Adopt
To approve an action (i.e. amendment, committee report, motion).

Amend
To make a change in a bill or a law.

Attorney General's Bill Letters
The letters that examine the legal sufficiency of the bills that the General Assembly passed. The Attorney General's Office prepares the letters and submits them to the Governor before the approval or veto of bills.

Bill
A proposed law presented for approval to a legislative body.

Bill Deadline
The date by which a bill must be introduced without requiring a suspension of the rules.

Bill Number
The number the President of the Senate or the Chief Clerk of the House assigns to a bill at the time of introduction. The bill retains the same number if it moves to the opposite chamber.

Bill Status
The current standing of a bill.

Blue Back
The original copy of a bill. House bill are printed on blue paper and Senate bills are printed on white paper.

Calendar Day
The 24 hour day as denoted on the calendar.

Chapter Number
The number the Secretary of State assigns to a bill after the Governor signs the bill. Chapter numbers are issued in the numerical order in which the bills are signed.

Committee Report
The report a committee submits to the chambers listing actions taken on bills (i.e. favorable, favorable with amendments, unfavorable, referred, or referred for interim study).

Committee Reporting Courtesy Dates
Each chamber's committees report their own bills to the floor by this date.

Committee Reprint
The reprinting of a bill to include committee amendments.

Concur
One chamber approves an action taken by the other chamber.

Conference Committee
Three members from each chamber (appointed by the presiding officers) who work to resolve differences in a bill passed by both chambers. A bill does not pass the General Assembly unless each chamber passes the bill in identical form.

Conference Committee Report
The report the Conference Committee submits to the chambers for final passage of a bill. Report may consist of adopting, rejecting or adding amendments. Each chamber must adopt the report and then vote for final passage of the bill.

Consent Calendar
A procedure to vote on bills and resolutions as a single group on second and third readings.

Constitutional Amendment
An amendment to the Maryland Constitution which must be passed by a 3/5 vote of each House and which are submitted to a referendum of the voters at the next general election for adoption or rejection by a majority of those voting on the issue.

Crabtown
The City of Annapolis.

Crossover Date
Each chamber sends to the other chamber those bills it passes favorable by this date.

Drop into the Hopper
When a member files a bill with the Chief Clerk of the House or the Secretary of the Senate for introduction.

Emergency Bill
A bill which must be passed by a 3/5 vote of each House and which becomes effective on the date it is signed by the Governor.

Enacted
A bill is enacted when the bill becomes a law, i.e. signed by the Governor and takes effect.

Enrolled
A bill is an enrolled bill if it was amended in the opposite chamber.

Failed
A bill does not receive a majority vote on the chamber floor.

First Reader
A bill is printed for the first time with its assigned bill number.

First Reading
When a bill is introduced in a chamber and "read across the desk" for the first time and assigned to a standing committee.

Fiscal Note
A statement the Department of Fiscal Services prepares stating the fiscal impact of a bill on State revenues and expenditures if the bill becomes law. A Fiscal Note is revised if an adopted amendment changes the bill's impact.

Fiscal Year
July 1 to June 30.

Goldenrod
A committee report printed on gold paper indicating the next day's committee agenda on the Senate floor.

Green Bag
Proposed gubernatorial appointments, requiring legislative approval, are submitted to the General Assembly by the 40th day of the Session (Art. 11, Sec. 13, MID Constitution). The appointments are delivered to the floor of the chambers in a green bag.

Guarantee Date
A bill introduced by this date is guaranteed a committee hearing in the chamber of origin.

Interim
The nine months between legislative sessions.

Joint Resolution
A resolution both chambers pass that makes a statement on a public issue, makes a request of the Governor or a government office, or establishes a task force. With certain exceptions, Joint Resolutions do not have the effect of law.

Laid Over
Floor action on an amended bill is postponed for one legislative day.

Legislative Day
Length of time from convening a Session in the chamber until adjournment; may be longer or shorter than a calendar day.

Local Bill
A bill which affects only one county or the City of Baltimore, which is usually referred to the select committee of the affected jurisdiction and which is usually passed on a matter of "local courtesy".

L.R.'s
An identifying number the Department of Legislative Reference gives to a bill request until the bill is introduced and assigned a bill number. A bill becomes public only when assigned a bill number.

Motion
To propose an action.

Move to the Previous Question
To end debate and return to the question on the floor.

Passed
When a bill is voted on favorably by the majority of the elected members.

Prefiled
A bill the Department of Legislative Reference drafts, by request, prior to a legislative Session for introduction in that Session. Prefiling dates are set by law.

Reassigned
Assignment of bill from one committee to another.

Referred for Interim Study
The action a committee takes to refer a bill for committee study during the nine month interim.

Referred
The reassignment of a bill from one committee to another.

Referendum
The power of the registered voters, under certain conditions, to petition an act of the last General Assembly (with certain exceptions) for approval or disapproval at the next General Election.

Reject
The failure of an action (i.e. amendment).

Roll Call
A recorded vote taken on third reading and final passage of a bill or on request of a member with support of four other members.

Screen Amendment
The short amendments that are projected on a screen in the House of Delegates to save time and printing costs.

Second Reading
When a bill is reported out of committee and brought to the chamber floor for preliminary approval, or second reading. Committee and floor amendments may be added to the bill at this time. (The bill is not reprinted for second reading.)

Sine Die
The final adjournment of a Session, without adjourning to a specific time or date.

Session Laws
The compilation of all the Chapters, i.e. the bill the Governor signs, from a legislative Session.

Special Order
Floor action on a bill is postponed until a definite date or time.

Suspend the Rules
To set aside the rules temporarily, by a 2/3 vote, to allow a certain action.

Sunset Provision
Provides that a provision of the law is automatically repealed on a specific date, unless the General Assembly reenacts the law.

The Chair
Refers to the presiding officer of a chamber or of a committee.

The City
Baltimore City.

The Code
The Annotated Code of Maryland, the codified statutory laws of Maryland.

The Floor
The elected members of each chamber.

The Shore
The Eastern Shore of Maryland.

Third Reader
A bill that is printed after second reading in the chamber of origin, including adopted committee or floor amendments.

Third Reading
When a bill is voted on for the final time in each chamber. The third reading vote is recorded.

Veto Action
The Governor takes to prevent enactment of a bill passed by the General Assembly. At the next Session the General Assembly may override the Governor's veto with a 3/5 vote in each chamber.