Suspense Files: The Path To Becoming Law

Suspense files are a unique procedure used by the two Appropriations Committees in the California Legislature. Bills that have a fiscal impact of over a certain threshold are placed in a suspense file, where they are considered at one hearing after the state budget has been prepared. This process is designed to allow the committees to consider all fiscal-related bills at the same time. While the intent behind the suspense file is sensible, the practical implications of determining which bills stay or leave the file are interesting. The committees can quickly pass or kill bills for the year without public discussion, and there is no public vote when bills are snuffed out. This has led to the notion that the suspense file is where bills go to die, especially those the ruling party wants to bury.

Suspense files are reserved for bills costing the state more than a certain amount

Suspense files are reserved for bills that will cost the state a significant amount of money. In California, bills that are estimated to cost the state $150,000 or more are sent to the Suspense File. This process happens twice a year and is carried out by the Assembly and Senate Appropriations Committees. The purpose of the Suspense File is to allow the state to evaluate the total impact that these bills will have on its finances.

The Suspense File process has been a part of the Senate Appropriations Committee Rules since the mid-1980s. Bills are placed on the Suspense File after testimony is taken at a regular-order hearing. A vote-only Suspense Hearing is then held before the deadlines for fiscal committees to hear and report bills to the Senate Floor. Bills that pass the vote will move on to the Senate Floor for further consideration; those that don't are held in committee and kept under submission.

At the Suspense File hearing, bills are taken up alphabetically by author, and there is no public testimony. Bills that pass on an "A roll call" vote have received support from both Republicans and Democrats on the appropriations committee, while a "B roll call" indicates that the bill passed with support from the majority party only. Bills that are "held in committee" will not move to the floor and are effectively dead for that year.

In addition to the Suspense File process, the Senate Appropriations Committee also has the authority to send bills with low-cost and revenue impacts directly to the Senate Floor without a hearing, under Senate Rule 28.8. This is considered a substitute for a consent calendar, which the committee does not have in the traditional sense.

Bills are placed in a suspense file by the appropriations committee

The bills that are placed in a suspense file are those that have a fiscal impact, including any fiscal effect on any fund source. This can include bills that appropriate money, result in a substantial expenditure of state money, or result in a substantial loss of revenue to the state. Bills with an annual cost of more than $150,000 are placed in the suspense file. This process has been a part of the Committee Rules since the mid-1980s as a way to consider the fiscal impacts of legislation on the state as a whole.

The process works as follows: first, bills are introduced in the Legislature. These bills then go to policy committees, which focus on specialized issues such as business, energy, and health. After passing through a policy committee, any piece of legislation with a price tag of more than $150,000 is sent to its respective appropriations committee.

The appropriations committee then reviews these bills and decides which ones to fund. This typically happens after the state budget has been prepared so that the committee has a better sense of available revenue. The committee's goal is to pursue sound, responsible, and affordable fiscal policy.

The suspense file hearing is when the appropriations committees decide which bills get to move on for debate. At this hearing, the appropriations chair reads through the list of legislation and announces which bills will advance. Bills that pass with support from both Republicans and Democrats on the appropriations committee, or with support from just the majority party, will move forward. Bills that do not pass will be held in committee and are typically dead for the year.

The suspense file hearing serves as a mechanism for stopping bills, pushing the pause button, and allowing legislators to consider the potential financial pressure of bills on the budget. It also serves as a gatekeeping function, ensuring that legislators do not overspend the budget.

Bills in a suspense file are considered at one hearing

Suspense files are a part of the Committee Rules of the Senate Appropriations Committee. Bills in a suspense file are considered at one hearing after the state budget has been prepared, and the committee has a better sense of available revenue. This typically occurs in May, when lawmakers have a clearer idea of the budget for that year.

The hearing is known as the suspense file hearing and is conducted twice a year. Bills that are passed by a policy committee are sent to their respective appropriations committee, which decides which bills to fund. Bills with a price tag of more than $150,000 are sent to the suspense file. At the suspense hearing, the appropriations chair reads through the list of legislation and announces which bills will advance. The decision-making process is done in private and is based on a cost-benefit analysis. The bills that pass the hearing are then released to the Senate and Assembly floors, where they can be debated before the entire chamber of lawmakers.

The suspense file hearing serves as a mechanism to stop or pause bills and prevent legislators from passing bills that will put significant pressure on the budget. It allows lawmakers and legislative leaders to consider their priorities and weigh them against budgetary constraints. The process also acts as a quality control measure, ensuring that only well-crafted and worthy bills are passed.

While the suspense file hearing can be a source of frustration for bill authors and supporters, it is an essential part of California's legislative process. It helps maintain fiscal responsibility and ensures that the state's budget is not overspent.

Bills are either passed, passed with amendments, or held in a committee

Suspense files are part of a twice-yearly procedure in California that releases hundreds of bills to the Senate and Assembly floors, where they can be debated before the entire chamber of lawmakers. Thousands of bills are introduced in the Legislature each year, and after passing a policy committee, any piece of legislation with a price tag of more than $150,000 is sent to its respective appropriations committee.

The bills are then either passed, passed with amendments, or held in a committee. When a bill is passed with amendments, the committee can order the introduction of a "clean bill" which will include the proposed amendments. This new bill will have a new number and will be sent to the floor while the old bill is discarded. Bills that are held in committee will not move to the floor and are dead for the year.

In deciding which bills to fund for the year, the appropriations committees also have a task similar to that of the Legislature's budget committees, which decide how much money to attach to an item. The first suspense hearings of a legislative session usually happen in May when lawmakers have a better idea of the budget for that year.

The suspense file was developed as a mechanism for stopping bills and giving legislators a way to consider all the bills that will put significant pressure on the budget. Pausing all the bills in the chamber at the same time allows lawmakers and legislative leaders to consider the picture holistically in order to weigh priorities. The process also serves as a "gatekeeping mechanism" to ensure that there are not too many bills that overspend the budget.

Suspense files are unique to California

The Appropriations Committees hear more bills than any other committee in the Legislature. For example, in the 2009-2012 sessions, the Assembly Appropriations Committee heard about 4,600 bills, while other committees referred only about 400 bills each. The Committees' primary goal is to ensure sound, responsible, and affordable fiscal policy.

The Suspense File process is a unique feature of the Appropriations Committees. Any bill with an annual cost of more than $150,000 is sent to the Suspense File. These bills are then considered at a hearing after the state budget has been prepared, and the committee has a clearer understanding of the available revenue. No testimony is presented at the Suspense File hearing, neither from the author nor from witnesses.

The Suspense File hearings are held twice a year, and they play a critical role in culling ideas and bills. During these hearings, the appropriations committees decide which bills will proceed to a floor vote and which ones will be stopped. The decision-making process for which bills advance and which do not is done in private, without a public vote, which has led to some criticism and questions about transparency.

The Suspense File process has been a part of the Committee Rules in California since the mid-1980s. It allows for a holistic consideration of the state's budgetary picture and serves as a gatekeeping mechanism to ensure that bills do not overspend the budget.

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