71-5-1607 - Review of bills introduced in the general assemble.
71-5-1607. Review of bills introduced in the general assemble.
(a) When a bill is introduced in the general assembly that will impact or potentially impact any area within the scope of review of the committee, committee staff, at the direction of the chair, shall identify such bill for review. For purposes of participating in the discussions and comments of the committee, the chair or the chair's designee of the appropriate standing committee shall be notified of the date, time and location where the committee will meet to review legislation and the chair or the chair's designee shall become an ex-officio member of the committee when the legislation is considered by the committee.
(b) In order to efficiently execute the duties set out in this part, the committee shall review all bills identified pursuant to subsection (a), and may attach committee comments to the bill prior to its consideration by the appropriate standing committee. The sole purpose of review by the committee is to assist the standing committee in its consideration of long-term care legislation by providing appropriate background information on the bill or information concerning the impact of the bill on the long-term care system. The committee shall make no recommendation concerning the passage of a bill it reviews nor shall it have the authority to prevent the consideration of the bill by the standing committee to which it is referred. The committee's review of all bills identified pursuant to subsection (a) shall be completed and the notification required in subsection (c) returned to the chair of the appropriate standing committee no later than four (4) weeks after a bill covered by the provisions of this section has first been introduced.
(c) Upon completion of the review process within the time limitation established in subsection (b), the chair of the committee shall send written notification to the chair of the appropriate standing committee indicating that the review process has occurred and that the bill is ready for consideration by the standing committee. If the committee has prepared committee comments on a bill, the comments shall be attached to the notification to the chair. If the committee has reviewed a bill but has no committee comments, that shall be indicated in the notification to the chair. If a bill is referred to the committee for review but has not been reviewed within the time period set out in subsection (b), the chair shall notify the appropriate chair that the bill has not been reviewed but is ready for consideration by the standing committee.
[Acts 2008, ch. 1190, § 26.]