Purpose

• Establish a required two-thirds vote threshold in a standing committee for laying a bill over to be considered for inclusion in a major finance or policy omnibus bill. The intent is to add more legislative consensus before a bill can be grouped into large, multi-topic spending or policy packages.

Main Provisions

• Threshold to lay over: A bill may not be laid over for possible inclusion in a major finance or policy omnibus bill by a standing committee chair unless at least two-thirds of the committee’s membership approve it.
• Alternative actions if not approved: If the committee membership does not approve laying the bill over, the committee may vote to refer the bill to another committee, refer the bill to the full chamber, table the bill, or the chair may direct that no further action be taken on the bill.
• Restrictions on including or reintroducing: A bill that is tabled or receives no further action due to a failed vote under this section cannot be included in a subsequent delete-everything amendment or omnibus bill heard by the committee unless an amendment to do so is adopted by committee vote, and the amendment includes only policy items specific to the bill.
• Requirement for rules: The House of Representatives and the Senate must adopt procedural rules as necessary to implement this section.

Effects on Existing Law

• Procedural change for omnibus inclusion: This adds a mandatory supermajority requirement for laying bills over for omnibus consideration, strengthening the gatekeeping power of committee members.
• Limits on omnibus packaging: The process for placing bills into omnibus bills becomes more restrictive, potentially reducing the use of omnibus vehicles to advance bills with insufficient initial support.
• Controls on “delete-everything” amendments: It creates a condition that such broad amendments can only reintroduce a bill if a committee-approved amendment, containing only policy items specific to the bill, is adopted.

Implementation and Enforcement

• Requires new procedural rules: Both chambers must adopt rules to implement these provisions, guiding how and when a bill can be laid over for omnibus inclusion and what actions follow if a threshold is not met.

Potential Impacts and Rationale

• Increased deliberation and consensus: By requiring a two-thirds vote, more lawmakers must agree to consider a bill in omnibus packages, potentially slowing or blocking some bills from being included.
• Reduced risk of surprise omnibus bills: Limits the ability to quietly approve bills into omnibus vehicles without broad committee support.
• Possible long-term effects on bill pacing: Could affect how quickly legislation moves through committees and into omnibus discussions.

Relevant Terms - omnibus bill - major finance omnibus bill - policy omnibus bill - standing committee chair - two-thirds vote / two-thirds of the committee’s membership - laid over for inclusion - referred to another committee - referred to the full body - table the bill - no further action - delete-everything amendment - policy items - procedural rules