Writing a Bill


Introduction

The following document will help you prepare and learn the process that is required to obtain funding from or pass a resolution with the Student Government Association (SGA) at Georgia Tech.

The Student Government's legislative structure consists of a body of undergraduate students (Student Council) and of a body of graduate students (Graduate Senate). The passing of a "joint" bill requires consideration of a bill in each body and is subject to passing by an "enactment ratio." The enactment ratio is a mathematical calculation to determine whether a bill passes both bodies of SGA. It ensures that undergraduates and graduates are represented proportionally since undergraduates represent more of the students body and contribute more money to SGA from the Student Activities Fee.

The money that SGA allocates to organizations comes from the "Student Activity Fee" line that shows up on the tuition fee assessment paid by each student every quarter. This money is then budgeted to many different organizations with the Student Center and the Student Athletic Complex receiving approximately 90% of that budget. At the end of the year, the money that has not been spent is placed into several accounts that can then be allocated to different groups for special one time items.

Student Government has a set of policies and priorities that it follows with regards to funding requests.

Please keep in mind that SGA has a set amount of money that it can spend in one year. SGA attempts to wisely spend that set of money on the most needy organizations and on those bills that will benefit the most of campus. Not every request will end in success. An informal poll of a few Council members or Senators may serve as a litmus test for the entire organization.


The Process

The process begins with a student organization who needs additional funding for an event and turns to SGA for financial assistance, or a student that needs a resolution passed. Next, the organization or student will contact a Senator or Representative (or both if necessary) of SGA and ask that member to author their bill. An bill form requesting general information about the organization or student will be completed and a bill will be drafted to include the organization's name, event and an itemization of requested items. If the bill is requesting a financial allocation, the bill form will include the proper SGA account the money will come from.

The bill will then enter the agenda as New Business at the next scheduled SGA meeting(s). At the following meeting(s) (one week later), the bill will move into Old Business where it will be discussed and voted on.

Should the bill be a financial bill, the Joint Finance Committee will review the bill prior to the meeting(s) where SGA discusses the bill. The Joint Finance committee will suggest changes based on SGA funding policies, precedent, history of funding of an organization and need. After SGA discusses the bill and votes with a majority, an allocation can be made and a check can be picked up from Tracy Rye in the Student Organization Resource Center (Student Services 141).


Step by Step Process Checklist

  • A financial packet has been obtained from SGA office.
  • Determined whether bill is only for graduates (GLR), undergraduates (ULR), or for both (Joint).
  • The bill is written in the format explained in the financial booklet.
  • The summary information about the organization on the bill is completed and correct.
  • GLR: A graduate author has been obtained.
  • ULR: An undergraduate author has been obtained.
  • Joint: An undergraduate and graduate author have been obtained.
  • The bill has been submitted to the SGA Staff Assistant, Georgia Braxton. (It must be submitted by 5:00 p.m. on or before Friday in order for it to be placed in new business the next Tuesday.)
  • The bill has been defended by members of the organization at a JFC meeting. (This will be roughly one week after the bill has been submitted. Be prepared to answer specific questions about both the bill and the organization).
  • GLR and Joint Bills: The bill has been defended at Graduate Student Senate on Tuesday, 11:00 a.m. Normally occurs on the Tuesday following the JFC meeting (Be sure to check with a Graduate Senator).
  • ULR and Joint Bills: The bill has been defended at Undergraduate Council on Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. This will be the Tuesday following the JFC meeting.
  • Bill Passes: Someone from the organization has spoken to Tracy Rye to pick up money.
  • Bill Fails: It can still be revised and re-submitted.


Tips For Passing a Bill

Learn the Process
Plan in advance. Not enough can be said for proper preparation. Knowing the rules, procedures, and lining up your sponsors can save time, trouble, and allow your bill to sail through the legislative procedure smoothly.

Fill out the Forms Correctly
The bill form should be completed and neatly handwritten. Write the bill concisely and without any ambiguity. Often, ambiguous items or statements result in removal from the bill. Try to itemize as often as you can. (Example - Promotional Materials - $200. This is an ambiguous line item that will be scrutinized and probably cut). Proofread the final draft that is given to the members of SGA, checking for misspelling, miscalculations or improper numbering.

Keep Good Communication Channels
Make an initial contact with the author(s) of your bill and then maintain good communication channels with your Graduate and/or Undergrad author(s). Even though the author(s) will be responsible for informing you about any changes to meeting times, good contact will help prevent against any missed meetings or mistakes in the process.

Prepare for and Attend all Meetings
Attendance at all the meetings is important. However, preparation for these meetings can make the difference between funding for your organization and a failed bill. Be prepared to answer questions about your organization's purpose, activities and service to the Georgia Tech community. The following questions stem from SGA's effort to determine if the allocation will be a wisely spent allocation that greatly benefits the student body and/or elevates your organization as much as possible.

