Bill To Law: Michigan's Legislative Process

Understanding how a bill becomes a law in Michigan is an important part of comprehending the state's legislative process. The Michigan Legislature, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives, is responsible for creating statutory laws. This process involves multiple steps, including the introduction of a bill, its passage through both houses, potential amendments, and finally, the governor's approval. The journey of a bill to becoming a law is complex and involves careful consideration by legislators, committees, and the executive branch.

Legislative process

The Michigan Legislature is the body responsible for creating statutory law. It consists of an upper house (the Senate) and a lower house (the House of Representatives). The Senate has 38 members, while the House of Representatives has 110 members.

The legislative process begins with a legislator developing an idea for a new law or changes to an existing one. A bill is then introduced in either house of the Legislature. Senate bills are filed with the Secretary of the Senate, while House bills are filed with the Clerk of the House. The bill receives its First and Second Reading in the Senate and its First Reading in the House, where the title of the bill is read. The bill is then ordered to be printed and referred to the appropriate committee by the Majority Leader in the Senate or the Speaker of the House.

The committee considers the legislation and the chairperson decides whether to hold a public hearing. If a public hearing is held, the bill sponsor, interested parties, and the public have the opportunity to testify before the committee. After considering the bill and any testimony, the committee can take several actions, including taking no action, reporting the bill with or without favourable recommendations, or reporting a substituted or amended version.

If the bill is reported favourably by the committee, it proceeds to the Second Reading in the House and the Committee of the Whole in the Senate, where amendments can be offered by any member. Amendments require a simple majority in the Senate and a majority of those serving in the House. After the Second Reading, the bill proceeds to the Third Reading in both houses, where it is read in its entirety unless unanimous consent is given to waive the reading. Amendments on the Third Reading must be approved by a majority vote in both houses.

If the bill is passed by a majority vote in both houses, it is sent to the Governor for approval. The Governor has 14 days to consider the bill and can sign it, veto it, or choose not to sign or veto it. If the bill is signed, it becomes law 90 days after the Legislature adjourns or on a specified date, or immediately if given "Immediate Effect" by a two-thirds vote of both houses. If the Governor vetoes the bill, it can be overridden by a two-thirds vote of both houses, and the bill will become law. If the bill does not receive the necessary two-thirds vote, the veto override attempt fails.

The role of the Michigan Legislature

The Michigan Legislature is a bicameral or two-chamber system consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The main role of the Michigan Legislature is to make laws. The Michigan Legislature is responsible for creating statutory law, and any bill must be passed by both the House and the Senate to become a law.

During a two-year legislative session, 3000 to 4000 bills may be introduced for possible action. Bills can be introduced in either the House or the Senate, or identical bills may be introduced in both chambers simultaneously. When a bill is introduced in either chamber, it is sent to one of the committees that deal with that issue. The bill is given a number starting with "HB" for the House of Representatives or "SB" for the Senate. Copies of the bill are made available in hard copy and online.

The Michigan State Constitution requires that any bill must be printed and distributed to each house at least five days before passage. This requirement is intended to prevent "hasty or ill-considered" legislation and to allow interested parties outside the legislature to become familiar with the bill before any house or senate action.

After the first reading and assignment to the committee, the committee may report the bill with favorable recommendations, no recommendations or unfavorable recommendations; offer amendments; replace the bill with a substitute bill; refer it to another committee; or postpone it indefinitely, so it never gets a hearing. The decision on whether a bill gets a hearing is entirely determined by the committee chair.

If a bill goes to a second reading, the House or Senate debates it and considers amendments from committee members and the floor. If the bill is passed by the originating chamber, it then goes to the other chamber to repeat the process. If the second chamber makes changes to the original bill, the bill must go back to the originating chamber for a vote on the changes. If both chambers agree, the bill is sent to the Governor for signature.

The Michigan Constitution

The legislative process begins with a legislator proposing a new law or changes to an existing one. The bill is then introduced in either the Senate or the House of Representatives, where it undergoes its First and Second Readings. During the First Reading, only the title of the bill is read. After the First Reading, the bill is referred to the appropriate committee by the Majority Leader in the Senate or the Speaker of the House. Committees dealing with financial matters, for instance, will receive bills involving appropriations.

The committee stage is crucial, as it allows for detailed consideration of the bill and provides an opportunity for public input. The committee chairperson decides whether to hold a public hearing, during which the bill sponsor, interested parties, and the public can testify and urge passage, suggest changes, or reject the bill. After hearing testimonies and considering the bill, the committee can take several actions, including reporting the bill with or without amendments or substituting it with a different version. The committee can also choose to take no action on the bill, effectively halting its progress.

