|
Bill Format
Choosing Your Topic | Developing Your Idea | What Does A Good Bill Look Like? | Writing Your Bill | Bill Format | Bill Requirements | Banned Topics | Sample Bill | Next Steps
All Bills must contain the following sections:
Title – The New Jersey Constitution requires that a Bill Title cover only one subject and that the Title be phrased to identify that subject. The Title serves as a means of identification not as a Table of Contents for the Bill.
- Begin the Title with the phrase “An Act Relating to…”
- If the Bill repeals an existing Law, use “An Act to Repeal New Jersey Statute…”
- The subject is to be expressed in general terms, not in minute detail.
- Examples: (i) “An Act relating to domestic animals” rather than “An Act
relating to cats, dogs, birds, etc.” (ii) “An Act relating to personal income
taxes” rather than “An Act relating to tax exemption for minors and senior
citizens”
- It is standard practice to designate amended or repealed Statutes in the Title.
- Nothing prohibits amending or repealing a number of laws in one Bill as long as the
parts all relate to one subject. List all Statute numbers in numerical order in the Title.
- Special Clauses
- If a Bill contains an appropriation, add the phrase “and appropriating money”
- If a Bill increases penalties, add the phrase “and adds increased penalties”
Enacting Clause
- Each Bill is required to have the following phrase – “Be it enacted by the Youth
Model Legislature of that State of New Jersey that …”
- The remainder of the clause should specify what the Bill will do.
- Example: “Be it enacted by the Youth Model Legislature of the State of New
Jersey that a Technology Education Program be established in all public high
schools.”
Body of the Bill
- This section details the text of the legislation. Its does the “work” of the Bill.
- There is to be separate numbered sections for each main idea of the Bill or for each amendment. Repeals are to be grouped together. Sections are to be numbered with roman numerals. Skip a line between each section.
Statement of Intent
- Begin this section with the phrase “This purpose of this Bill is …” and then describe
what you hope to accomplish with the Bill.
Effective Date
- Begin this section with the phrase “This Bill shall take effect …” and specify a date
or time period, such as “6 months after being enacted”.
Financial Statement
- All Bills cost something, even if it is just the cost of changing the law books.
- Be as realistic as possible.
- All State revenue is currently designated – new Bills will either require new sources
of revenue or take money from somewhere else.
Amending Existing Statutes
- When writing amendments it is important to make clear what the change or changes will be in the Statute.
- Use a separate Amending Clause in the Body of the Bill for each Statute being
amended. It is not sufficient to simply state it in the Title.
- The new section or phrase shall be set forth at full length.
- Example: “NJS 171.0030 is amended to read ‘171.0030 – THE SENATE
SHALL CONSIST OF 50 MEMBERS.’”
- The new section or phrase shall be written in all capital letters.
- Always cite the full Statute number.
|
