Legislation can have many purposes: to regulate, to authorize, to proscribe, to provide (funds), to sanction, to grant, to declare or to restrict. The most common forms of legislation IOGCC concerns itself with are resolutions, bills and statutes.
Resolutions: The “official expression of the opinion or will of a legislative body.” Resolutions can be issued by federal, state, and interstate forms of government. Other entities, such as associations and nonprofit entities comprised of regulatory officials, will issue resolutions to demonstrate policy positions. In the case of the IOGCC, resolutions are issued as an interstate form of government.
IOGCC Resolutions: IOGCC Resolutions represent the collective voice of the governors of the member and associate member states of the IOGCC. IOGCC resolutions reflect the official position of the commission on issues that are deemed critical to conserving domestic oil and natural gas, environmental protection and human health.
The IOGCC Resolutions Committee is an operational committee of the IOGCC authorized by the by-laws of the Commission. The Chairmen and other members of the Resolutions Committee are appointed by the IOGCC Chairman and restricted to official representatives. The Resolutions Committee meets at each Midyear and Annual Meeting and recommends resolutions, action plans for those resolutions and statements of policy. Action plans are often carried out by an IOGCC committee or work group.
Bills: Before an item of legislation becomes law it is known as a “bill.” Bills are offered before legislative bodies for debate. An “appropriations bill” authorizes government expenditures; an “engrossed bill” is ready for final passage or passed by one house of the legislature; an “enrolled bill” is passed by both houses of the legislature; a “revenue bill” levies or raises taxes; “house” and “senate” bills are bills under consideration by their respective entities, while “joint” bills are sponsored by both entities.
Statutes: A “statute” is a formal written enactment or of a legislative body or “law.” Additionally, legislation generates: (1) Committee hearings, reports, documents and committee prints; (2) Floor Debates; and (3) Separately bound legislative histories. (Black’s 1990)
