§ 2-23 — Copies of bills, resolutions, calendars, journals and other legislative publications. Furnishing of publications to public and municipalities.

Connecticut § 2-23

• Jurisdiction: Connecticut
• Title 2: General Assembly and Legislative Agencies
• Ch. 16: General Assembly

Text

The Joint Committee on Legislative Management shall provide for the printed and electronic reproduction of copies of each bill and each resolution proposing an amendment to the Constitution and other substantive resolutions introduced in both houses, the calendars and journals of both houses on regular session days and other legislative publications, in number sufficient to supply the needs of the legislature and the public. Such reproduction shall be under the supervision of the clerks of the Senate and the House. To carry out the provisions of this section, said committee is authorized to hire necessary personnel and acquire supplies and equipment. The Joint Committee on Legislative Management shall set aside in a building under the supervision and control of the Joint Committee on Legislative Management a room for use as a legislative bill room for distribution of printed and electronic copies under the supervision of the clerks of the Senate and House. The clerks of the Senate and House shall, during each session of the General Assembly, keep copies of all bills and resolutions reproduced as above provided, in such room, for the convenience of the members of the legislature and the public. A file of such bills and resolutions and the records of hearings of committees and the proceedings of each house, suitably indexed, shall be kept in the State Library for public inspection, and the clerks of the Senate and House shall furnish copies of such bills and resolutions for this purpose. The State Librarian is authorized to hire not more than two additional employees and to secure supplies and equipment necessary to make said index. Copies of bills and resolutions printed after favorable report by a committee or the amendment on the third reading, i.e., files, not needed by members of the General Assembly or for other official use shall be delivered to the legislative bill room for distribution. After adjournment of the General Assembly, distribution of such bills, resolutions and files shall be made from the office of the clerks. To carry out the provisions of this section, said clerks are authorized to hire additional employees for distribution of such copies. The public may obtain printed or electronic copies of bills, resolutions, journals, bulletins, legislative indexes and other legislative publications by calling for the same at the State Capitol or the Legislative Office Building, provided the clerks may, in their discretion, limit the number of printed copies to be furnished to any one person and may, with the approval of the committee, fix reasonable charges for furnishing printed copies in quantities which the clerks believe cannot be furnished free of charge without undue expense to the state. The clerks shall, at the request of the chief executive officer of any town, city or borough, send an electronic copy of each legislative bulletin and of the legislative record index to such office of such municipality as such chief executive officer shall designate. A limited number of printed copies of engrossed bills and resolutions shall be distributed from the Legislative Commissioners' Office.

Legislative History

(1949 Rev., S. 18; 1953, 1955, S. 7d; November, 1955, S. N1; 1957, P.A. 1, S. 3; 1959, P.A. 1, S. 4; 4, S. 1; 1961, P.A. 113; P.A. 73-394; P.A. 78-237, S. 1, 5; P.A. 79-631, S. 25, 111; P.A. 84-48, S. 4, 17; P.A. 89-82, S. 2, 11; P.A. 90-17, S. 1, 4; P.A. 11-150, S. 2.) History: 1959 acts added provision specifying method by which the public may obtain copies of bills, resolutions journals, etc.; 1961 act provided for distribution of engrossed bills and resolutions by legislative commissioners rather than from legislative bill room during session and from clerks' office thereafter; P.A. 73-394 replaced reference to public works commissioner with “joint committee on legislative management” and required clerks to send copies of bulletin and legislative record index to town offices upon request; P.A. 78-237 transferred duties of comptroller under section to the joint committee on legislative management; P.A. 79-631 amended section to include resolutions proposing constitutional amendments and other substantive resolutions and provided that required reproduction of bills and resolutions be supervised by house and senate clerks; P.A. 84-48 provided the bill room shall be in a building under the supervision and control of the joint committee on legislative management rather than in state capitol; P.A. 89-82 provided for furnishing of legislative publications at legislative office building; P.A. 90-17 deleted provision requiring bill and resolution reproduction process to be by photo-offset and added provision requiring legislative management committee to provide process for reproduction of copies of calendars, journals and other legislative publications; (Revisor's note: In 1995 the phrase “office of the legislative commissioners” was replaced editorially by the Revisors with “Legislative Commissioners' Office” to conform section with Sec. 2-54); P.A. 11-150 deleted language requiring a contract, purchase or lease for reproduction of copies of each bill and resolution, required printed and electronic reproduction of such copies, limited printing of calendars and journals to regular session days, added references to printed or electronic copies throughout, required clerks to send an electronic copy of bulletin or index to a municipality, rather than a copy by first class mail, and required a limited number of printed copies of engrossed bills to be available from the Legislative Commissioners' Office, effective July 1, 2011.