10 April 2003                                                                          58th Legislative Council Bill #11

 

 

University of Colorado

Student Union

 

 

Sponsored by:      Kirk L. C. Hamm, Co-Senator of the School of Law

           

 

Authored by:                        Kirk L. C. Hamm, Co-Senator of the School of Law

 

 

A Bill

Repealing 56 LCB #6

Bill History

 

During the 56th session the Senator of Music, Michael-Scott Heberling grew increasingly frustrated that frequently someone would alter his bills without his permission during the period after he submitted the bills and before the Council considered them.  While irksome, this problem is easy enough for a bill sponsor to correct upon discovering the unauthorized alteration.  However, in a misguided attempt to prevent such unauthorized changes altogether, Sen. Heberling drafted legislation that requires a bill sponsor to sign the final draft of a bill before it may be considered by the UCSU Legislative Council.  Somehow, this foolish legislation passed.  It has been a bane to the Council ever since.

 

It is inane to require a sponsor’s signature on a bill.  It is not a document subject to any sort of fraud.  Nor is it binding as written—the Council can easily amend it with or without the sponsor’s approval.  The only time a signature becomes important is when a bill is enacted into UCSU law by the signatures of the Executives.  Over the past session, the signature requirement has done nothing but hinder the legislative process.  It is it supremely inconvenient to have to visit the office to sign every bill one sponsors.  More, negotiating alterations prior to formal consideration by the Council becomes extremely difficult under the signature requirement, forcing the sponsors to use the inefficient formal amendment process at Council to correct their bills.

 

This is not necessary.  If a sponsor notices the bill to be considered by Council is not the bill to which he attached sponsorship, then it is easy enough to withdraw his sponsorship.  To require a sponsor signature on a bill does nothing but inconvenience the Council and create inefficiency.  Thus, the signature requirement of 56 LCB #6 must be repealed.

 

Bill Summary

This bill repeals part of 56 LCB #6 §1, and amends the standing rules Article VI Section B to remove the requirement that bill sponsors must sign their bills before submitting them to Council.

THEREFORE, BE IT ENACTED by the Legislative Council of the University of Colorado Student Union, THAT:

 

SECTION 1:  The second sentence of 56 LCB #6 §1, reading, “The sponsor’s name, correct title and signature must appear on the legislation when submitted.” shall be repealed and the Standing Rules Article VI Section B shall be accordingly amended to read, “Current and voting members of Council may sponsor legislation.  The sponsor’s name, correct title and signature must appear on the legislation when submitted.”

 

SECTION 2:  This bill takes effect upon passage.