A “strike-all” amendment strikes, or removes, all of the language in a bill and replaces it with new language. Because all of the bill’s language is changed with a strike-all amendment, the intent of the bill is, in some cases, altered completely, though the bill retains its original number and often its title.
Typically, a strike-all amendment is proposed when a bill has moved from one chamber to the other. For example, a House committee might propose a strike-all amendment to a Senate bill, removing the Senate language and replacing it with the House position.
If a strike-all amendment is adopted by the chamber in which it is proposed, the language in the strike-all becomes the language in the bill. The bill then goes back to the chamber in which it originated for concurrence or non-concurrence. If the strike-all amendment is defeated, the bill remains in its original state. If nothing in the bill has been altered by the second chamber, it is transferred directly to the governor for his or her signature.
