Committee substitute
Definition
A committee substitute is a full replacement of a bill's text, offered by the committee reviewing it, while keeping the same bill number. It must stay on the same general subject as the original but can otherwise rewrite the bill entirely.
Why it matters
Because the substitute keeps the original bill number, the public and even some legislators may not realize how much the substance has changed since introduction. This makes it a common vehicle for inserting industry-drafted language or gutting protections while the bill keeps its original, less controversial title and history.
Seen in the wild
The Texas Legislature routinely uses committee substitutes. A "CS" version of a bill reported out of committee can differ substantially from the version as introduced, and only the substitute language, not the original filed bill, advances to a floor vote.