If the bill advances, it proceeds to the Second Reading in the other chamber. Here, the bill is debated, and amendments can be offered by any member. Amendments must be approved by a majority vote. After the Second Reading, the bill moves to the Third Reading in both chambers. During the Third Reading, the entire bill is typically read unless unanimous consent is given to waive this requirement. Again, amendments may be offered and must be approved by a majority vote.

Following the Third Reading, the bill is either passed or defeated by a record roll-call vote. If the bill is passed by both chambers in identical form, it is enrolled and sent to the Governor for approval. However, if the second chamber makes changes, the bill returns to the originating chamber for a vote on those changes. If significant amendments are accepted, the bill may be referred to a conference committee, consisting of members from both chambers, to reconcile the differences. Once both chambers agree, the bill is then sent to the Governor.

The Governor has several options upon receiving an enrolled bill. The Governor can sign the bill, and it becomes law after 90 days or on a specified date. Alternatively, the Governor can veto the bill and return it to the originating chamber with a statement of objections. If the Governor takes no action on the bill within 14 days, it can still become law if the Legislature is in session or in recess. Notably, if the Legislature has adjourned before the 14 days elapse, the unsigned bill does not become law.

If the Governor vetoes the bill, the Legislature can attempt to override the veto by voting on the bill again. If the bill receives a two-thirds majority vote in both chambers, the veto is overridden, and the bill becomes law. However, if the two-thirds majority vote is not achieved, the veto stands, and the bill does not become law.

The Governor's role

The Governor of Michigan plays a crucial role in the legislative process, receiving enrolled bills that have been passed by both the Senate and the House of Representatives. Upon receipt of an enrolled bill, the Governor has 14 days to consider and decide on the bill's fate. The Governor has three options: they can sign the bill, veto it, or choose not to sign or veto it.

If the Governor signs the bill, it will become law 90 days after the Legislature adjourns for the year, or on a date beyond the ninetieth day specified in the bill. Alternatively, if the bill has been given immediate effect by a two-thirds vote in both houses, it will become law as soon as the Governor signs it or on a specified date in the bill.

Should the Governor decide to veto the bill, it will be returned to the house of origin, along with a message outlining their objections. At this point, the Legislature can attempt to override the veto by achieving a two-thirds vote in both houses, and the bill will then become law. However, if the two-thirds vote is not met, the veto attempt will fail, and the bill will not become law.

If the Governor chooses to take no action on the bill by neither signing nor vetoing it, the outcome depends on the Legislature's status. If the Legislature is in session or in recess, the bill will automatically become law after 14 days on the Governor's desk. On the other hand, if the Legislature has adjourned before the 14-day period ends, the unsigned bill will not become law.

The bill's journey

The journey of a bill to becoming a law in Michigan is a multi-step process that involves both the legislative and executive branches. It begins with a legislator developing an idea for a new law or changes to an existing one. The bill is then introduced in either the House of Representatives or the Senate, where it is assigned a number starting with "HB" for the House or "SB" for the Senate.

The bill undergoes its first and second readings in the Senate and its first reading in the House, where only the title of the bill is read. It is then ordered to be printed and referred to the appropriate committee by the Majority Leader in the Senate or the Speaker of the House. The committee considers the legislation and the chairperson decides whether to hold a public hearing, giving the bill sponsor, interested parties, and the public a chance to testify. After considering the bill and hearing testimonies, the committee can choose to take a variety of actions, including taking no action, reporting the bill with or without amendments, or referring it to another committee.

If the bill is reported favorably by the committee, it proceeds to the second reading in the House and the Senate, where standing committee recommendations are considered, and amendments may be offered by any member. In the third reading, the entire bill is read unless unanimous consent is given to waive the reading. Amendments on the third reading must be approved by a majority vote. After the third reading, the bill is either passed or defeated by a record roll-call vote.

If the bill passes, it is sent to the other legislative house, where it undergoes the same procedure. If the bill is passed by both houses in identical form, it is sent to the Governor for approval. However, if the second house makes changes, the bill must be returned to the house of origin for a vote on the amendments. If both chambers agree on the bill, it is then sent to the Governor.

Upon receiving an enrolled bill, the Governor has 14 days to consider it. The Governor may sign the bill, veto it, or choose not to take any action. If the Governor signs the bill, it becomes law 90 days after the Legislature adjourns or immediately if given "Immediate Effect" by a two-thirds vote of both houses. If the Governor vetoes the bill, it can be overridden by a two-thirds vote of both houses, and the bill becomes law. If the bill does not receive the necessary two-thirds vote, the veto stands, and the bill does not become law.

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