Legislative Procedure in State Legislature

Legislative procedure is the process by which laws are made in a legislature. It is a complex and often time-consuming process, but it is essential to ensure that laws are properly considered and debated before they are passed.

The legislative process begins with the introduction of a bill. A bill is a proposed law that is introduced by a member of the legislature. Once a bill is introduced, it is assigned to a committee for study. The committee may hold hearings on the bill and may make changes to it. After the committee has finished its work, the bill is reported back to the full legislature.

The full legislature then debates the bill. If the bill passes, it is sent to the other chamber of the legislature for consideration. If the bill passes both chambers, it is sent to the governor for signature. The governor may sign the bill into law, veto the bill, or allow it to become law without his or her signature.

If the governor vetoes a bill, the legislature can override the veto with a two-thirds vote of each chamber. If the governor allows a bill to become law without his or her signature, the bill becomes law without the governor’s signature.

The legislative process is a complex and often time-consuming process, but it is essential to ensure that laws are properly considered and debated before they are passed.

Table of Contents

Introduction of a Bill

A bill is a proposed law that is introduced by a member of the legislature. Bills can be introduced by any member of the legislature, including senators, representatives, and governors.

To introduce a bill, a member must first file a copy of the bill with the clerk of the legislature. The clerk then assigns the bill to a committee for study.

Committee Action

Once a bill is assigned to a committee, the committee may hold hearings on the bill. At these hearings, witnesses may testify about the bill and its potential impact. The committee may also make changes to the bill.

After the committee has finished its work, it reports the bill back to the full legislature. The committee report includes a recommendation on whether the bill should pass.

Floor Debate

After a bill is reported back to the full legislature, it is debated by the members of the legislature. During this debate, members may speak in favor of or against the bill. They may also offer amendments to the bill.

After the debate is finished, the bill is voted on. If the bill passes, it is sent to the other chamber of the legislature for consideration.

Conference Committee

If the bill passes both chambers of the legislature, but the two chambers have different versions of the bill, a conference committee is appointed to resolve the differences. The conference committee is made up of members from both chambers of the legislature.

The conference committee meets to discuss the differences between the two versions of the bill. The committee may make changes to the bill or agree to one of the two versions of the bill.

After the conference committee has finished its work, it reports the bill back to the full legislature. The conference report includes the changes that the committee made to the bill.

Final Action

After the conference report is reported back to the full legislature, the bill is voted on again. If the bill passes, it is sent to the governor for signature.

Governor’s Action

The governor has three options when a bill is sent to him or her:

The governor can sign the bill into law.
The governor can veto the bill.
The governor can allow the bill to become law without his or her signature.

If the governor signs the bill, it becomes law. If the governor vetoes the bill, the bill is sent back to the legislature. The legislature can then override the veto with a two-thirds vote of each chamber. If the governor allows the bill to become law without his or her signature, the bill becomes law without the governor’s signature.

Conclusion

The legislative process is a complex and often time-consuming process, but it is essential to ensure that laws are properly considered and debated before they are passed.