WASHINGTON STATE ACT. A bill adopted by the Legislature. actions of the House and to be the chief administra- ACTUARY. A legislative staff officer appointed by tive officer of the House. the Joint Committee on Pension Policy to prepare CODE REVISER. Operating under the supervision actuarial analyses of pension proposals and other of the Statute Law Committee, this person codi- items as directed by the Legislature. fies into the appropriate sections of the RCW those AD HOC COMMITTEE. A committee formed for a measures enacted into law by the Legislature and short duration, usually to study a specific issue. also codifies administrative rules adopted by execu- tive branch agencies. ADJOURN. To conclude a day’s session with a time set to meet again, or conclude a meeting. CODIFY. To consolidate, arrange and systematize the permanent legislation passed in a legislative session ADJOURN SINE DIE. To conclude a regular or spe- into a formal code organized by topic. cial session without setting a day to reconvene. COLLOQUY. A formal conversation in which one ADOPT. To approve formally. or more lawmakers recite a carefully written script, AGENCY REQUEST BILL. A request for legisla- designed to clarify legislative intent. tion proposed by an agency of the executive branch COMMITTEE. A portion of a legislative body of government. charged with examining matters specifically AGENDA. The proposed order of business for a referred to it. meeting. GLOSSARY COMMITTEE ON COMMITTEES. Committees AMEND. To modify, delete or add to a proposal. OF LEGISLATIVE TERMS in each house that select the chairs and members of AMENDMENT. Any change in a bill, resolution or standing committees. memorial. A committee amendment is an amend- COMPANION BILL. A bill introduced in the same ment proposed in a committee meeting. A floor form in both the House and the Senate. BILL REPORT. Summary of background and effect amendment is an amendment proposed on the floor A list of own- of bills, prepared by committee staff. CONCURRENCE CALENDAR. of a legislative chamber. house bills amended by the opposite body and APPEAL FROM DECISION OF THE CHAIR. BILLS ON CALENDAR. Printed volumes with yel- returned for possible concurrence. low covers distributed to each member’s floor desk. A parliamentary procedure for challenging the A resolution Includes the full text of bills and proposed commit- CONCURRENT RESOLUTION. decision of a presiding officer by asking the mem- relating to the internal operation of the Legislature, tee amendments on the pending calendar. bers to uphold or reject the decision. in which one house concurs in the action of the APPORTIONMENT. The division of the state into BOOST. A legislative procedure to move a bill other; it may originate in either house. directly from its introduction to the floor of the districts with distinct geographic boundaries and the A list of bills to House or Senate without going through the commit- CONFERENCE CALENDAR. allocation of the number of legislators or congress- which both bodies have appointed conferees to dis- tee process. men to be elected to represent each district. cuss differences and seek resolution. BUMPING. Slang term for suspending the rules to APPROACH THE BAR. A legislator’s physical A committee allow a bill to be advanced from second to third CONFERENCE COMMITTEE. movement from any place on the floor of either appointed to discuss specific differences of opinion reading without having the bill revert to the Rules house to the rostrum. between the House and Senate on bills which have Committee. APPROPRIATION. A legislative allocation of passed each house but with differing positions on money for a specific purpose. CALENDAR. A list or schedule of pending one or more amendments. business. AT EASE. A pause in the proceedings of either CONFIRMATION. Approval by the Senate of house, usually for an indefinite time. CALL OF THE HOUSE OR SENATE. A pro- gubernatorial appointments. cedure used to compel attendance of members. ATTORNEY GENERAL’S OPINION (AGO). CONFLICT OF INTEREST. Any interest, financial A formal expression of legal reasons and principles CALL TO ORDER. Notice given indicating the Leg- or otherwise, any business or professional activity, regarding statutory or common law questions from islature is officially in session. Also used to restore or any obligation which is incompatible with the state agencies or legislators. order during floor action. proper discharge duties. BAR OF THE HOUSE OR SENATE. The rostrum CAPITAL. Olympia, Washington. CONSENT CALENDAR. Bills with little or no within both houses behind which sit or stand the CAPITAL BUDGET. Appropriations made to state known opposition which are placed on a special President of the Senate, the Speaker of the House, and local agencies for building and construction calendar by the Rules Committee. and others as designated, for presiding over the projects. CONSTITUTION. The written instrument embody- body, recording, and processing legislation being CAPITOL CAMPUS. The grounds