The Legislative Process
Below are the steps on how a bill becomes a law:
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1st House / 1st Reading The legislative process begins with the introduction of a bill in either House (the House of Representatives or the Senate). Bills are then assigned consecutive numbers, as introduced, for easy identification. |
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1st House Committee Action An introduced bill is referred to the House Committee that has jurisdiction over the bill's specific policy area. Committees work on a referred bill when the legislature is not in session and decide if it should be reported for a second reading. |
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1st House/2nd Reading Committees report on a bill in the daily order of business. Reported bills are given a second reading, by title only, and are placed on the calendar for the next legislative day. |
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1st House Standing Committee After the second reading, the bill is referred to the standing committee where it is then considered a general bill. When reported from the standing committee, the bill is referred to the calendar and is ready for consideration by the membership of the entire House. |
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3rd Reading/Passed 1st House The third reading takes place when the bill is considered and adopted by the entire House. At this time the bill may be studied in detail, debated, amended and read at length before the final passage. The bill is then voted on. |
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2nd House/1st Reading A bill passed in one House is transmitted to the second House. The bill receives its first reading in the second House. |
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2nd House Committee Action The bill is referred to the second House's Committee that has jurisdiction over the bill's policy area. The bill then goes through the same committee process in the second house as in the first house. |
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2nd House/2nd Reading Committees report on the bill in the daily order of business. Reported bills are given a second reading, by title only, and are placed on the calendar for the next legislative day. |
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2nd House Standing Committee After the second reading, the bill is referred to the standing committee where it is then considered as a general bill. When reported from the standing committee, the bill is referred to the calendar and is ready for consideration by the membership of the entire House. |
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Passed 2nd House/Bill Enrolled If the second House passes a bill identical to the bill passed in the first House (without any amendment), the bill is sent back to the House of origin and is "enrolled" (that is, prepared for the Governor to sign). If the bill passes the second House with amendment(s), it must be sent back to the House of origin for consideration of the amendment(s). When a bill has passed both houses in identical form, it is then enrolled for transmittal to the Governor for signing. When the Governor signs the enrolled bill, it is officially enacted into law. |
For a detailed account of the legislative process, please visit:
http://www.legislature.state.al.us/misc/legislativeprocess/legislativeprocess_ml.html