Legal Definitions - single-subject rule

single-subject rule

The single-subject rule is a constitutional principle, primarily found in state constitutions, that dictates a legislative bill must only address one distinct topic or subject. Its primary purpose is to ensure transparency and accountability in the legislative process. By requiring bills to focus on a single subject, it prevents lawmakers from combining unrelated measures into one bill, which could otherwise obscure the true intent of the legislation, force votes on unpopular provisions by attaching them to popular ones (known as "riders"), or facilitate "logrolling" where multiple unrelated issues are bundled together to gain broader support. This rule helps the public and legislators understand the precise scope and impact of proposed laws.

Here are some examples:

• Imagine a state legislature proposes a bill titled "An Act to Improve Public Education." Within this bill, alongside provisions for increasing teacher salaries and funding new school technology, there is also a section mandating the construction of a new state highway in a specific rural county.

  This bill would likely violate the single-subject rule because the highway construction project is entirely unrelated to public education. The rule aims to prevent situations where legislators might be forced to vote for an unpopular highway project in order to pass much-needed education funding, or vice versa, thereby obscuring the true merits of each proposal.

• Consider a bill introduced as "An Act to Fund State Parks and Recreation Areas." While the majority of the bill outlines budgets for park maintenance and new recreational facilities, it also includes a small, obscure provision that significantly deregulates a specific manufacturing industry within the state.

  This scenario illustrates a "rider" that would be challenged under the single-subject rule. The deregulation of a manufacturing industry has no direct connection to funding state parks. The rule prevents such unrelated provisions from being stealthily attached to popular bills, ensuring that each major policy change receives its own transparent debate and vote.

• Suppose a state legislature drafts a bill titled "An Act to Reform the State's Criminal Justice System." The bill includes comprehensive measures for revising sentencing guidelines, implementing new rehabilitation programs for inmates, and establishing a statewide initiative to promote healthy eating habits in public schools.

  This bill would likely be found in violation of the single-subject rule. While criminal justice reform is a broad but cohesive subject, a statewide initiative for healthy eating in schools, despite its potential benefits, falls outside the scope of the criminal justice system. The rule ensures that legislative efforts remain focused, allowing for clearer public understanding and more focused debate on distinct policy areas.