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Bill Becomes Law
How
a Bill Becomes Law
How a Bill Becomes
Law in Pennsylvania
What is a Bill?
A bill is the written version of a new law or a change to an existing law. Proposals for a bill can come from individual legislators, private citizens, organizations, the governor or bills considered in the past. Ideas for laws also can be sparked by federal government regulations or some ruling of the courts.
Introducing a Bill
In its early stages, a bill is simply an idea brought forth to the state legislature by a member of the House or Senate or by the governor. The legislators sponsoring the idea send their proposals to the Legislative Reference Bureau, where it is written in the proper format by legal experts. Afterwards, the sponsors will sign the folders containing the bill, or “bluebacks,” and send them to the chief clerk, who names the proposal by giving it a number. A bill can be started in either the House or the Senate, but must pass in both before being sent to the governor for his signature.
Development of a Bill
Now that the bill has a number, the Speaker of the House or the President of the Senate (depending upon where a bill was introduced) will refer the bill to the appropriate committee for review. The committee will study the bill and decide whether it should go back to the Senate or House floor for full consideration. Prior to passing, the committee has the option of proposing amendments to the bill or maintaining its original form. If the committee chooses to not forward the bill, it will then “die in committee” and will not be considered further. However, if passed onto the floor, copies of the bill are distributed to members of the House or Senate and made available to the public. The committee may hold public meetings or otherwise allow the public to express its thoughts on whether the bill should become law.
Consideration by the House and Senate
The Constitution of Pennsylvania requires a bill to be considered for three separate days in both the House and Senate. A bill will receive its “first consideration” on the day it is introduced and referred to the committee. During this, no debate or amendments to the bill from the House or Senate floor are permitted. When the committee has favorably reported a bill, it comes up for a “second consideration” by all the members of the House or Senate. This is the first opportunity for legislators who were not assigned to the original committee to offer amendments to the bill. On “third consideration,” members can amend a bill only by unanimous consent. However, debate over the bill is allowed, and legislators are permitted to express their support or opposition. At the conclusion of the debate, each member will vote on the bill as roll is called. In the Senate, a simple majority of 26 votes are required to pass a bill, and the House stipulates a simple majority of 102 votes to pass.
After a bill has been passed in the House or Senate, it is then taken to the opposite body. The procedure begins again, with the speaker of the House or president of the Senate assigning the bill to a committee for review, amendment and forwarding to the floor. The second body also has the opportunity to amend the bill before a final vote is taken. If this is the case, the modified bill will be sent back to the original legislators to be voted upon once more. If the original body does not agree with the changes made by the second body, the bill will be referred to a conference committee, which is comprised of three members from each chamber, appointed by the presiding officers. The committee is responsible for resolving, if possible, the differences between the House and Senate versions of the bill. The bill will be then sent back to the House and Senate for reconsideration and will be voted upon by each chamber. A majority vote is needed to pass the bill.
Consideration by the Governor
Once a bill passes in the House and Senate, it is sent to the governor for consideration. If he approves, the bill will be signed and passed into law. The governor also has the option of vetoing the bill, and in this case, it will be sent back to the original body from which it originated for further consideration. The state legislature may override the governor’s veto with a two-thirds majority vote in each chamber. If the governor chooses to take no action on the bill for 10 days while the legislature is in session, the bill will automatically become a law. When not in session, the governor has 30 days before the bill becomes a law. Once signed by the governor, the official certified copy of the bill is given to the Secretary of the Commonwealth, assigned an act number, and filed in the State Department. The Legislative Reference Bureau will then prepare the act for printing. The act is now Commonwealth law.
What is a Bill?
A bill is the written version of a new law or a change to an existing law. Proposals for a bill can come from individual legislators, private citizens, organizations, the governor or bills considered in the past. Ideas for laws also can be sparked by federal government regulations or some ruling of the courts.
Introducing a Bill
In its early stages, a bill is simply an idea brought forth to the state legislature by a member of the House or Senate or by the governor. The legislators sponsoring the idea send their proposals to the Legislative Reference Bureau, where it is written in the proper format by legal experts. Afterwards, the sponsors will sign the folders containing the bill, or “bluebacks,” and send them to the chief clerk, who names the proposal by giving it a number. A bill can be started in either the House or the Senate, but must pass in both before being sent to the governor for his signature.
Development of a Bill
Now that the bill has a number, the Speaker of the House or the President of the Senate (depending upon where a bill was introduced) will refer the bill to the appropriate committee for review. The committee will study the bill and decide whether it should go back to the Senate or House floor for full consideration. Prior to passing, the committee has the option of proposing amendments to the bill or maintaining its original form. If the committee chooses to not forward the bill, it will then “die in committee” and will not be considered further. However, if passed onto the floor, copies of the bill are distributed to members of the House or Senate and made available to the public. The committee may hold public meetings or otherwise allow the public to express its thoughts on whether the bill should become law.
Consideration by the House and Senate
The Constitution of Pennsylvania requires a bill to be considered for three separate days in both the House and Senate. A bill will receive its “first consideration” on the day it is introduced and referred to the committee. During this, no debate or amendments to the bill from the House or Senate floor are permitted. When the committee has favorably reported a bill, it comes up for a “second consideration” by all the members of the House or Senate. This is the first opportunity for legislators who were not assigned to the original committee to offer amendments to the bill. On “third consideration,” members can amend a bill only by unanimous consent. However, debate over the bill is allowed, and legislators are permitted to express their support or opposition. At the conclusion of the debate, each member will vote on the bill as roll is called. In the Senate, a simple majority of 26 votes are required to pass a bill, and the House stipulates a simple majority of 102 votes to pass.
After a bill has been passed in the House or Senate, it is then taken to the opposite body. The procedure begins again, with the speaker of the House or president of the Senate assigning the bill to a committee for review, amendment and forwarding to the floor. The second body also has the opportunity to amend the bill before a final vote is taken. If this is the case, the modified bill will be sent back to the original legislators to be voted upon once more. If the original body does not agree with the changes made by the second body, the bill will be referred to a conference committee, which is comprised of three members from each chamber, appointed by the presiding officers. The committee is responsible for resolving, if possible, the differences between the House and Senate versions of the bill. The bill will be then sent back to the House and Senate for reconsideration and will be voted upon by each chamber. A majority vote is needed to pass the bill.
Consideration by the Governor
Once a bill passes in the House and Senate, it is sent to the governor for consideration. If he approves, the bill will be signed and passed into law. The governor also has the option of vetoing the bill, and in this case, it will be sent back to the original body from which it originated for further consideration. The state legislature may override the governor’s veto with a two-thirds majority vote in each chamber. If the governor chooses to take no action on the bill for 10 days while the legislature is in session, the bill will automatically become a law. When not in session, the governor has 30 days before the bill becomes a law. Once signed by the governor, the official certified copy of the bill is given to the Secretary of the Commonwealth, assigned an act number, and filed in the State Department. The Legislative Reference Bureau will then prepare the act for printing. The act is now Commonwealth law.
