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Tools
: How a Bill Becomes a Law |
in
the SENATE
• Senator introduces bill.
• Senate President refers it to committee. (At this
point, a bill, depending on the rules, may be given immediate
consideration and, thus, acted upon without being referred
to committee.)
• Clerk numbers the bill.
• The bill is printed.
• In committee, the bill may be,
•Allowed to die
• Studied
• Made the subject of one or more hearings
• Held
• Killed
• Amended
• Approved with or without amendment and reported
out
• The bill goes to the floor with a recommendation that
it be passed as introduced or as amended. It is placed on
the calendar* for subsequent debate and action. If approved,
it is sent to the House, where it is subject to the same procedure
except it is not given another number.
• If it
is a House bill and is passed in concurrence, it is sent
to the Governor. |
in
the HOUSE
• Representative introduces the bill.
• Speaker refers it to committee. (At this point, a bill,
depending on the rules, may be given immediate consideration
and, thus, acted upon without being referred to committee.)
• Clerk numbers the bill.
• The bill is printed.
• In committee the bill may be
• Allowed to die
• Studied
• Made the subject of one or more hearings
• Held
• Killed
• Amended
• Approved, with or without amendment, and reported
out
• The bill goes to the floor with a recommendation
that it be passed as introduced or as amended. It is placed
on the calendar* for subsequent debate and action. If approved,
it is sent to the Senate, where it is subject to the same
procedure except it is not given another number.
• If it is a Senate bill and is passed in concurrence,
it is sent to the Governor. |
|
Extra! Extra!
*At this point, a bill, depending on the rules, may be
given immediate consideration and, thus, acted upon without
being referred to committee.
In acting on the bill, the Governor may sign the bill, making
it law. Or the Governor may veto the bill or allow it to
become law without signing it.
The Governor must act one way or the other, within six days
(Sunday as the exception) when the General Assembly has
adjourned; otherwise it becomes law.
If the Governor vetoes the bill while the Assembly is in
session, the measure is returned along with the reasons
for the action to the chamber where it originated. If the
bill is approved in both chambers by 3/5 of the members,
on a roll call vote, the measure becomes law. Failing that,
the bill dies. If the Assembly has adjourned and the Governor,
who so notifies the Secretary of State, vetoes the bill,
the bill dies.
More Tools: Consumer’s
Guide to the State House: Everything You Need to Know for
a State House Hearing
To find out more about more tools
at Ocean State Action, call us at 401-463-5368.
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