The Senate shall consider five types of legislation: the Senate Bill, the Appropriations Bill, the Resolution, Bylaw Amendments and the Government Bill. All legislation shall be numbered and named by the Executive Committee. The official title of all legislation shall consist of the category, the number, and the name of the legislation.
5.1 Senate Bill
A Senate Bill shall be introduced by a senator and shall require action by some branch of ASUN upon its passage. A Senate Bill requires a majority to pass and dies at the end of the Senate term.
5.2 Appropriations Bill
Any Committee for Fee Allocation recommendations for the allocation of UPFF shall be submitted in the form of an Appropriations Bill. Additionally, for ASUN expenditures exceeding $900 that are not line-item expenditures of the ASUN budget or from the Miscellaneous or Contingency Accounts, are subject to Special Rule 15.0.4, and the Procedures for Significant Expenditures and Budget Reallocations. Appropriations Bills require a majority to adopt. (Refer to Bylaws Article II, Section 3 [A2])
5.3 Resolution
A Resolution expresses the opinion of the Senate on any issue. A Resolution requires no further action. A Resolution requires a majority and dies at the end of the Senate term.
5.4 Government Bill
Only the President may submit Government Bills. Government Bills require a majority vote and die at the end of the Senate term. Government Bills shall be the first items under New Business on the agenda. (Refer to Bylaws Article II, Section 3 [A3])
5.5 Standing Committees
All legislation except Government Bills and Bylaw Amendments, shall be referred by the Executive Committee to one of the Senate’s standing committees, unless the legislation originates from within the committee. The standing committees shall have the authority to amend or kill the legislation in addition to sending it to the Senate. Any standing committee may submit Senate Bills, Resolutions, or Appropriations Bills to the Senate. If, after two regularly scheduled committee meetings, the committee has failed to take action on legislation assigned to it by the Executive Committee, the sponsor of said legislation may move that the legislation be brought to emergency status.
5.5.1 Bylaw Amendments
All bylaw amendments shall be submitted to the Student Services Committee for review. The Student Services Committee shall have the authority to amend or kill the bylaw amendment in addition to sending it to the Senate. If, after three regularly scheduled Student Services Committee meetings, the committee has failed to take action on legislation assigned to it or has killed the amendment, the sponsor of said legislation may move that the legislation be brought to emergency status, requiring a two-thirds vote of those present and voting to consider the legislation. Bylaw amendments in emergency status must still meet the requirements for previous notice (Part IV, Article 1, Section 1).
5.6 Sponsors of Legislation
The sponsor of any legislation or bylaw amendment – that is, a) the chair of the committee that submitted the bill, b) the first signed on a piece of legislation or bylaw amendment when signed by one or more senators, or c) the president for all government bills – shall have the right to make a five-minute closing statement before the final vote is taken on that item of business. The sponsor may yield time during the closing statement only to one co-sponsor. During the closing statement, no further amendments may be offered. The author of a bill shall not chair the senate meeting during the proceedings of said bill.
5.7 Legislative Due Process
Staff shall be notified by 12:00 pm the Monday before the Senate meeting of all legislation, which has been passed by committee or is otherwise intended to appear on the agenda of the next Senate meeting. Where legislation is passed by committees, the chair shall be responsible for notifying staff.
5.8 Notice of Legislation
All legislation, minutes, agenda, and other important documents –except appropriation bills –appearing on the agenda of a Senate meeting shall be communicated to all senators and uploaded to the web site for review by 12:00 pm the Tuesday before the meeting. All appropriation bills shall be communicated to all senators and uploaded to the web site prior to 4:00 pm the Friday before the meeting. Notice of this shall be sent via electronic communication to ASUN officials and others requesting to receive this notification.
5.9 Emergency Status
Any legislation, except a Bylaw Amendment that does not appear on the agenda may be considered through a motion to bring the legislation to emergency status, requiring a two-thirds vote of those present and voting to consider the legislation.
5.10 Legislation Submission
All legislation must be electronically sent to the Speaker of the Senate by 8:00 pm the Monday before the meeting. The Speaker of the Senate may accept a bill later than this time at their own discretion. All bills must be sent out by the 12:00 pm deadline the Tuesday before the meeting.