More than 4,600 new laws proposed

Senate Speaker Ron Ramsey said it was too late for him to make any changes to the bill-filing system after being elected to the top post last month. Ramsey’s Democratic predecessor held the post for more than three decades.

But Ramsey, R-Blountville, said he may consider getting rid of the filing deadline in an effort to reduce the number of bills filed next year. Only about one out of every three introduced bills is actively considered by legislative committees, Ramsey said.

?I?m not sure a bill-filing deadline doesn’t actually do the opposite from what it’s intended to do,? Ramsey said.

Lawmakers worried that a particular topic might come up later in the session file bills just in case they need them down the road, Ramsey said.

Without the deadline, lawmakers might not be so quick to file so many bills, he said.

Ramsey wants try removing the deadline before considering a cap on how many bills each lawmaker can file.

House Speaker Jimmy Naifeh acknowledged that setting new bill-filing records has become an annual event. Naifeh, D-Covington, often chastises members for the bill proliferation but has not taken concrete steps to reduce their number.

?As long as the membership wants to continue doing business this way, I?m certainly not going to limit the number of bills a person can introduce,? Naifeh said.

Naifeh said he doesn’t plan to change the House work schedules to accommodate the ever-increasing number of bills. Lawmakers generally hold full committee meeting days on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, and meet for floor sessions on Monday evenings and Thursday mornings.