Legislation 101

1. Every bill must have a sponsor within the legislature (bills can be introduced in the House, Senate or both).
2. Once the sponsor has submitted a bill, the rules committee will then assign the bill to committee.
3. The committee will schedule a hearing(s) on the bill and vote on whether or not to recommend that the full chamber pass the bill.
4. If the committee votes in favor of the bill, it goes back to the rules committee to be assigned for a hearing and vote before the full chamber.
5. If the bill is passed by the full chamber, it then goes to the rules committee of the other chamber to be assigned to committee, where it then goes through steps three and four.
6. If the bill is passed by the second chamber without amendment, it then goes on to the Governor to be signed or vetoed.
7. If the bill is amended by the second chamber, it goes back to the original chamber, where the amended version can be approved, voted down or further amended.
8. If the original chamber changes the amended version, a conference committee with members of both chambers of the legislature must be formed to work on compromise language to the bill. The conference committee then sends it on to both chambers for a vote.  If both chambers pass the conference committee version, it is then sent on to the Governor to sign or veto.

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