How a Bill Becomes a Law

Involvement in the process is a continuing activity and goes on in one form or another all year. In addition to the regular Legislative session which runs approximately 2 months each year,  there are many committee meetings during the interim and numerous hearings are held. Professional legislative staff work year round to provide technical assistance to their respective committee or legislators. This process allows all individuals and/or groups of individuals the opportunity to participate in the democratic process.

The following a synopsis of the legislative process...

• A legislator or an interested party has an idea that is brought to the attention of the proper person, generally a legislator. That idea is then drafted into a bill or proposed legislation. A bill can originate in either house, however the process differs slightly between houses.

• Either a member of the House or Senate can file a bill. Bills presented in one chamber The bill is assigned to a committee or several committees, depending on the content of the bill. Bills usually have a companion bill in the other chamber. Companion bills are similar and address the same issues.

• are amended and debated at the committee level. If approved in committee, they are forwarded to the next committee of reference and then to the floor of the House and Senate for further action. Further debate and amendments can occur on the floor of either the Senate or the House. Companion bills often moves through the process concurrently.
  
  
  • If a bill passes in one house, it is sent to the other house for review. A bill goes through the same process in the second house as it did in the first. A bill can go back and forth between houses until a consensus is reached. Of course, the measure could fail at any point in the process.
    
  • Once a bill has passed both houses in an identical form it proceeds to the Governor for his signature and thus becomes law. If the Governor vetoes the bill, then it takea a 2/3 majority of both the Senate and the House to override his veto. A bill may also become a law if the Governor does not sign or veto it within 7 days after the bill has been presented to the Governor. 
  
  
  The public, lobbyists, or a group's representatives have the opportunity to provide input on the legislation at each of the above stages.

   Effective Lobbying Techniques