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Your Government |
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How a bill becomes a law
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Legislation, called a bill, is filed in the Senate or House Clerk's office, usually by legislators. Citizens in this
state can file legislation too; this is called "right of free petition."
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- The committee issues an "ought to pass" or "ought not to pass"
report. If the report is favorable, an automatic first reading of the bill is published in
the House or Senate
journal. If the report is not favorable, the bill gets a second chance if a member
asks to have the bill substituted for the report, and the bill then follows the same
procedure as a favorably reported bill.
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- The bill goes to the Senate
Ways and Means Committee or the House Ways and Means Committee,
which issues a report. The bill is put on the next day's calendar for a second reading,
when the bill is open to debate on motions and amendments.
- Then the House or Senate takes a vote, and if it is favorable, the bill goes to the House Committee on Third Readings,or
the Senate Committee on Third
Readings, which checks to see if it is legal. This committee gives its report in 45
days.
- The bill is read for the third time by the House or Senate and legislators can further
debate and amend it.
- The House or Senate votes on passing the
bill for engrossment, that is, printing on special parchment.
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- The bill then goes to the other legislative body for three readings, with the same
procedure.
- If amendments are added to substantially change the bill, then it returns to the
original branch for a vote agreeing to accept the added amendments, called concurrence. If
concurrence is rejected, a three-member conference committee works out a compromise and
the bill is sent to the two branches for approval.
- The bill is printed on special parchment. The last step is a vote to "enact"
by both branches.
- The bill goes to the governor. The governor may sign the bill into law, it is usually
effective in 90 days. Laws considered emergencies take effect right away. The governor may
hold the bill for 10 days allowing it to become a law without signature. The governor may
veto it and return it to the legislature with recommended changes. A two-thirds vote of
the legislature overturns a governor's veto. If the legislature has concluded its yearly
session and the governor does not sign the bill in 10 days, it dies.
- Bills not passed at the end of the first year of a two-year session carry over into the
second year and need not be refiled.
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