Vote Smart Title Criteria
The title is created during the vote entering process. However, it can be altered after the vote is entered to enhance accuracy and consistency. When creating a title, the press and official summary are the most effective resources. Reading the bill text should be a last resort, at least during the vote entering process. The title must meet the following criteria:
- Accuracy: The title must accurately reflect what is being voted on. If a vote of "Yea" or "Nay" is listed on the website next to the title you have created, ask yourself: "Would it be accurate and fair to say that a representative or senator voted Yea/Nay on [Insert Title]?"
- Non-Partisan: The title must be entirely non-partisan. Avoid terminology that has been deemed partisan by the organization (e.g., "Partial Birth Abortion," "Illegal Immigration," "Reform," etc.). Ask yourself: "Would this title seemingly cast the legislation in a positive or negative light?"
- Avoiding Plagiarism : When using the press file to create a title, avoid plagiarism at all costs. The title is something that you create independently, unless you are utilizing a previous title that appears on the PVS website. Utilizing the same language contained in the official summary will not create a plagiarism issue, because an official summary published by the legislature is public information. Nevertheless, you should not rely too heavily on the language of the official summary, as it is often very technical. As for the press, it is extremely importantly that you not duplicate a title from the press, because that is copyrighted and could subject the organization to a lawsuit.
- Specifics: The title must be as specific as possible without running into problems of misrepresentation or excessive length. Legislation typically falls into two categories, which can determine how specific your title should be:
- If you're dealing with legislation that has a single, specific objective, don't write a title that is too vague. For example, if there were legislation that increases the sales tax on cigarettes and chewing tobacco, the correct title would be "Increases Sales Tax on Tobacco Products" rather than simply "Increases Sales Tax on Certain Items". Or, for example, if the legislation requires an individual to present photo identification at a polling place, don't write "Increases Voter Identification Requirements." Instead, be more specific and mention that it requires photo identification. A good title would be "Requires Photo Identification to Vote"; or
- If you're dealing with an omnibus piece of legislation, meaning one that is longer and contains multiple objectives, then the title will be relatively vague. When you encounter this, try to title the bill based on the main provision of concern to the press. If this is not possible, state the general area of law to be amended, such as "Amends Various Education Laws". However, this issue also comes up with budget bills. When you encounter this, remember to state the fiscal year and note that is a budget, for example "Establishes Education Budget for Fiscal Year 2017-2018". This also applies to appropriations bills, such as "Appropriates Education Funds for Fiscal Year 2017-2018".
- Try your best to exclude articles (a, the, an) from your title.
- Length: It is a general rule that we try and keep the titles as succinct as possible. However, that should not interfere with your efforts to provide an accurate and specific title. If you feel that your title could be too long, feel free to look for a way to rephrase it without sacrificing accuracy and specificity, but don't worry if you can get it to work.
*Don't forget: start each title with an Intro Verb, when possible!
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