The Shared State Legislation (SSL) Committee does not draft or create “model” legislation. SSL Committee members, other state officials and their staff, CSG Associates and CSG staff may submit legislation directly to the SSL Program. The committee also considers legislation from other sources, but only when that legislation is submitted through a state official. It takes many bills to fill the dockets of a one year-long SSL cycle.

Items should be submitted to CSG by August 31st to be considered for placement on the docket of a scheduled SSL meeting. Items submitted after that date are typically held for a later meeting.

Shared State Legislation Criteria:

1. Enacted legislation
2. Addresses a current state issue of national or regional significance
3. Provides benefit to bill drafters
4. Provides a clear, innovative and practical approach to a problem
5. Represents a comprehensive approach to a problem that has relevance for other states
6. Uses a logically consistent structure for itself
7. Uses clear language
8. Available in similar forms in no more than 10 states
9. No more than 2 years old

Legislation that addresses a single, specific topic is preferable to omnibus legislation that addresses a general topic or references many disparate parts of a state code. Occasionally, committee members will consider and adopt uniform or proposed “model” legislation from an organization or an interstate compact. In this case, the committee strongly prefers to examine state legislation that enacts the uniform or model law or compact.