’s clerk.
Effective Date-The date an act becomes a law. Generally, acts become law on the first day of July after adjournment of the legislature, unless a later effective date is specified in the act or an emergency provision establishing an earlier effective date is included. Emergency legislation requires a four-fifths majority vote in each chamber for passage, in comparison to the simple major vote needed for passage of other measures, and goes into effect when the Governor signs it.
Emergency Clause- Due to an emergency, the law becomes effective when signed by the Governor.
Fiscal Year- A 12-month accounting period used in the State Budget. In Virginia, the fiscal year begins July 1 and ends June 30 of the following year.
Floor Action- The term used to describe actions taken by the House of Delegates or the Senate in their respective chambers.
General Assembly- The Virginia legislature, consisting of the 100 member House of Delegates and 40 member Senate. The General Assembly meets on the second Wednesday in January for a 60 day session in even numbered years and for a 46 day session in odd numbered years, each of which may be extended up to 30 days. Delegates serve two-year terms while senators are elected for four years. The presiding officer of the House is the Speaker, who is elected by the Delegates of the House from among their membership.
Germaneness- The relevance or appropriateness of amendments or substitutes.
Introduction of a Measure- The offering of a bill or resolution by its chief patron, who gives three copies of the proposed legislation to the clerk of the appropriate chamber. The clerk assigns a number to each piece of legislation in order in which it is received.
Journal- The compilation of legislative actions and proceedings of the House of Delegates and the Senate which are published by their respective Clerk's office. The Journal is the official record of each legislative body
Majority Leader- A member of the majority party designated to be its floor leader.
Measure- A bill or resolution
Mini Journal- A document consisting of the condensed daily floor actions of the House of Delegates, committee reports, and referrals
Minority Leader- A member of the minority party designated to be its floor leader.
Minute Book- A document consisting of the condensed daily floor actions of the Senate, committee reports, and referrals.
Morning Hour- A period at the beginning of each day's session when members may introduce distinguished visitors to their colleagues or speak on any subject by asking for a "Point of Personal Privilege."
Motion to Reconsider- A motion which, if successful, returns the question to its status before the vote.
Parliamentary Inquiry- A question posed to the presiding officer for clarification of a point in the proceedings.
Patron- A member of the General Assembly who introduces a measure. The name of the Chief Patron is listed first on bills or resolutions.
President Pro-Tem- The Lieutenant Governor serves as President Pro-tem of the Senate and only votes in the case of a tie.
Reapportionment- A redrawing of legislative district boundaries to provide equality of representation according to population.
Reading- The constitutional required actions taken by the House of Delegates or the Senate upon measures introduced in their respective chambers, or upon measures communicated to them, after passage in the other chamber.
First Reading- in the chamber in which a measure is introduced, the first reading occurs when a committee has voted favorably on a measure (reported it) and the measure is printed by title on that chamber’s calendar with the committee’s vote on the measure. When a bill has been passed by one chamber, it is sent to the other chamber for its first reading, which occurs when the bill is printed by title on the chamber’s calendar and assigned to a standing committee.
Second Reading- in the chamber of origin, the title of the measure is printed on the calendar for the second time, the calendar day after the first reading. The bill or resolution may now be debated and amended on the floor. A voice vote is taken to determine whether the measure should be engrossed, printed in the calendar and read a third time, re-referred to another committee, or returned to the committee that reported the measure. For a bill that has been communicated to the other chamber for its first reading, the second reading occurs when the measure has been reported out of committee for the first time. The bill is now amendable and debatable.
Third Reading- the engrossed bill appears on the calendar for the third time and a vote is taken. An engrossed measure is not subject to amendment or debate on its third reading. A bill passing the second chamber becomes an enrolled bill.
Recommital- In the Senate, this is the reassignment of legislation to the last committee that considered it
Reconvened Session - A session held on the sixth Wednesday after adjournment of each regular or special session when the legislature meets to consider and act on the Governor's proposed recommendations to legislation and vetoed bills
Referendum- A method by which a measure adopted by the legislature may be submitted to the voters
Resolution- A formal expression of a request, mandate, opinion, or sentiment of one or both chambers of the General Assembly. Resolutions do not have the force of law and do not require the signature of the Governor.
Simple- considered only in it’s chamber of origin that concerns the internal affairs or interests of the chamber.
Joint- initiated by either body, but having the concurrence of the other chamber.
Study- requests the study of a particular legislative issue by a special legislative commission, a legislative committee, the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission, or a state agency.
Suspension of the Rules- Parliamentary procedure whereby actions can be taken which would otherwise be out of order. A 2/3 vote is required to suspend the rules.
Veto- Action by which the Governor refuses to sign legislation passed by the General Assembly. The Governor returns the vetoed bill to its house of origin. A 2/3 vote of each body is required to overturn a veto.
Vote- Formal expression of will or decision by the legislative body.
En Bloc- the disposition of several items, such as a series of bills or
amendments, by taking one vote.
Recorded- a roll call vote in which each member electronically votes yea, nay, or abstain. The vote is recorded in the Journal of each legislative body.
Voice- oral expression of the members when a question is submitted for their determination. Response is given by "yeas" and "nays," and the presiding officer states his decision as to which side prevails. Only the result is recorded, i.e. the amendment is agreed to.