19-1-703. Fiscal impact statements required for bills.

19-1-703. Fiscal impact statements required for bills. (a) Any bill filed in the House of Representatives or Senate that will impose a new or increased cost obligation for education on the state or any local school district shall have a fiscal impact statement attached to it, prepared by the author of the bill and filed with the chair of the committee to which the bill is referred: (1) At least seven (7) days before the bill may be called up for final action in the committee during a regular session of the General Assembly; (2) At least seven (7) days before the bill may be called up for final action in the committee during a fiscal session; and (3) At least one (1) day before the bill may be called up for final action in the committee during a special session. (b) If the author of any House or Senate bill affected by this section shall fail to comply with subsection (a) of this section, any member of the House of Representatives or Senate committee to which the bill is referred may object and thereby prevent its being called up for final action in the committee until a fiscal impact statement is made available. An affirmative vote of two-thirds (2/3) of a quorum present and voting shall override such objection. (c)(1)(A) If any such House or Senate bill is called up for final passage in the House of Representatives or Senate and a fiscal impact statement has not been provided by the author of the bill, or by the committee to which the bill was referred, any member of the House of Representatives or Senate may object to the bill's being called up for final passage until a fiscal impact statement is prepared and made available on the desk of each member of the House of Representatives or Senate at least one (1) day prior to the bill's being called up for final passage. (B) An affirmative vote of two-thirds (2/3) of a quorum present and voting shall override such objection. (2) If an objection is made without override, the presiding officer of the House of Representatives or Senate shall cause the bill to be referred to the Office of Economic and Tax Policy of the Bureau of Legislative Research for the preparation of a fiscal impact statement, which shall be filed with the presiding officer not later than five (5) days from the date of the request. (d) Failure of the author of a bill to provide the fiscal impact statement required in this section shall not prohibit consideration of the bill in the committee to which it is referred or on the floor of the house in which the bill is called up for final passage, if no objection to it is made at the time such action is taken.