Federal Process

The Legislative process in a nutshell (at the federal level):

1. Members of congress, either a House Representative or a Senator, drafts a Bill, identifies sponsors and co-sponsors, and is assigned a Bill number. An HR number is assigned for Bills drafted in the House of Representatives and a S number is assigned to Bills drafted in the Senate.

2. The Bill can either be introduced to the House or the Senate immediately for review and a vote, or the Bill can be assigned to one of the House or Senate committees based on which branch drafted the Bill. Assignment to a committee is based on the topic. In the committee, the Bill is research, revised, and/or amended.

3. If the Bill went directly to a committee, it is then released to the floor by the committee for a reading and/or an action. Again, some Bills go directly to this step. The Bills presented for action can be debated, altered, amended, or sent to vote.

4. Once on the floor, the members of the House or Senate vote on the current version of the Bill.

5. If approved in the vote, the Bill is then forwarded to the opposite branch. Once it is sent to the opposite branch, the Bill is read on the floor and the Representatives or Senators can decide to debate it, alter it, or send it to one of their committees. Again, this second committee assignment is based on the topic of the Bill. Once released by the assigned committee, the Bill returns to the floor for action.

6. If the Bill is voted on and approved by both the Senate and the House, the Bill is sent to the President. The President can sign it for approval or veto it.

7. If approved by the President, the Bill is sent to the Office of Federal Register, assigned a law number, and the Bill becomes a law.

The State legislative process is exactly the same, except, once approved by both the state House or Representatives and the state Senate, the Bill go the Governor for approval or veto.