Bylaws of the Student Government Association

ARTICLE VI: LEGISLATION

Section 6.1: All motions, with the exception of those pertaining to procedure and appointment shall be presented to the Senate in the form of a bill.

Section 6.2: All bills must be proposed during a Senate meeting.

Section 6.3: All elected and appointed members of the Senate shall have the power to introduce legislation. Legislation initiatives, including proposed amendments to the Constitution of the Student Government Association and these By-Laws, shall be referred to as a “bill.” Bills that are proposed during a specific term of office shall be designated by the last two digits of the calendar year and then consecutively numbered (i.e. 03-01, 03-02). Bills that are passed shall supersede any relevant legislation that has been previously passed, by the Senate and shall be binding unto subsequent administration.

Section 6.4: A bill that is to be proposed to the Senate must be submitted to the Senate Clerk and the President of the Senate no later than three (3) days prior to the announced Senate meeting. Each bill should contain the title of the bill, the text of the bill, the name(s) of the author(s) of the bill, and any supporting material to the bill.

Section 6.5: Once a bill has been received and confirmed by the Senate Clerk and the President of the Senate, the author may arrange to have the bill introduced at the next scheduled meeting. A bill, at this time, may only be introduced to the Senate for debate. The bill is then held for the next meeting, at which it may be voted upon.

Section 6.6: In case of an emergency, the President of the Senate may allow a bill to be voted on via e-mail. The votes shall be sent to the Senate Clerk and President of the Senate. It is at the discretion of the President of the Senate to decide what constitutes an emergency.

Section 6.7: All bills that pass the Senate must be signed by the President within seven (7) working days. If the President of the Student Government Association does not sign the bill within the allotted time, it automatically passes. If the President vetoes the bill, it shall be returned to the Senate at its next regular meeting, with the President's objections included separately in writing. The President must also notify, in writing, the President of the Senate and the bill's author within forty-eight (48) hours after taking action of a veto. Failure to make such notification renders the veto null and void.

Section 6.8: When the Senate receives a vetoed bill, a motion to reconsider the bill must be made from within the Senate. The President and the author(s) of the bill may address the Senate only during a debate. The Senate may debate and make amendments to the entire bill or segments therein. If the original motion to reconsider the vetoed bill fails, the bill cannot be debated, and the veto is upheld.

Section 6.9: After the debate has ended on the reconsidered bill, including all new amendments, a vote is to be taken. By two-thirds (2/3) affirmative vote of the Senate, the bill passes and the veto is overridden. The bill then becomes effective without the President's signature, and complete any of the legislative procedures called for in the Bylaws. If the bill fails, the veto is upheld.

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