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Committee introduces measure to limit number of bills individual legislators may file
Summary
Representative Furman asked the House Health and Welfare Committee to introduce RS32725, a proposal to cap how many bills a legislator may file each session; the committee voted to introduce the request so the proposal can be considered in the interim.
Representative Jake Furman introduced RS32725 during a meeting of the House Health and Welfare Committee, asking the committee to formally introduce the request so members could begin discussing limits on how many bills an individual legislator may file in a single legislative session.
Furman said the request-for-introduction is intended to start a conversation rather than move the measure immediately into law. "We have no intention of bringing this any further, but I'd like to have a bill number so it can be referenced to the interim and this conversation can begin," Representative Furman said.
The measure would set a numerical limit on the number of bills a legislator may bring in a session; Furman argued that a limit could focus lawmakers on higher‑priority, better‑vetted measures and reduce unintended consequences from hastily advanced proposals. "If we were to limit ourselves and force ourselves to focus in on what's really important, we would potentially have less legislation or we would have legislation that would be, better vetted and have less unintended consequences," Furman said.
Committee members offered questions and suggestions. Representative Levitt said he "really like[s] this bill," but suggested the cap in the draft was too high and floated lowering it to six bills rather than 12. Levitt also said limits should apply uniformly and not give leadership exemptions. Representative Beissinger raised a procedural point about how amended or refiled versions of bills would be treated; Furman responded that substantially similar reintroductions would be marked in the Legislative Services Office so the original filing would be shown as stricken and the revised filing would not count twice against a member's total.
At the close of discussion Representative Redmond moved to introduce RS32725. The chair called the voice vote and announced the motion carried and the request was introduced for further consideration.
The committee did not take any further action on RS32725 at the meeting; introduction gives the measure a reference number for interim work and future hearings.
