Submitting Bills

The Georgia Tech RoboJackets is sponsored in part by the Student Government Association(SGA). The following information pertains to submitting bills to request SGA funding.

About the Process

Step 1: Contact an Undergraduate Representative and a Graduate Senator

• Contact an Undergraduate Representative and a Graduate Senator who are willing to serve as sponsors, or "authors", for your bill. A complete list of Representatives can be found on JacketPages.

Step 2: Submit a bill on JacketPages

• In order for the Undergraduate House of Representatives and Graduate Student Senate to consider a bill, it must first be submitted on JacketPages. Among other things, you will need to provide the following information:
  • Contact information for your organization�s president and treasurer (or any other officers able to represent your organization at SGA meetings).
  • An itemized budget outlining your request (including cost per unit).
  • A description of the request (note: requests are also known as �allocations�).
• Please refer to the instructions for submitting your bill in JacketPages. Once your bill is in the JacketPages system, it will be placed on the agendas of the Undergraduate House of Representatives (UHR) and the Graduate Student Senate (GSS).
  • Authors will need to review and sign the bill.

Step 3: Bill is New Business

• JFC Reviews Bill and makes recommendations
• Representatives and Sentors review bill and JFC's recommendation

Step 4: Bill is Old Business

• Graduate Senate discusses and votes on bill.
• Undergraduate House of Representatives discusses and votes on bill.

Step 5: Bill Outcome

• If the bill fails you may resubmit a modified bill. The modified bill must go through the entire bill approval process outlined in steps 1 � 5.
• If the GSS and UHR pass different versions of your bill, it will be referred to a Conference Committee. The conference committee will reconcile the two versions and submit a conference committee version of the bill at the next UHR and GSS meetings. From the organization�s perspective, this means you may experience an additional delay in receiving your funding.
• If either the Undergraduate or Graduate SGA presidents vetoes your bill, the UHR and GSS will both hold a veto override vote. This could also result in a delay in receiving your funding.

Conclusion

• Nearly every financial bill submitted to SGA passes in some form (though maybe not for the full amount requested). Remember that SGA is here to make the process as easy as possible for you. If you have any additional questions regarding SGA funding procedures, contact a Senator or Representative.

Tips on Writing a Winning Bill

• Submit your bill four to five weeks in advance of the date that funds are needed; avoid submitting it at the last minute.
• Be prepared to show how you pursued alternative funding sources for your requested allocation (sponsors, fundraisers, donations, etc.).
• Consult your Representatives and Senators about Joint Finance Committee (JFC) Policy before writing your bill. Bills with multiple amendments from the Joint Finance Committee do not typically fare as well as those with fewer amendments.
• Be prepared to answer questions about how your allocation benefits the entire campus community. Keep in mind that all students pay the Student Activity Fee; therefore, allocations should benefit as many students as possible.

Useful Links

• How Do I Get Funding For My Organization