46-801. Prefiling of bills and resolutions; time and procedure for filing. (a) At the times specified in this act, committees and members of the legislature may prefile legislative bills and resolutions for introduction in the next succeeding regular legislative session.

(b) Bills and resolutions may be prefiled at the following times:

(1) In the case of both senators-elect and representatives-elect, from the time that a member-elect has received such member-elect's certificate of election from the secretary of state until 5:00 p.m. on the Friday preceding the day of the convening of the next succeeding regular legislative session;

(2) in the case of both senators and representatives, from the adjournment of the regular legislative session in odd-numbered years until 5:00 p.m. on the Friday preceding the day of the convening of the regular legislative session in even-numbered years;

(3) in the case of senators, from the date of each general election of representatives at which senators are not regularly elected until 5:00 p.m. on the Friday preceding the day of convening of the next regular legislative session; and

(4) in the case of special committees, when authorized by the legislative coordinating council.

(c) Bills and resolutions which are prefiled under the provisions of this act shall be in such final and correct form for introduction in the legislature as is required by the constitution, laws, and rules of the respective houses of the legislature and no change shall be made in the sponsorship of any bill or resolution during the time such bill or resolution remains in the possession of the secretary of the senate or the chief clerk of the house of representatives.

(d) The original copy of every bill and resolution prefiled shall be accompanied by a statement of inspection of the form of the bill signed by the revisor of statutes or an assistant revisor of statutes.

(e) Any bill or resolution prefiled under this act shall be delivered to the secretary of the senate, if a senate bill or resolution, or to the chief clerk of the house of representatives, if a house bill or resolution, by a member of the legislature who is one of the authors of the bill or resolution or by the office of the revisor of statutes upon written authorization of one of the authors.

(f) Any standing committee may prefile a bill or resolution at any time when an individual member of that house of the legislature is authorized to prefile bills and resolutions under this section. Bills or resolutions filed under authority of this subsection (f) shall be filed by the chairperson or vice-chairperson of the standing committee in the same manner as that prescribed for the prefiling of bills and resolutions by individual members or members-elect of the legislature. Before prefiling any bill or resolution under authority of this subsection, the chairperson or vice-chairperson shall be authorized to make such prefiling by a majority vote of the members of the committee.

History: L. 1969, ch. 253, § 1; L. 1973, ch. 209, § 1; L. 1988, ch. 182, § 1; L. 1996, ch. 82, § 1; July 1.