Glossary

Amendment(s) - Any alteration made or proposed to be made to a bill or resolution, by adding, deleting, substituting, or omitting. Committee Amendments are offered by a legislative Committee, whereas Floor Amendments are presented by a legislator while the bill is being discussed on the chamber Floor.

Chapter - A bill passed and signed into law by the Governor.  The term also applies to Constitutional Amendments passed by the General Assembly and to bills passed notwithstanding the Governor's objections or amendments.

Conference Report - The document presenting an agreement reached by a Conference Committee appointed to negotiate a compromise between the House and Senate.

Engrossed - A stage in the legislative process when a bill passes the second reading in the house of origin.  If amended, the engrossed version of the legislation is printed incorporating all amendments that are agreed to.  If not amended, the Introduced version of the legislation becomes the Engrossed bill, and if an Amendment in the Nature of a Substitute is agreed to, the Substitute becomes the Engrossed bill.

Enrolled - Legislation which has passed both the Senate and the House of Delegates.  It has been signed by the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House and it has been sent to the Governor, but not yet signed.  If signed by the Governor, the bill becomes a law and a Chapter of the Acts of Assembly.

Full Text - Every bill or resolution is Introduced on a page, or many pages of text, which can be viewed in html or pdf format. As the bill moves through its life cycle, a new version of text will be posted as changes are made to the original version of the legislation. All versions or the "full text" of those versions is searchable on the site.

Introduced - A bill that has been introduced and referred to a Committee.

Passed by Indefinitely - A means of disposing of an issue by not setting a date on which to consider it again.

Reenrolled - Legislation that includes Governor's amendments that have been adopted by both the House of Delegates and the Senate.

Reported - Formal submission of a bill by a Committee to its chamber or by a Subcommittee to its Committee.

Substitute - The redrafting of legislation that incorporates proposed changes in a new version.

Tabled/Laying on the Table - No further action will occur on the bill.