Legislative Glossary

Term Definition Acronym
Term:
Act
Definition:
A bill passed by the Legislature.
Term:
Adjournment
Definition:
Ends a session day's business and sets a future date and time to reconvene the next session day.
Term:
Adjournment sine die
Definition:
A motion to adjourn sine die concludes a legislative session.  Sine die is the Latin term for "without day."
Term:
Adoption
Definition:
A favorable action by a chamber on an amendment, motion, resolution, or memorial.
Term:
Agenda
Definition:
A listing of business, including proposed legislation, to be considered at a committee meeting or during a hearing.
Term:
Amendment
Definition:
A proposal to change a bill or other proposed legislation. A committee or individual representative may propose amendments.
Term:
Analysis
Definition:
A document prepared for each committee of reference for each bill. It summarizes the bill, explains its potential impact on current law and constituents, addresses constitutional issues, etc. Legislators use bill analyses to decide whether or not to support the passage of bills or to report bills favorably or unfavorably.
Term:
Apportionment and Redistricting
Definition:

Legislative action taken after each 10-year, or decennial, census to establish the membership size of the House and Senate and draw legislative districts to reflect population shifts as recorded by the census.

Term:
Appropriations, Implementing, and Conforming Bills
Definition:

Bills authorizing the expenditure of public funds. These bills are effective for only one fiscal year. A conforming bill amends the Florida Statutes to provide for specific changes in the general appropriations bill.

Term:
Action Packet
Definition:
A document that details the outcome of votes on each bill and any other official committee actions taken during a meeting. It also lists the names and contact information of individuals who testified before the committee.
Term:
Appropriations Project Bill
Definition:
A bill that proposes funding for an appropriations project. As defined in House Rule 5.14(a)(1), an appropriations project includes a specific appropriation that provides funding for a local government, private entity, or privately operated program.