(a) A bill may be introduced in either house by one or more members of that house and the joint sponsorship of one or more members of the other house.

(a.5) At least one member of the second house shall be designated as the prime sponsor of the bill in the second house prior to its passage on third reading in the originating house. If the name of such member does not appear on the printed bill, the prime sponsor in the originating house shall be responsible for securing a prime sponsor in the second house, and he or she may secure one or more other sponsors in the second house. The prime sponsor in the originating house shall notify in writing the presiding officer of the originating house of such sponsors at any time prior to the passage of the bill on third reading in the originating house. Thereupon the presiding officer shall order that the names of such sponsors be added to the bill, and such names shall appear on the reengrossed bill.

(b) (1) (A) A member of the General Assembly may not introduce more than five bills in a regular session of the General Assembly, excluding bills for appropriations and excluding the bills specified in subparagraph (D) of this paragraph (1). Permission to exceed the limits established by this rule may be given by the Senate Committee on Delayed Bills for members of the Senate and the House Committee on Delayed Bills for members of the House of Representatives. Of the bills which are subject to the five-bill limit under this subparagraph (A), not more than two bills may be requested after the December 1 which precedes the convening of the regular session; except that any member who will serve in the regular session in an odd-numbered year but who is not a member of the current General Assembly may not introduce more than two bills requested after the December 15 which precedes the convening of said odd-year session. Bills requested on or before said December 1 or December 15, as the case may be, are treated as if requested to be prefiled bills, unless the member making the request specifies otherwise.

(B) Repealed in 1990.

(C) Nothing in this subsection (b) shall limit the number of bills originating in the other house which a member may introduce in the second house.

(D) In addition to the bills which may be introduced in accordance with subparagraph (A) of this paragraph (1), a member may introduce the bills permitted under this subparagraph (D). Such bills shall be from among those recommended by committees that meet during the interim and are created by statute, by executive committee resolution, or pursuant to section 2-3-303.3, Colorado Revised Statutes. If the number of allowable bills for such a committee has not been otherwise set, the committee may recommend no more than five bills to the Legislative Council for consideration as an approved interim committee bill. In order for an interim committee bill to be designated as one of the additional bills which may be introduced by a member under this subparagraph (D), the Legislative Council shall approve it no later than October 15 in even-numbered years and no later than November 15 in odd-numbered years. Bills or other measures recommended by an interim committee need not be sponsored by a member of the committee making the recommendation. Upon written request of a committee, the Executive Committee of Legislative Council may waive the limit imposed by this subparagraph (D) on the number of bills that a committee may recommend. Such a request shall be made to the Executive Committee no later than thirty days before the applicable October 15 or November 15 approval date. In addition to any bills recommended for approval as interim committee bills, the legislative committees created in article 3 of title 2, Colorado Revised Statutes, and the committees of reference performing the duties required in section 24-1-136 and 24-34-104, Colorado Revised Statutes, may, in accordance with their statutory authority, recommend any additional bills for introduction during a legislative session. Such additional bills shall be exempt from the five-bill limitation set out in subparagraph (A) of this paragraph (1).

(E) Bills or other measures recommended by an interim committee that reports to the Legislative Council need not have a sponsor for purposes of such report; however, no such bill or other measure shall be approved by the Legislative Council until it has a prime sponsor for introduction.

(2) Repealed in 1984.

(c) Any member of the General Assembly who submits a bill draft request to the Office of Legislative Legal Services by subject only shall provide the necessary information to enable the office to proceed with the drafting of the bill as soon as possible. On and after December 1 or December 15, whichever is applicable, a member may not have more than five draft requests for bills that are not subject to approval under subsection (b) (1) (D) of this Joint Rule on file with the Office of Legislative Legal Services at any time.