Glossary
A meeting period for a legislature consisting of two calendar years (a biennium). This two-year period may also be referred to as a session of the General Assembly.
A legislative proposal to do one or more of the following: (1) create a new law (enact), (2) change an existing law by adding new language to or eliminating language from one or more sections of existing law (amend), or (3) eliminate an existing section or sections of law (repeal). The General Assembly may enact, amend, repeal, or suspend law only by bill, which must be presented to the Governor for the Governor's approval. A bill must proceed through various constitutionally prescribed steps in order to become law.
A bill is structured with a header, title, and bill sections. The header includes the bill number, General Assembly session information, and a list of sponsors and cosponsors. The title includes the list of Revised Code sections being added or modified (if applicable) and a brief description of the bill's contents. A bill section may consist of uncodified law or Revised Code sections.
A document prepared by the Legislative Service Commission's Office of Research and Drafting staff that summarizes key points of a bill and details changes to the law proposed by the bill. An analysis is revised at several stages in the legislative process. The first analysis is usually prepared when a bill is scheduled for a first hearing in committee.
A certificate or other evidence of debt in which the issuer promises to repay the bondholder the amount of a loan and, usually, to pay a fixed rate of interest at specified intervals. A general obligation bond is a bond secured by the issuer's general taxing powers, often expressed, in the case of the state, as the "full faith and credit of the state." A revenue bond is a bond that is repayable exclusively from revenue generated by the specific projects financed by the bond.
The biennial appropriation plan, also called an "operating budget," which allocates certain state funds to state agencies for specified purposes, including the administration and personnel of the agency, the implementation and enforcement of programs within the jurisdiction of the agency, and equipment.
A publication compiled by the Clerks that records information about every bill and joint and concurrent resolution introduced, including the dates of action on each bill, bill sponsor and cosponsors, and the page numbers of the Senate and House Journals that contain amendments to, and roll call votes on, the bills and resolutions. The Bulletin also provides information about Revised Code sections affected, a list of special committees, and a subject index to bills and resolutions.