[NFBMT] How a bill becomes a law

[BRUCE&JOY BRESLAUER]

How a Bill Becomes a Law 

 

Legislators gather in the House and Senate chambers during floor sessions to
debate and vote on bills. 

But first, they hold committee meetings where they can listen to the concerns
and recommendations of the public, lobbyists, and other legislators. 

 

Committees 

Each legislator usually serves on at least one committee during a session. In
the House, the speaker appoints committee members. In the Senate, a Committee
on Committees appoints them. 

Every bill that the House and Senate considers is first assigned to a
committee based on its subject matter. The chair of the committee, who is a
member of the majority party, schedules a public hearing 

on the bill. These hearings are the most effective way for citizens to
express their opinions about bills.

 

At the hearing, the public is invited to testify for or against the bill.
Based on that testimony, committee members vote to recommend that the House
or Senate pass the bill, kill the bill, or amend the bill. The 

committee may also table the bill, which means the committee has no
recommendation. Tabling a bill often kills it. 

 

Committees that meet during legislative sessions are called standing
committees. Sometimes joint committees or joint subcommittees are formed with
members from both chambers. 

If the House and Senate cannot agree on amendments to a bill, they may
appoint a special conference committee to try to find a compromise that both
chambers can accept. 

 

Floor Sessions 

Every bill that passes the Legislature comes before each chamber at least
three times. 

Once a bill has been assigned a number, it's presented to the chamber during
what is called first reading. The presiding officer assigns the bill to a
committee. 

If a committee recommends passage of a bill, the bill is placed on second
reading. At this time, the entire chamber, called into a Committee of the
Whole, debates the bill during a floor session. 

 

Legislators may offer amendments. If the House or Senate votes to pass the
bill during second reading, the bill (with any amendments) is placed on third
reading. 

 

The vote on third reading is the most important vote. It decides whether the
bill passes the House or Senate. Legislators may not amend or debate a bill
on third reading. 

Once a bill passes through one chamber, it's transmitted to the other
chamber. It goes through the same process there. If the second chamber amends
the bill, it's sent back to the first chamber for 

approval of the amendments. Each bill must pass both chambers in the same
form before it's sent 

to the Governor for his or her signature. If the two chambers cannot agree on
amendments, they may appoint a conference committee to try to find a
compromise. 

 

The Governor's Role 

Once a bill passes both chambers in the same form, it's sent to the Governor.
The Governor has four options: sign the bill into law, recommend amendments
to the bill, veto the bill, or take no action. If the Governor takes no
action, the bill becomes law after 10 days. The Governor may return a bill to
the Legislature with suggested amendments. If the Legislature rejects the
Governor's suggestions, the 

Governor may not return a bill with further amendments. The Legislature may
override a Governor's veto if two-thirds of the members of each chamber vote
in favor of doing so. After a bill is signed by the Governor, becomes law
after 10 days, or is passed by the Legislature over the Governor's veto, its
provisions 

are incorporated into the Montana Code Annotated (MCA). This is a compilation
of all state laws that are currently in effect. It's updated after each
legislative session. 

 

Joy Breslauer, First Vice President and Public Policies Committee chair

National Federation of the Blind of Montana 

Web Site: http://www.nfbofmt.org <http://www.nfbofmt.org/> 

 

Live the life you want

 

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who believe in the hopes and dreams of the nation's blind. Every day we work
together to help blind people live the lives they want.