Questions Typically Asked to Organizations:

  • How many dues paying members do you have?
  • What is the typical makeup of your group (grad/undergad)?
  • What past activities have you had and were they funded by SGA?
  • What do you think will be outreach of this allocation (how many Georgia Tech students it will affect)? For requests involving an event (i.e., conference):
  • Which members (officers, potential leaders) will be attending?
  • What sort of activities will occur at the event?
  • What sort of representation will this bring to Georgia Tech and its students?


Conclusion

The whole process normally takes two to three weeks. However, please keep in mind that various elements such as disagreement between houses and revisions may lengthen this time. Bills submitted before the midterm will have a greater chance of timely consideration due to the load usually imposed on Student Government at the end of the quarter. If you have a deadline, you need to be very aware of this: PLAN AHEAD!

The responsibility for following the course of your bill through this sometimes painful legislative procedure is yours. Working with your sponsor(s) will help. Best of luck!


Glossary

Capital Outlay - Joint account designated for items that will last longer than three years.

GLR - Graduate Legislative Reserve. This is an exclusively graduate monetary reserve whose monies are distributed by the Student Senate only. Organizations and events that only include graduate students will request monies from this account.

GSS/Senate/Graduate Senate - The legislative body of SGA that represents and is made up entirely of graduate students.

Joint - Term used when referring to items (legislation, committees, accounts) that require the involvement of both the graduate senate and the undergraduate Council.

Joint Finance - Joint committee of graduates and undergraduates who consider all financial bills filed jointly (both the Senate and Council). Prepares the yearly budget for allocating the Activity Fees.

Prior Year - Joint account designated for general use.

SGA - Student Government Association.

Student Activity Fee - Line item on the Tuition Fee Assessment from which SGA receives its yearly budget.

ULR - Undergraduate Legislative Reserve. This is an exclusively undergraduate monetary reserve that is allocated only by Student Council. Organizations and events that only include undergraduates request monies from this account.

USC/Council/Undergraduate Council - The legislative body of SGA that represents and is made up of undergraduate students.


JFC BILL Advice

The bill process is one of the more interesting and confusing parts of Student Government. The variety of bills and approval processes lends itself to misinterpretation by members and officers alike. Sometimes arguments about bills in Council are finally resolved by referring to the proper process in the by-laws.

You should keep several things in mind when authoring bills:

  • Who can author bills? The President, Committee Chairs (if pertaining to their committee), and any representative.


  • Who can vote for bills? Only representatives.


  • How should I write a bill? You should write bills in a clear and precise manner. This will reduce confusion of the intent or meaning of your bill.


  • What about appointment bills? These bills should only include people's names and the positions to which they are being appointed.


  • What about resolutions? These bills urge a particular group to take action or express the Student Council's, as representatives of the entire student body, consensus opinion about some matter. These bills should be self-explanatory, i.e. they should say what they mean and mean what they say.


  • What about financial bills? These bills recommend the appropriation of money from one of SGA's accounts to some group or program. They must and should only include the amount of money approved, the organization to which the money is going, a specific list of how the money will be spent, and the account from which the money will come. There are several finance policies concerning financial bills, so anyone writing a financial bill should consult the Joint Finance Chairperson for assistance as the bill is being written.


  • What do I do when my bill comes up for a vote? As the author, you (or someone speaking for you) are responsible for answering all questions and responding to discussion about your bill. You are also responsible for representing your bill in meetings of the Finance committee, the Advisory Cabinet, the Graduate Student Senate, and the Undergraduate Student Council. You are also responsible for coordinating with the student groups you represent to ensure their attendance at these meetings also.


  • What if I have a question about a bill? FIND THE ANSWERS! Research everything you can. Campus media, Administrators, Students, SGA members or officers are all excellent sources for information. Don't sit on a question, ASK IT!


JFC Bill Timeline

All financial bills will be reviewed by the Joint Finance Committee (JFC) before they appear in Old Business and are voted on. JFC meetings are held in the VP conference room (room 203) on the 2nd floor of the Student Services building, Sunday evenings beginning at 6:15 PM. Each bill presentation normally takes 15 minutes, including questions. The minutes from this meeting will be availible by Monday night of the same week.

It is strongly recommended that the representative be fully informed as to the club's current financial situation, be able to provide a justification for the request, and have a complete breakdown of all items requested (including supporting quotes and/or contracts).

New Business

The bill will appear in new business on the Tuesday following its submission. All senators and representatives will also receive a copy of the bill to review before the next meeting. It is not necessary for the organization's representative to attend this meeting.

Old Business

The bill will be discussed and voted upon. Undergraduate meetings are held at 7:30 PM and Graduate meetings at 11:00 AM, both in room 117 (the large lecture hall) of the Student Services building. A representative from the organization requesting funds is strongly encouraged to be present to answer any questions that the bodies may have.