SUMMARY: If you can’t explain a Bill in 10,000 words (20 pages), then it needs to be rewritten or thrown out. One issue per bill maximum.
Congressional bills should be limited to one issue and kept under 10,000 words to ensure clarity, focus, and transparency in lawmaking. By addressing a single issue, bills become easier for lawmakers and the public to understand, reducing confusion and potential for hidden provisions. A 10,000-word limit encourages concise writing, fostering efficiency in the legislative process. This approach prevents the bundling of unrelated issues, ensures a more democratic debate, and allows voters to hold representatives accountable for their decisions.
We definitely need one issue bills with some limit as to length but it must leave sufficient room to ensure that specifics are outlined. Some have recommended one page which would be impossible from my perspective. When the details are not considered or specified it leaves room for manipulation. Also, proposed legislation used to have a period of input (thinking of employment law) - if that no longer happens, it should.
Definitely agree. Set a limit, and an explanation verbalized to explain exactly what is meant and what the goal is. With no room for error or misunderstanding and reinterpretation by a different governing body. Our laws should not be weaponized against us.
I think that to actually implement something of this nature it would have been a tiered thing. Where complex bills have higher limits than simple bills. Here are some ideas I think could help with this idea.
Factors to Consider for an Ideal Limit:
Type of Bill: Simple bills (e.g., renaming a post office) need far fewer words than complex ones (e.g., healthcare reform).
Target Audience: Bills should be understandable not just to lawmakers but also to the public they affect.
Potential for Amendments: A limit should allow room for necessary revisions during the legislative process.
Possible Approaches:
Tiered Limits: Different word limits based on the complexity of the bill. Some things might be more complex and would need more than a 500 word limit or a 1 page limit. For example health care, a very complex issue. An issue that would certainly take more than one page to accurately provide all the data and proposed changes.
Summary Pages and also a resource page: Requiring a concise summary of the bill’s purpose and key provisions, regardless of length. Also, providing evidence of the data in support of the bill. I e what regular ppl think, pros and cons. What needs will be met, how costs if any will be covered, ect. And where this information can be found.
“Plain Language” Guidelines: Encouraging clear and accessible writing, even in lengthy bills.
Deadline for submitting bills: Any bills that are brought must have been given to those involved so many days or weeks or months before it gets brought for vote, depending on how many pages/words it has. This is so it can be read, researched, talked about, ect.
Word limit is better than a page limit. If we depended on a page limit, sooner or later we’d have to use a microscope to read it, and who’s gonna pay for all those microscopes?
It could be part of the bill that not only must they be written so everyday people can read and understand, but also that they must be in a font that is of a certain size. Could even go so far as to indicate line and letter spacing if it needs to be.
I agree, the 500 words stated by others, is too brief - it would lead to loopholes being made, as circumstances not outlined, would be used to circumvent the intent, I believe.
It is going to take a while to remove those who use the law as a weapon, and distort its intent for their personal benefit.
Laws can always be adjusted down the line, as the population matures emotionally, and becomes more involved.
I would suggest that no more than 3 pages, consisting of:
An 18pt header, body in n 10pt type/11pt leading, 100% (ie no condensing of font), 3/4" margins all around, no tracking of letter/word space, should be enough to declare the intent, the process, and implementation, while heading off attempts to ‘interpret’ the meaning, or presenting a document that is set so small it needs a magnifying glass to fit itself into the three page max.
Can I suggest that every bill follow a layout format that would prevent the min page requirement from being abused (ie type so small you need a microscope to read it.)
So, whichever page count becomes the consensus, MUST be laid out thus:
Have an 18pt bold title in Times New Roman
one line space then,
Body text in 10pt, with 11pt leading, again Times New Roman
Single word space after periods.
1" margin top and left side, 3/4" margins on other sides
No condensing of letter or word spacing
No condensing of the font form, must be 100%.
Can we also make every vote public information in the clear online resource after voting so the public can ensure their elected officials homer their wishes.
Why would you be so rude? This a place for us to come together, share ideas and thoughts with one another. There is no reason to be rude about it, like seriously.
And if you think for one minute somebody won’t come along and try using a font that is like 1 points to bypass the rules then you are sadly mistaken. Because, they will. So I think it’s a very valid point that formatting rules should be included.
The simple solution is to include that formatting needs to be MLA style. Just like collage essays.
I love this policy. However, if every issue is voted on separately, and every issue must be read and understood thoroughly before voting, then the reading needs to be concise, or they will not take the time to read it at all. 10,000 words seems like a lot to read on each issue, but 500 may be too little for complex problems. I would think somewhere between 3-5 pages should be sufficient.
Recent court ruling limits the agencies from writing regulations to implement intent of laws, often going beyond intent. Given this, maybe having a larger word limit on a law will allow for sufficient instruction for agency implementation. I suggest a 5,000 word limit to accommodate this.