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How a Bill Becomes a Law (chart)

The Legislative Process

Terms used in the legislative process

Colorado General Assembly NEW! Live video and audio broadcasts of current proceedings. Current session legislative documents and Prior Session Information (bills and journals from 1997 to the present), Session Laws 1993 to the present. Archived Digest of Bills, 1933 - present.

Colorado Revised Statutes (LexisNexis) Colorado laws now in effect, arranged by subject. Searchable.

Campus Research (Westlaw) -- Colorado state statutes and regulations, also other states and federal.

LexisNexis Academic Basic Legal Research : State Codes: Colorado; State Case Law (court decisions): Colorado.

Colorado Legislative Directory (Pink Book)

Legal Topics (Colorado Office of Legislative Legal Services) -- Commonly asked questions and summaries of laws on drunk driving, registraton of sex offenders, and when a child can be tried as an adult.

Legislative District Maps (Colorado General Assembly)

Colorado Legislative Council Publications . Includes Summary of Major Legislative Issues, 1999 to present.

Access for All (Westminster Law Library)
Provides searchable access to all Colorado Legislative Council Research Publications, legislation related to each publication, and information on performing legislative history research at the state and federal level.
Note: Unrestricted Access 

Code of Colorado Regulations (Colorado Secretary of State)

PRINT PUBLICATIONS AT AURARIA LIBRARY

The Legislative Process GOVPUB REF GA4.2/L52 2000

Colorado Legislator's Handbook. Rules of the House and Senate. Internet and REF KFC 1820 .L4

Colorado Revised Statutes Subject arrangement of all laws currently in force in Colorado. Arranged in 43 broad subject "titles," plus volume 12 of Court Rules. Laws are annotated with citations to pertinent court cases. Volume 1 includes the Declaration of Independence, the U.S. and Colorado Constitutions, and the Enabling Act of Colorado. Separate subject index volume cites the title, article, and part, eg. 12-47-128. Source Notes in Volume 1 explain how to read when laws were enacted and amended. Includes Red Book, 2006 - present, showing changes in CRS by section and bill number. REF DESK & REF STACKS KFC 1830 1973 .A21

Acts and Session Laws

The final product of the legislative process is an Act. It is the end result of the introduction of a bill, its passage by both houses, and its approval by the Governor (or the overriding by the Legislature of his veto), and its recording by the Secretary of State. A statute is a law after it has been organized, by topic, into the compiled body of laws known as Colorado Revised Statutes. An Act: House Bill no... REF STACKS KFC1825 .A12 (1994 - present) An Act: Senate Bill no... REF STACKS: KFC 1825 .A122 (1994 - present)

The Session Laws of Colorado, usually one or two bound volumes are published each year and contain the work product (acts, resolutions and memorials) of that year's session of the General Assembly. Indexed by bill number and by subject.  Session Laws REF STACKS KFC1825 .C54 (1881 - present

Bills

Proposed laws to amend or repeal existing law or create a new law. House of Representatives. A Bill for An Act... REF STACKS KFC 1806 .A12 (1976-present ) Senate. A Bill for An Act... . REF STACKS KFC 1806 .A125 (1975 - 2003)

Subject Index of Bills Introduced  Keyword subject index to bills. Includes bill number, short title, and sponsor. Published weekly during the legislative session.   Bill Digest by subject available REF STACKS KFC1815 .A1125 (1980- 2002)

Status of Bills The status sheet gives a one line history of each bill, resolution and memorial introduced during the legislative session. Published biweekly, it lists the bill number, sponsor, date of introduction, committee assignment, date reported out of committee, date passed on second and third reading in both houses, whether the bill was amended, and whether the bill was signed by the governor or postponed indefinitely. REF STACKS REF KFC 1815 .A112 (1979 - Present)

Calendar A listing of the bills (and other proposed legislative matters) reported from committees and ready for consideration by the entire membership of the House or Senate. The calendar also lists meetings of committees scheduled for that day or for the next several days. Like the Journal, the calendars are available to the public each day the legislature meets. House REF STACKS KFC 1808 .A12 (1975, 1977 - 1986) Senate REF STACKS KFC 1808 .A125 (1977 - 1986)

Hearings

All bills are referred to a committee following the first reading. The details of bills and resolutions are carefully analyzed at committee meetings, which are open to the public. After study, hearings, research, and discussion, a bill may be amended, recommended for passage, referred to another committee, postponed indefinitely, or tabled for consideration later in the legislative session.  Hearings are only on audio tape at the Colorado Legislative Council Library (current and previous year) in the State Capitol or at the. State Archives (1973 - 3 years old).

Journals

The official record of the proceedings of each house. The House and Senate issue their own on a daily basis during the session. The journals record only highlights of what has happened in the legislature, including the titles of bills introduced, committee actions, and the way members voted on bills after the floor debate. The journal is not a verbatim record.
Journal of the House of Representatives REF STACKS KFC 1818 .A12 (1969 - present)

Journal of the Senate. REF STACKS KFC 1818 .A125 (1969 - present)

Regulations

Rules & Regulations of Executive Agencies.  (Officially known as The code of Colorado regulations : the official publication of administrative regulations of the executive departments of the State of Colorado authorized by the Secretary of State of Colorado, pursuant to C.R.S. 1973, sec. 24-4-103 (11).) Code of Colorado Regulations. REF STACKS KFC 1835 .A22

For information on how to find Colorado Court Cases, see the Law: Court Decisions Subject Guide.