Rule 56. Introduction of Bills
1. All bills, joint resolutions, and joint memorials introduced shall be endorsed with a statement of the title and the name of the member introducing the same. Any member desiring to introduce a bill, joint resolution, or joint memorial shall file the same with the secretary of the senate by noon of the day before the convening of the session at which said bill, joint resolution, or joint memorial is to be introduced. Sponsor sheets shall be available in both physical and electronic formats. A member may introduce a bill electronically by emailing the bill to the office of the code reviser. Only bills that have been emailed by a member or the member's legislative assistant may be considered for electronic introduction.
2. For bills introduced electronically, the sponsoring member may designate one cosponsor of the bill by providing the cosponsor's name in the email and by including the cosponsor's name in the cc line of the email. Additional members may add themselves as cosponsors to the bill by emailing the senate workroom by 5:00 p.m. of the day of its introduction. Agency and governor request legislation may follow this process and the sponsoring member or member's legislative assistant must email such legislation to the office of the code reviser.
3. Provided that a vote has not been taken on final passage of a bill, joint resolution, or joint memorial, a member may add his or her name as a cosponsor until 5:00 p.m. of the day of its introduction. For any bill, joint resolution, or joint memorial that has been prefiled for a regular session, a member has until 5:00 p.m. of the day following introduction to add his or her name as a cosponsor.
4. To be considered during a regular session, a bill must be introduced at least ten days before final adjournment of the legislature, unless the legislature directs otherwise by a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, said vote to be taken by yeas and nays and entered upon the journal. The time limitation for introduction of bills shall not apply to substitute bills reported by standing committees for bills pending before such committees and general appropriation and revenue bills. (See also Art. 2, Sec. 36, State Constitution.)
5. The introduction of title-only bills is prohibited. For the purposes of this subsection, a title-only bill is a bill containing a title or short summary of the intended subject matter, without laying forth the full changes intended to any act or sections of law.