Sponsors and Cosponsors


Most legislatures list the sponsors and cosponsors somewhere on the bill history and, in some cases, the bill text. There are a limited number of legislatures that list the sponsors and cosponsor in a separate location, such as the legislative journal. Some websites distinguish between sponsors and cosponsors, while others only have sponsors listed. This will affect how they are listed on the bill summary sheet. The rule of thumb for sponsors and cosponsors is three-fold:
(1) If the website clearly distinguishes between sponsors and cosponsors, meaning they specifically identify them as "sponsors," "authors," "cosponsors, "coauthors," etc., then distinguish between the two on the bill summary sheet.
(2) If there is a list of members that identifies who the primary sponsor(s) is, then list that individual(s) as the sponsor and the rest as cosponsors, even if the members that are not primary sponsors are not specifically identified as cosponsors.
(3) If a list of members is provided without clearly distinguishing between sponsors or cosponsors AND there is not indication of who the primary sponsor is, then list ALL of them as sponsors on the bill summary sheet.

Finding Sponsors and Cosponsors

State Specific Guide
* Cosponsors are rare in these states.
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