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A Bill is Introduced
A bill is first introduced in the House or Senate, following the same format in both the U.S. Congress and the Texas Legislature. House bills and Senate bills are abbreviated as "HB" and "SB." -
Committee Review
In the House, the Speaker refers the bill to a Committee, where it may be amended (changed). In the Senate, the Lieutenant Governor refers the bill to a Senate Committee, which goes under review and may be amended. -
Bill to be Debated
If the bill that the House Committee supports passes, it goes to a calendar committee to schedule a floor debate. If the committee approves the bill in the Senate, Senators must agree to pass it with a 5/9 vote. If it passes this vote, it will proceed to the Senate floor for debate. -
Bill on the Floor
The bill reaches the House floor, where it is debated, and more amendments may be proposed. If the bill passes by a majority vote (2/3), it then goes to the Senate for review. In the Senate, the bill is debated, and further amendments may be made. If it secures a majority vote (2/3), the bill moves to the House. -
Bill is Sent to House and/or Senate
Once the bill passes in the House, it is sent to the Senate for the same review steps (i.e., committee review, a 5/9 vote, and the Senate floor). It is important to remember that a bill can be killed during any of the review processes. Once the bill passes in the Senate, it is sent to the House for the same review steps (i.e., house committee, calendars committee, and House floor). Like in the House, any bill can be killed in the Senate while it is under review. -
Bill Passes in House and Senate...Now what?
Once a bill is passed by both the House and Senate, they are sent to the Texas Governor. The Governor may:
-Sign the bill into law
-Allow the bill to become law without signing or;
-Veto the bill (veto can be overridden if the bill receives a 2/3 vote in the House and Senate)