and group of ing the fundamental principles of the state that considered by the houses. buildings surrounding the domed Legislative establishes power and duties of the government and BICAMERAL. Composed of two chambers or two Building, holding the offices of most of the state’s guarantees certain rights to the people. legislative bodies. The Washington State bicameral elected officials. CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT. Proposed legislature is made up of a House of Representa- CAUCUS. A group of legislators from the House change in the Washington State Constitution which tives and a Senate. or Senate who unite to promote an agreed-upon has been approved by two-thirds of both houses of BIENNIUM. Two-year period. The Washington State agenda, influence a particular area of policy, and to the Legislature. To be enacted, the proposed amend- fiscal biennium is from July 1 of odd-numbered decide on questions of policy or leadership. Typi- ment must be placed on the next general election years to June 30, two years later. cally, these take the form of political party (Demo- ballot and secure a simple majority of votes in favor BILL. A proposed law presented to the Legislature cratic/Republican) caucuses but may also include of adopting the measure. for consideration. members from multiple parties who join together to CONSTITUTIONAL MAJORITY. A majority of form a coalition. BILL BOOKS. Binders located adjacent to the cham- members elected to either the Senate or the House. ber or in committees containing all bills and amend- CHAIR. Presiding officer. In the Senate, a constitutional majority is 25; in the ments currently before or passed by the Legislature CHAMBER. Official hall for the meeting of a legis- House, it is 50. or committee. lative body. CONVENE. Assemble for an official meeting. BILL DIGEST. Section-by-section summary of a bill, CHAPTER NUMBER. A chapter number, in numer- COSPONSOR. Two or more persons proposing any prepared by the Code Reviser’s office. ical order, given to each bill enacted. The chapter document. BILL DRAFTING OFFICE. Located in the number is the number of the law. When codified the CUTOFF DATES. Time certain set by a legislative Pritchard Building in the Code Reviser’s office. chapter is inserted in the appropriate section of the body for specified action such as bill introduction, Drafts legislation to be introduced to the Leg- statutes known as the Revised Code of Washington committee action, or passage of bills by either house. (RCW). islature. (Officially named the Statute Law DAY CERTAIN. Adjournment with specific day to Committee.) CHERBERG, JOHN A. BUILDING. The four-story reconvene. building directly southeast of the Legislative Build- BILL HISTORY. A record of the action taken on DEBATABLE. Open for discussion or argument. bills, resolutions and memorials. ing containing offices of senators and staff and hearing rooms. DEBATE. Discussion of a matter following parlia- BILL INDEX. A list of legislative measures by sub- mentary rules. ject matter. CHIEF CLERK. A person elected by the members of the House of Representatives to record the official DEPARTMENT REQUEST BILL. A request for FISCAL NOTE. An estimate of the expected cost of devoted to committee hearings and caucuses in legislation proposed by a department of the state a measure to state and/or local government. Olympia or another location within the state. (also known as agency request bill). FLASH CALENDAR. A listing of bills on the sec- INTERN. A college or university student from a DISCHARGE. What happens to an elected official ond or third reading calendar for the next day’s higher education institution within the state, work- who has been recalled. agenda in the Senate. ing with the Legislature, who receives stipend and DISPUTE CALENDAR. Bills amended by one body FLOOR OF THE HOUSE OR SENATE. The credit hours. Legislative interns are assigned to where the second body refuses to concur and asks actual floor space, committed primarily to legisla- members’ offices during session and to committee the first body to recede. tors’ desks, on which the business of the Legislature staff during the interim. DISSENT. Difference of opinion. is conducted. INTRODUCTION OF BILLS. An order of busi- ness during which new bills are read into the DISTRICT. Area encompassing citizens represented FLOOR RESOLUTION. A written motion calling for action, which may be offered from the floor of record. SEE FIRST READING AND ORDER OF by a legislator. There are currently 49 legislative BUSINESS. districts, each having two House members and one either house. senator. GALLERY. Areas of both chambers where public INVOCATION. Prayer given prior to a session. The visitors may observe the Legislature in session. schedule for persons offering prayer is determined DIVISION. A method of voting by standing. by the presiding officer. GERMANE. Relating directly to a question. DIVISION OF QUESTION. Consideration of each JARRC. Joint Administrative Rules Review Com- item separately.