Colorado Legislative Drafting Manual

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CHANGELOG

29 MAR 2012

Clarified language on page 3-7 pertaining to the correct appropriation trailer.

29 NOV 2011

Amending clause examples edited throughout to conform to the new drafting format.
Amendment examples adjusted in chapter 3 and appendices C and D to conform to the new amendment drafting practices adopted in 2011.
Chapter 2, section II. Short titles, updated to account for 50 character counts instead of 40 and added a caution against using more than 2 abbreviations in the same short title.
Chapter 2, section III. Bill Summary edited to conform to the new bill summary drafting practices adopted in 2011.
Chapter 2, section V.D.4.b. Future Repeals edited and expanded.
Chapter 2, section VI. Special Clauses added explanatory note concerning updated drafting practices.
Chapter 5, section VII. Grammar, Style, and Use of Plain Language: Guidelines for the Use of Plain Language and Principles of Grammar and Style:

Items 6, 7, & 8 Explanatory note added concerning revised drafting guidelines pertaining to verb tense, active voice, and the use of authority verbs
Item 6 "Use the active voice in your sentences" edited.
Item 7 "Provisions should generally be stated in the present tense; avoid use of the future tense" edited.
Item 8 (relocated 22) "Use of authority verbs to mandate, permit, prohibit, or impose conditions" extensively revised.
Item 21 "Do not use or retain references to outdated terms" reworded to be more clear.

Chapter 6, section IV. Sunset of Advisory Bodies added second paragraph.
Chapter 6, section V. Other Special Statutory Requirements added G. Legislative Appointees to Boards, Commissions, and Committees and H. Cross-reference Needed for a Bill that Grants Any Person or Entity the Power of Eminent Domain.
Chapter 6, section VII. Creation of Entities That Are Temporary in Nature edited G. Sunset provisions or termination dates.
Chapter 6, section IX. Periodic Reporting Requirements by Executive Branch Agencies and by the Judicial Branch edited.
Chapter 7, A., updated and standardized the trailers for indicating an appropriation in a bill title.
Chapter 7, section III. Considerations in Drafting Appropriations Provisions D. Designating the Source of Funding 1. General Provisions edited.
Chapter 7, updated all examples of appropriation clauses as worked out with the JBC staff, including showing only arabic numbers for appropriation amounts.
Chapter 7, section V. SPECIAL FUNDS - CASH FUNDING, added a new section E. Bills Funded from Gifts, Grants, and Donations - Special Reporting Requirements.
Chapter 12, sections II. A. and II. B. edited regarding publishing the official comments of uniform acts in the C.R.S.
Appendix B completely revised in accordance with the new amending clause drafting practices adopted in 2011.
Appendix E completely revised in accordance with new appropriation clause language.
Appendix H added section III. Amending Clauses for Rules and Regulations in a Bill (Other than the Rule Bill).
Appendix J, replaced "Mandatory Cover Letters for Bills Subject to Special Statutory Requirements" with current versions.
Appendix J, replaced "Guidelines for Releasing Documents Prepared for Members of the General Assembly" with updated memo.
Appendix J, added "Memoranda and Opinion Deadline" memo from Dan Cartin (9/15/2011).
Appendix J, added "Cash funds subject to the limit on uncommitted reserves established in section 24-75-402, C.R.S." by Esther van Mourik (05/02/2011).
Appendix K (NEW) - Contains effective date clause examples previously contained at the end of Appendix B and revised to remove the word "shall".

22 FEB 2011

The Guidelines for Drafting Concurrent Resolutions were significantly revised in section II. of chapter 10.
Revisions made to chapter 9 and appendices A and B to conform examples to the new Guidelines for Drafting Concurrent Resolutions.
Section XV. EFFECTIVE DATE EXAMPLES added to appendix B.

29 SEP 2010

Added an item to the Guidelines For The Use Of Plain Language And Principles Of Grammar And Style in chapter 5 concerning use of "people first" language when describing people with disabilities.
Consolidated the list of gender-specific nouns and possible substitutes in chapter 5.
Edited the Glossary Of Words And Phrases Frequently Misused in chapter 5.
Removed language referring to the Arveschoug-Bird appropriations limit in chapters 7 and 9.
Clarified some language concerning joint resolutions in chapter 10.

16 FEB 2010

The default language to begin a memorial for a deceased former member of the general assembly was changed from "WHEREAS, By the Will of Divine Providence, our beloved former member, {name}, departed this life on {month} {date}, {year}, at the age of {number}; and" to "WHEREAS, Our respected former colleague, {name} , of {place}, a past member of the Colorado {House of Representatives/Senate}, departed this life on {month} {date}, {year}, at the age of {number}; and". See pages A-62 and A-69 of the drafting manual for the specific examples.

21 OCT 2009

Fixed the internal hyperlinks in the Summary of Contents.
Updated the act subject to petition clause examples in section VI. Special Clauses / E. Safety Clause / 4. Bills Without a Safety Clause of chapter 2 to reflect the latest format.
Corrected the internal reference in item 35. of the Guidelines for the Use of Plain Language and Principles of Grammar and Style in chapter 5.
Added the following entries to section XI. GLOSSARY OF WORDS AND PHRASES FREQUENTLY MISUSED of chapter 5: compose, comprise; consul, council, counsel; dissent, descent, descend; therefor, therefore; X-ray, X ray.

14 OCT 2009

Entire manual reissued in electronic format. Subsequent updates will be made to the electronic file and documented here.