Term:
Calendars |
Definition:
Provide official notification of bills to be considered, sessions, and committee meetings and hearings. Types and versions of calendars include the claim bill calendar, consent calendar, daily calendar, interim calendar, local bill calendar, special order calendar, and trust fund bill calendar. |
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Term:
Caucus |
Definition:
Members of a political party, members from a geographical area, or members allied for some temporary purpose. Legislative officers and leaders are designated and nominated within the political parties at caucus. A party's position on pending legislation is often discussed at caucus. |
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Term:
Chair |
Definition:
The presiding officer for a floor session or committee meeting. |
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Term:
Chamber |
Definition:
The large meeting rooms in which the House and the Senate hold their floor sessions. The House and Senate chambers are located on the fourth floor of the Capitol. |
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Term:
Chapter Law |
Definition:
A bill becomes chapter law once it has been enacted and assigned an identifying number by the Secretary of State. The number indicates the year passed and the printing sequence number. For example, chapter 2000-541 represents the 541st law printed in the year 2000. Chapter laws are compiled and published annually in the Laws of Florida. |
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Term:
Citator |
Definition:
The Division of Law Revision and Information publishes the Citator. It shows each action taken on every bill and provides statistical information and a number of indices for each session. |
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Term:
Claim Bill |
Definition:
A bill that presents a claim for compensation for a particular individual or entity for injuries or losses caused by negligence or error on the part of a public office or agency. |
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Term:
Clerk of the House of Representatives |
Definition:
The constitutional officer who serves at the pleasure of the Speaker. The Clerk shall perform the ministerial duties assigned by the Speaker. The duties include keeping and publishing a correct journal of House proceedings; publishing other House documents; attesting to all necessary documents; and supervising the custody of all legislation, records, and documents of the House. The Office of the Clerk is a non-partisan, non-political office. |
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Term:
Clerk's Manual |
Definition:
Published biennially by the Office of the Clerk, this book includes biographical information on members of the legislature and other useful information. |
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Term:
Coding |
Definition:
The underlining of new language and overstriking of deleted existing language in a bill which indicates changes being made to the text of existing law or an existing constitutional provision. |
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Term:
Committee |
Definition:
A panel of legislators appointed by the respective presiding officers to perform specific duties, such as consider legislation and conduct investigations or hearings. Types of committees include: conference committee, joint committee, select committee, standing committee, and subcommittee. |
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Term:
Committee Amendment |
Definition:
Recommended changes to a bill that a committee has agreed upon. By motion, each adopted committee amendment accompanies the bill reported favorably out of committee for floor consideration. When the bill goes to the floor, the committee amendment must be considered before any other amendment may be taken up. |
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Term:
Committee of the Whole |
Definition:
The Speaker of the House may create a committee that includes the entire membership of the House in order to deal with specific legislation. |
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Term:
Committee/Council Report |
Definition:
The findings or recommendations of a committee on a measure or matter referred to it or on a subject it has been asked to study. |
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Term:
Companion Bill |
Definition:
Bills introduced in the House and Senate that are identical or substantially similar in wording. The use of companion bills allows bills in both bodies to move through the committee process at the same time. |
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Term:
Compare Bill |
Definition:
Bills with some provisions that are similar in text. |
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Term:
Concurrent Resolution |
Definition:
Resolutions used to extend legislative sessions and to address legislative organization and procedures. They are also used to express the opinion of both houses. |
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Term:
Conferees |
Definition:
Members of a conference committee appointed by the Senate President and House Speaker. |
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Term:
Conference Committee |
Definition:
A committee composed of members of the House (appointed by the Speaker) and members of the Senate (appointed by the President) whose sole purpose is to resolve the differences between the two houses on the language of a bill. |
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Term:
Conference Committee Report |
Definition:
A report issued by a conference committee which usually includes amendments. The report of the conference committee must either be adopted or rejected as a whole by each house of the Legislature. |
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Term:
Constituent |
Definition:
Refers to a resident in an elected official's district. |
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Term:
Constitution |
Definition:
The written instrument embodying the fundamental principles of the state which establishes power and duties of the government and guarantees certain rights to the people. It is the basic law of the state and is ratified by vote of the people. |
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Term:
Constitutional Amendment |
Definition:
A joint resolution that proposes a change to the State Constitution. After final passage and filing with the Secretary of State, a proposed constitutional amendment is presented to the voters at the next regular general election pursuant to section 5 of Article XI of the State Constitution. |
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Term:
Convene |
Definition:
To assemble the Legislature or either house thereof for the purpose of conducting formal business. |
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Term:
Councils |
Definition:
A council is composed of House members appointed by the Speaker to direct the development of policy within a wider jurisdiction than that of a standing committee. |
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Term:
Council Bill |
Definition:
With the Speaker's approval, a council may propose a bill, which may then be assigned to a committee for recommendations. The council chair must designate either a member of the council or of a committee within that council as first-named cosponsor.
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Term:
Council Substitute |
Definition:
A House bill going through the council hearing process can have numerous amendments or the amendments change the original concept of the bill. In these instances, the bill is rewritten and becomes a "council substitute." |
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Term:
Commit |
Definition:
To refer a bill to a committee. |
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Term:
Committee Bill |
Definition:
A bill that is the product of a legislative committee rather than an individual legislator. |
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Term:
Committee Substitute |
Definition:
A bill offered by a committee in lieu of another bill that was originally referred to the committee for consideration; technically, it is an amendment to the original bill. |
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Term:
Consensus Estimating Conferences |
Definition:
A group of conference bodies consisting of members of the Legislature, representatives from the Governor's Office, and designees from various state agencies, which meet to develop caseload or workload data and revenue projections to assist in the budgeting and appropriations process. |
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