A very important aspect of being an effective senator is knowing how to properly write legislation. There are two basic types of legislation:
- An ACT forces action to occur—usually within MSA
- A RESOLUTION states a student opinion on an issue recommendation for action—usually directed at University administration.
Once submitted, a bill must go through 2 readings before it is debated and voted on in a full Senate meeting. A reading entails a copy of the bill being made available to each senator and being read aloud. This can occur in either committee or full Senate meetings and allows Senators to discuss the legislation with those they represent before any voting or debate takes place. The general format for writing a bill is shown on this web site. Copies of actual legislation are available online or in the Senate office in A022 Brady.

Writing Legislation:
It is important that every Senator be familiar and comfortable with writing legislation. There are two basic types of legislation used in the Senate:
1) An act forces action to occur—usually within MSA.
2) A resolution states a student opinion on an issue or a recommendation for action—usually directed at University administration.
Once submitted, a bill must go through two readings before it is debated and voted on in a full Senate meeting. A reading entails a copy of the bill being made available to each senator and being read aloud. This can occur in either committee or full Senate meetings and allows Senators to discuss the legislation with those they represent before any voting or debate takes place. The general format for writing a bill is shown on the following page. The general format for writing a bill is shown on the following page. To see copies of actual legislation, just drop by the office; we have plenty.
 

Bill Report
When writing legislation, it must be turned in with a bill report which supplements the legislation with more information for those that vote on it. See the sample act and resolution following for an example.
HOW A MEETING IS RUN
Order of Business—The order of business for regular meetings shall be as follows:
1. Call to Order
2. Special Orders of the Day
3. Speaker’s Report
4. Clerks’ Report
5. Committee Reports
6. Executive Reports
7. Consideration of Resolutions
8. Second Reading of Acts
9. First Reading of Acts
10. Announcements
11. Adjournment
 

Quorum
A quorum of the Senate shall be forty percent or two- fifths membership and shall be necessary to transact business except that fewer members may adjourn a meeting.
 

Proxies
If a senator cannot attend a committee or full senate meeting, he or she may send a voting proxy in his or her place to avoid attendance penalties. This may be done by filling out a Senate Proxy form.