|
1. Bill Drafted: Bills start as ideas in the minds of lawmakers and those ideas can be prompted from many different places. The idea is then passed onto the Legislative Reference Bureau and they take the information from the idea and place it into the proper technical jargon used for the writing of bills.
2. Bill Introduced: A bill must be read before the proper legislative body three separate times before it can be passed. All bills must be filed with the Clerk and upon its first filing the bill is assigned a number and read before the legislative body for the first time.
3. Referred to Committee: A bill is reviewed by the Rules Committee and then referred to the committee the Rules Committee deems most appropriate. The Rules Committee is composed of 2 members of the minority party and 3 members of the party in majority
4. Committee Hearing: Once in the proper committee, the bill’s sponsor explains the legislation and answers questions in front of the committee. A majority vote from the committee is needed for the bill to be considered before the full chamber body. Before the committee votes, concerned groups, members of the public and lobbyists can give testimony in support or opposition of the bill.
5. Second Reading: Out of committee the bill is read a second time in front of the proper chamber. At this time amendments may still be added.
6. Third Reading: For the third and last time the bill is read before the full chamber body. The sponsor then explains the bill and fields any questions asked by members. When all debate is completed voting commences on the bill with a simple majority needed for the bill to pass (30 in the Senate, 60 in the House). Bills approved in one chamber then must move to the other chamber were they undergo the same steps.
7. Second Chamber: If the bill is approved with no changes in the second chamber, its next stop is the Governor’s desk. If any amendments have been added to the bill by the second chamber before passing it, the bill returns to the first chamber, were it originated, were a vote is held to see if the chamber concurs or agrees with the amendment. If chamber does concur, the bill has passed in both chambers and is placed before the Governor.
8. Governor¹s Action: By right of the State Constitution the Governor may either place the bill into law by signing it, veto the bill and send it back to the chambers with recommendations for changes, or veto it absolutely.
9. New Law: A bill becomes law with the Governor’s signature. If vetoed, the bill may still become law if and when both chambers vote by two-third majorities to override the Governor’s veto.
|
