Legislative Lingo Explained

What does it mean when a bill is hoghoused, smoked out, or sent to the 41st legislative day?  

Commonly used phrases and lingo by state lawmakers may not make a ton of sense outside of the legislative session. Yet it's important to know how to talk the talk. Scroll to learn more or email us at southdakota@aclu.org with questions. Be sure to bookmark this page for quick reference. 

• Omnibus  
  • When using this term to describe a bill, it means that the bill in question is serving as a vehicle of sorts for other bills. Omnibus bills could also have far-reaching effects on a certain community.  
• Hoghouse 
  • This is a procedure occasionally used in the state legislature when a legislator will move to strike everything after the enacting clause of a bill and insert entirely new language, turning the bill into a completely different piece of legislation. This can happen at any point in the legislative process. 
• Smoke Out 
  • An act which invokes the Joint Rule 7-7 whereby two-thirds of the members of a house can require a committee to deliver a bill to the full body by the next legislative day. This is a way to bring back bills that did not pass in committee. 
• Sent to the 41st Legislative Day 
  • An act to send a bill to the day after the last day of the Legislative Session for discussion, ultimately defeating the bill. 
    • Here is the Legislative Research Council's (LRC) full definition: Each house may by motion order its committee to deliver a bill or resolution under its consideration to that house if no more than three legislative days have passed since the committee reported that the bill or resolution was tabled or deferred to the 41st legislative day. If the motion is supported by the vote of one-third or more of the members-elect, the chair of the committee shall, not later than the next legislative day, deliver the bill or resolution to the house without recommendation in the same form the bill or resolution was in when it was tabled or deferred to the 41st legislative day.  
• Proponent 
  • Someone who is supportive of a particular piece of legislation or act. 
• Opponent  
  • Someone who is against a particular piece of legislation or act. 
• Page 
  • Pages are high school students who serve as assistants to the legislature during a legislative session.  
• Lame Duck 
  • An official in the final period of office, or after the election of a successor. 
• Veto Day
  • This is when the legislature passes a bill and sends it to the governor's desk after the legislature has adjourned sine die; at that time the governor has 15 days to sign or veto a bill, hence, veto day

A few important abbreviations  

• Legislative Research Council (LRC) 
• Joint Committee on Appropriations (JCA)  
• Veterans Affairs (VA) 
• Governor's Office of Economic Development (GOED) 
• Department of Social Services (DSS)  
• Fiscal Year (FY)  
• Senate Bill (SB) 
• House Bill (HB)  
• Senator (Sen.)  
• Representative (Rep.)  
• Governor (Gov.) 

Reminder: This list is not entirely exhaustive of terminology you may encounter during the South Dakota Legislative Session. Send your questions to southdakota@aclu.org or find us on social media.