Legislation - Charts

Charts Senate House Publications About

Charts

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Senate Bills -

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Legislative Bond Initiatives -

The Legislative Process

Completed Step -

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Active Step -

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Original
Chamber

1st
Reading

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Referral
to Cmte

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2nd
Reading

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3rd
Reading

Opposite
Chamber

1st
Reading

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Referral
to Cmte

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2nd
Reading

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3rd
Reading

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Review in
Original Chamber

Passed Both
Chambers

Conf. Cmte
(if necessary)

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To Governor

When the session convenes, the Reading Clerk reads the numbers and titles of the bills being introduced and indicates the committee to which they have been referred by the presiding officer.
The committees meet daily during the session to receive testimony and take action on bills referred to the committee. Since the legislature is instrumental in integrating public demands with public policy, citizens are encouraged to present their views on the proposed bills by mail or by personal appearance. Lobbyists representing organized interest groups, officials from State agencies, local government representatives, and other interested citizens speak at these hearings, to either oppose or support the proposed legislation. The Department of Legislative Services prepares a fiscal analysis for each bill, and these fiscal notes are considered during the committee deliberations.
The bill is reported back to the floor by the committee with its recommendation (favorable, unfavorable, favorable with amendment, or rarely, no recommendation). If the bill is amended by the committee, a vote is taken on the amendment, and if passed, another vote is taken on the bill as amended. Committee action may be reversed, but this is infrequent. Amendments can then be offered from the floor by any member. After all amendments are considered, the presiding officer orders the bill to be printed for its third and final reading.
The bill must be printed in its final version with all amendments included for third reading. No amendments may be presented on third reading in the bill's chamber of origin, and the bill must be passed by a majority of the elected membership.
When the session convenes, the Reading Clerk reads the numbers and titles of the bills being introduced and indicates the committee to which they have been referred by the presiding officer.
The committees meet daily during the session to receive testimony and take action on bills referred to the committee. Since the legislature is instrumental in integrating public demands with public policy, citizens are encouraged to present their views on the proposed bills by mail or by personal appearance. Lobbyists representing organized interest groups, officials from State agencies, local government representatives, and other interested citizens speak at these hearings, to either oppose or support the proposed legislation. The Department of Legislative Services prepares a fiscal analysis for each bill, and these fiscal notes are considered during the committee deliberations.
The bill is reported back to the floor by the committee with its recommendation (favorable, unfavorable, favorable with amendment, or rarely, no recommendation). If the bill is amended by the committee, a vote is taken on the amendment, and if passed, another vote is taken on the bill as amended. Committee action may be reversed, but this is infrequent. Amendments can then be offered from the floor by any member. After all amendments are considered, the presiding officer orders the bill to be printed for its third and final reading.
The bill must be printed in its final version with all amendments included for third reading. Contrary to the chamber of origin, amendments may be presented on third reading. The bill must be passed by a majority of the elected membership.
If amended in the second chamber, the bill is returned to the chamber of origin where a vote is taken on a motion to concur or reject the amendments. If concurrence is voted, a final vote is taken on the bill as amended, and action is complete. The bill is reprinted, or enrolled, to include the added amendments before it is presented to the Governor. If the amendments are rejected, two courses of action are possible: 1) the amending chamber may be requested to withdraw its amendments or 2) upon refusal to withdraw the amendments, either chamber may request a conference committee to resolve the differences between the two chambers.
Three members from each chamber are appointed to a conference committee by the presiding officers to reach a settlement on the proposed legislation. A report of a conference committee goes back to both chambers to be adopted or rejected without amendment. If the conference committee report is adopted, the bill is voted upon for final passage in each house. If the conference committee report is rejected by either house, the conference committee may be directed to reconvene, new members may be appointed, or the bill fails.
Except for constitutional amendments and the budget bill, presentation of all bills to the Governor is mandatory. The budget bill becomes law upon its final passage and cannot be vetoed. Bills must be presented to the Governor within twenty days after adjournment of a session, and in the case of such bills, the Governor may veto within thirty days after presentation. If the Governor does not veto a bill, it becomes law. The Governor may not veto a constitutional amendment.