Bill Organization: Sections and Paragraphs
The main text of a bill should be formatted according to the following rules:
• Every bill consists of one or more numbered sections. (Section 1, Section 2, ...)
• Each section consists of one or more paragraphs.
• Each section (not paragraph) represents a distinct change to the General Statute:
‣ a section may create a new statute
‣ a section may repeal an existing statute
‣ a section may amend an existing statute
‣ a section may replace an existing statute with a new one
‣ a section may define terms used in other sections
• A bill may propose more than one change, each in its own section, but all the changes
must be clearly related to each other.
• Unless specified otherwise, the effective date of all legislation is October 1 in the year the
legislation is passed.
• A bill may specify the effective date of the legislation. This notice appears after the bill
sections and before the Statement of Purpose
