§4-1-21. Prefiling of bills and resolutions.

1. Within the thirty-day period immediately preceding the convening of the Legislature for commencement of a regular session thereof, any proposed bill or resolution may be prefiled by any member of the Legislature or by any person who has been elected or appointed to serve as a member of the Legislature but who has not yet been administered the oath of office. Such proposed bills or resolutions shall be filed with the clerk of the house in which the member or person will serve during the following regular session not later than the day preceding the opening of such session: Provided, That nothing herein shall affect a member's right to introduce a bill or resolution in accord with the rules of the house of which he is a member.

(b) In addition to such number of copies of bills as may be required to be presented for introduction by the rules of the respective houses, all bills or resolutions prefiled shall have two additional copies appended. After numbering such bills or resolutions and editing and correcting them as to form, as may be required by the rules of the respective houses, the appropriate clerk shall make a tentative referral to the appropriate committee of the house, forwarding two copies thereof to the committee. Prior to making such tentative referral, the clerk shall confer with the presiding officer of the appropriate house if such presiding officer is available and make such referral as such presiding officer shall direct. Upon the commencement of the session of the Legislature, the clerk, upon ratification by the appropriate presiding officer of the tentative referral, shall proceed with the formal introduction of prefiled bills or resolutions according to the method of introducing bills as may be provided by the rules of the respective houses.

(c) Copies of prefiled bills and resolutions shall be mailed to any member and each member-elect of the Legislature requesting the same and reasonable quantities shall be made available to the public and the news media.

(d) Once a bill or resolution is prefiled as herein provided, it may not be withdrawn or amended prior to its formal introduction unless the rules of the house involved otherwise direct.