Striker Bill

April 5, 2009

Recently I learned a little legislative lawmaking trick from a lobbyist friend of mine. To me...it sounds a bit deceitful and sinister, but apparently this is common practice and legal. I'll give you the gist of it.

When legislators want to quickly, and/or quietly create or change law(s), they will, and routinely do, use "Strike-All Bills".

A "Strike-All Bill" is a pre-existing bill, with a name and number (such as House Bill 1234, Tax Reform). No legislator has sponsored the bill, it isn't likely to be heard and/or pass. This bill is used by legislators.

The bill's text is "stricken" from it and whatever new law's text is added to the bill and it continues on to be signed into law. Thus, HB 1234 Tax Reform is now HB 1234 Correctional Budget Reform.

Something like that, I think. This tactic would sure make it easy to pass laws behind the public's back. Maybe it's more complicated than this. What do you think?