The Journey Of A Bill To A Law In Louisiana

The process of a bill becoming a law in Louisiana involves several steps, including committee hearings, chamber debates, and votes. The bill must pass through both the House of Representatives and the Senate, with opportunities for amendments at various stages. The public can also participate by providing feedback and comments in person or online. If the bill passes both chambers, it moves to the governor, who can sign it into law or veto it. However, even if vetoed, the bill can still become law if two-thirds of both chambers vote to override the veto.

The Legislative Chambers

The Louisiana Legislature is composed of two chambers: the House of Representatives and the Senate. Each chamber has its own set of rules and procedures, but they both work together to create and pass laws. The legislative process in Louisiana is designed to be transparent and accessible to the public, with live streams of the proceedings available online.

The first step in the legislative process is the introduction of a bill. A bill is a proposed law or change to an existing law. Bills can be introduced in either the House of Representatives or the Senate, and they are typically sponsored by a legislator from the chamber in which they are introduced. Once a bill is introduced, it is assigned to a committee for review. The committee will hold hearings, take testimony, and make amendments to the bill. After the committee has finished its work, the bill is sent back to the full chamber for a vote.

The full chamber will debate the bill and may make additional amendments. If the bill passes the full chamber, it will be sent to the other chamber, where it will go through the same process of committee review and a full chamber vote. If the bill passes both chambers in the same form, it will be sent to the governor for approval.

If the bill passes both chambers but in different forms, it will go to a conference committee. The conference committee will work out the differences between the two versions of the bill and create a final version that both chambers can agree on. The final version of the bill must then be approved by both chambers before being sent to the governor.

The legislative process in Louisiana is designed to be deliberate and thorough. It allows for input from legislators, the public, and the governor. This process helps to ensure that the laws passed are in the best interests of the people of Louisiana.

Amendments and Voting

The process of a bill becoming a law in Louisiana involves several stages, including committee hearings, full chamber debates, and votes. During these stages, amendments can be proposed and voted on, shaping the final version of the bill.

The first step is the committee hearing, where a committee can make amendments to the bill. The committee then votes on whether to send the amended bill to the full chamber. In the full chamber, the bill is debated, and further amendments can be proposed. The full chamber then votes on whether to pass the amended bill to the next step.

The process repeats with a second committee hearing and another opportunity for amendments, followed by a vote to send the bill to the full (second) chamber. The bill is then debated by the full (second) chamber, with another chance to propose amendments.

At each stage, amendments can be made to the bill, allowing for input and changes from committees and the full chamber. This back-and-forth process ensures that the bill is thoroughly vetted and shaped by the input of various stakeholders.

After the bill passes through these stages, it moves on to the next step of the legislative process, which involves reconciling different versions passed by the House and Senate. This is followed by the governor's review, where the bill can be signed into law, vetoed, or left unsigned, leading to further voting by the chambers to override the veto.

The legislative process in Louisiana also includes specific rules and procedures for voting. For example, a bill must be read at least by title on three separate days in each house, and it requires a majority vote for final passage. Additionally, there are rules regarding the introduction of bills, such as prefiling deadlines and limits on the number of bills that can be introduced by each legislator.

The Governor's Decision

The governor's role in the legislative process extends beyond this final decision. The governor can convene an extraordinary session of the legislature for any number of reasons, as seen in 2018 when there were three extraordinary sessions related to taxes and revenue-raising measures. Additionally, the governor is responsible for presenting the Executive Budget, which serves as the financial and programmatic plan for the upcoming fiscal year. This budget process involves coordination with various departments and agencies, and the resulting Executive Budget is due to the Joint Legislative Committee on the Budget 45 days before the start of the regular session.

In the case of a veto, a rare occurrence in Louisiana, a veto session can be convened to override the governor's decision. For this to happen, a majority of the members of both chambers must declare in writing that a veto session is necessary. The veto session takes place 40 days after the final adjournment of the most recent session and lasts for up to five calendar days.

Types of Sessions

In Louisiana, there are five types of legislative sessions: Organizational, Emergency, Extraordinary (also known as Special), Regular, and Veto. Each of these sessions has a distinct purpose and process, which are outlined below:

Organizational Session

The primary purpose of an Organizational Session is to elect officers and organize the two houses of the legislature: the House of Representatives and the Senate. This type of session is typically held at the beginning of a new legislative term to establish the foundational structure of the legislative body.

Emergency Session

An Emergency Session can be convened in response to a public emergency, such as a natural disaster, epidemic, or enemy attack. The governor has the authority to call for an Emergency Session, allowing for swift legislative action in times of crisis.

Extraordinary or Special Session

An Extraordinary or Special Session can be convened by the governor or officers of the legislature for various reasons. For example, in 2018, there were three extraordinary sessions focused on taxes and revenue-raising measures. These sessions provide flexibility for addressing time-sensitive or unexpected issues that arise outside the scope of regular sessions.

Regular Session

Regular Sessions are the most common type and occur annually for lawmaking and fund allocation. There are two types of Regular Sessions: General and Fiscal. General Sessions are held in even-numbered years and last up to 60 legislative days. During these sessions, no new taxes, tax increases, exemptions, exclusions, deductions, credits, rebates, incentives, or abatements can be introduced or enacted. Fiscal Sessions, on the other hand, are held in odd-numbered years and last up to 45 legislative days. In Fiscal Sessions, only matters related to fiscal (money) issues or local or special laws are considered.

Veto Session

A Veto Session is called for the specific purpose of overriding a governor's veto of a bill. These sessions are quite rare, with the last one in Louisiana taking place 39 years ago. For a Veto Session to be convened, a majority of the members from both chambers must declare in writing that it is necessary. If a Veto Session occurs, it takes place on the 40th day following the adjournment of the most recent session and lasts no more than five calendar days.

Bill Statuses

As a bill goes through the legislative process, its status changes. Here are the key statuses a bill can have:

• Original: This is the bill in its original form, as it was first introduced.
• Engrossed: The original bill with any amendments made by a committee incorporated.
• Reengrossed: The engrossed bill with any additional floor amendments.
• Enrolled: A bill in its final form, including all amendments adopted by both houses. This version is submitted to the governor for approval or veto.
• Act: A bill that has been passed by both houses, enrolled, signed by the legislative presiding officers, signed (or allowed to become law without the signature of) the governor, and assigned an Act number by the secretary of state.

Additional Stages of the Legislative Process

It is worth noting that while the above statuses refer specifically to the changes in a bill's form, there are also distinct stages in the legislative process that a bill must pass through. These include:

• First Reading: Each bill must be read at least by title on three separate days in each house.
• Committee Hearing: No bill can be considered for final passage unless a committee has held a public hearing and reported on the bill.
• Second Reading: The bill is read a second time, with any amendments made by the committee incorporated.
• Third Reading: The final reading of the bill, after which it is voted on for passage.
• Concurrence: If the bill passes the third reading in one house, it is sent to the other house to repeat the process. If it passes the third reading in the second house, it is sent back to the first house for concurrence on any amendments.
• Governor's Action: Once a bill has passed both houses, it is signed by the presiding officers and delivered to the governor for approval, veto, or to become law without their signature.
• Veto Session: If the governor vetoes a bill, it can still become law if two-thirds of the elected members of each house approve it during a veto session.

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