How a bill becomes a law

By StevenFidlon

  • Committee

    Copies of the bill are made for members of the house. The bill is then assigned to a committee.

  • Proposal to bill

    A proposal written in legal language is given a name and number. Once it is given a number it is calle3d a bill.

  • Discussion

    The committee discusses the bill and talks about its good and bad points.

  • Committee decission

    The committee can then hold the bill, vote the bill out of the committee and recommend that it be passed, recommend that it not be passed, make changes in the bill and then vote it out of the committee, or it can kill the bill.

  • Full House

    A bill is sent to the full house and it is discussed, debated, and perhaps amended. A majority vote is required to pass a bill.

  • Senate consideration

    When a bill is certified by the house, it is carried by messenger to the senate for consideration.

  • 2nd committee

    The bill is again assigned to a committee and studied.

  • After house and senate

    If both the house and senate pass a bill in the same form, then it is signed by presiding officers and clerks before being sent to the governor.

  • Governor

    The governor can pass the bill into a law, do nothing and let the bill be passed into a law, or veto the bill. If the governor vetoes a bill, then it is sent to the General Assembly. The General Assembly can override the veto with a two-thirds vote.