SCIENTIFIC ASSISTANCE IN LAW-MAKING 13 
Connecticut passed a law in 1882 providing for the appointment of a 
clerk of bills by the president and secretary of the senate and the speaker 
of the house. His duties are thus prescribed: 
It shall be the duty of the clerk of bills to examine all bills for public acts and reso- 
lutions, in respect to their form, before the same are reported favorably by the committee 
to whom they have been referred, and under direction of such committee to prepare such 
amendments or substitute bills or resolutions as may be deemed necessary or advisable.t 
In 1895 the appointment of the clerk of bills was taken from the presi- 
dent and secretary of the senate and speaker of the house, and vested in 
the joint standing committees of the judiciary and engrossed bills and 
his duties specified.? 
In 1gor this act was revised but the manner of appointment of the 
clerk of bills is not changed. His duties are as follows: 
§ 2. It shall be the duty of the clerk of bills to assist members of the general assembly 
in drafting bills for public acts and resolutions of a public nature, and to prepare amend- 
ments to or substitutes for bills or resolutions at the request of committees. 
§ 3. Every bill or resolution favorably acted upon by any committee of the general 
assembly shall, before being reported to either branch thereof, be first submitted to the 
clerk of bills who shall examine such bill or resolution in respect to its form for the purpose 
of avoiding repetitions and unconstitutional provisions and insuring accuracy in the text 
and references, clearness and conciseness in the phraseology, and the consistency of 
statutes; and shall return to the committee submitting it any bill or resolution that is 
not in correct form, with such corrections as he may propose in the form of a substitute 
or as amendments.3 
By an act passed by the legislature of the state of New York in 1893,4 
the Statutory Revision Commission was required on request of any 
committee or member of either house of the legislature to draft or revise 
bills or render an opinion as to their constitutionality or other legal effect. 
The legislators did not avail themselves of the assistance thus offered to 
any very great degree. However, the value of such assistance was recog- 
nized by a few leaders in the legislature and when the Statutory Revision 
Commission was abolished in 1900,5 a new act was passed providing 
for expert help in the drafting of bills. A bill-drafting commission 
composed of three persons is appointed by the president pro tem of the 
senate and the speaker of the assembly. These persons are directed to 
t Laws of Connecticut, 1882, chap. 137. 2 Laws of Connecticut, 1895, chap. 207. 
3 Laws of Connecticut, 1901, chap. 1. 4 Laws of New York, 1893, chap. 24, par. 2. 
s Laws of New York, 1900, chap. 664. 
