Understanding Lawmaking Through A Classic Movie

The process of how a bill becomes a law has been the subject of various educational media, including the 1976 Schoolhouse Rock! segment I'm Just a Bill, featuring a song of the same title written by Dave Frishberg. The song, sung by Jack Sheldon, explains how a bill becomes a law, going through Congress and the potential to be vetoed. The topic has also inspired an animated short film by Georgia Public Broadcasting, titled The Green Tree Frog: How a Bill Becomes a Law, which tells the true story of how a Georgia fourth-grade class proposed the green tree frog as the state amphibian.

The role of the House of Representatives

The House has the sole power to initiate revenue legislation, and its rules and practices allow a numerical majority to process legislation quickly. This means that the House can efficiently propose and pass bills related to taxation and government spending. The House's ability to act swiftly is due in part to the powers and prerogatives of the majority party leaders, who can set the policy agenda and decide which proposals receive floor consideration. They can also propose items for consideration, though they typically must negotiate with minority party leaders to secure support for their initiatives.

Standing committees, composed of members from both parties, play a significant role in the House's legislative process. These committees are where much of the policy expertise resides, and they are responsible for drafting and considering legislative proposals. The committees are chaired by members of the majority party, who often work closely with the ranking member of the minority party to ensure a collaborative process. The ratio of majority to minority party members on a committee generally reflects the overall partisan composition of the House.

Once a bill has been drafted and considered by the relevant committees, it is introduced and referred to the House floor for debate and a vote. If the bill passes the House, it then moves to the Senate for its consideration. It is important to note that the House and Senate must pass the same bill in the same form for it to become law. Any amendments made by the Senate would require the House to pass the bill again with those changes.

The role of the Senate

The Senate plays a critical role in confirming presidential nominations and approving treaties. In the legislative process, the Senate has the power to propose items for consideration and negotiate with minority party leaders to conduct floor action. The majority party leader in the Senate typically must build a consensus with the minority party and individual Senators to pass legislation. This gives each Senator significant procedural leverage and the ability to shape the outcome of a bill.

The Senate also has standing committees, which are panels of members from both parties that take the lead in developing, assessing, and drafting legislation. These committees provide policy expertise and play a crucial role in oversight and investigations related to public policy. The committees are chaired by members of the majority party, who often work closely with the ranking member of the minority party on the committee. The committee composition reflects the overall partisan ratio in the Senate, ensuring that both majority and minority party views are considered.

The Senate's role in the legislative process is essential to ensuring that laws are carefully considered and reflect a balance between the interests of the states and the popular majorities. The rules and procedures of the Senate provide a check on the House's power and help to create a more thoughtful and deliberative law-making process.

The President's influence

The President has a significant influence on the legislative process. While Congress is the engine of legislative ideas and action, the President plays a crucial role in shaping the direction of legislation. The President's power stems from their ability to recommend an annual budget for federal agencies and suggest legislation, but their most impactful tool is the veto power. The President can veto legislation passed by Congress, which often leads to Congress accommodating the President's position on proposed policies. This means that Congress must often negotiate with the President and find a compromise to get a bill passed into law.

The President's role in the legislative process was highlighted in a Saturday Night Live sketch from 2014, titled "How a Bill Does Not Become a Law." In the sketch, President Barack Obama, played by Jay Pharoah, repeatedly pushes an immigration bill down the Capitol Hill steps, symbolizing the President's ability to block legislation. The sketch also introduced the concept of executive orders, which the President can use to bypass the legislative process and implement policies without Congressional approval.

The President's role in the legislative process is a critical aspect of law-making in the United States. While Congress initiates and passes laws, the President can provide critical recommendations and suggestions. The President's veto power ensures their voice is heard and considered, leading to a collaborative and negotiated law-making process. This dynamic between the executive and legislative branches shapes the policies and laws that govern the nation.

How a bill becomes a law in the state of Georgia

The process for a bill to become a law in Georgia follows a number of steps, from the initial idea to the governor's final decision. Here is a detailed breakdown of how a bill becomes a law in the state of Georgia:

Step 1: Drafting the Idea

The process can begin with any citizen of Georgia who identifies a problem with the current government. They can contact their state legislators, who have the power to speak on their behalf to the rest of the Georgia legislators to solve the problem. Once a solution is agreed upon, the legislator will move to the next step.

Step 2: Georgia General Assembly

The legislator must take the proposed idea to the Georgia General Assembly, which is Georgia's version of Congress. Here, the legislator will seek advice from the Office of Legislative Counsel, where an attorney will help draft the bill using the correct terminology and formatting. If the legislator is a Senator, they will file the bill with the Secretary of the Senate; if they are a Representative, they file it with the Clerk of the House. The bill is then introduced on the first legislative day after filing.

Step 3: Georgia State Legislative Session

On the first legislative day after the bill is filed, it undergoes its "First Reading". The bill's title is read aloud in the chamber of the legislator who authored it. After this, the bill is assigned to a standing committee, which will discuss, review, and debate the bill. Amendments can be made, and once the committee is ready, they will vote on the bill. If the committee approves the bill, it is sent back to its respective legislative chambers.

Step 4: Second and Third Readings

The Second Reading is largely ceremonial and only occurs in the Georgia House of Representatives. The Clerk of the House reads the bill's title again, while the bill is still being considered by the committee. The Senate's Second Reading occurs after the bill passes through the committee.

After the Second Reading, the bill undergoes its Third Reading. The bill is read for the third time and then opens for floor debate. Amendments are discussed, and finally, the chamber takes a vote. If the bill passes, it moves to the other chamber (usually on Crossover Day), where the process starts again with amendments and a vote. If the bill is approved by the second house but with changes, the original house must accept those changes.

Step 5: The Governor's Role

Once both houses agree on the same version of the bill, it is sent to the governor for approval. The governor has three options: they can choose to sign the bill, veto it, or do nothing. If the governor takes no action after 40 days, the bill will automatically become a law.

Step 6: The Bill Becomes a Law

Once the bill is signed by the governor, it is printed in the Georgia Law series and added to the Official Code of Georgia Annotated (O.C.G.A.). Unless otherwise stated, all laws become effective on July 1, regardless of when the bill was passed and signed.

The Schoolhouse Rock! segment on bills

The Schoolhouse Rock! segment on how a bill becomes a law is a fun and educational way to learn about the legislative process in the United States. The segment, titled "I'm Just a Bill," follows the journey of a bill as it makes its way through Congress, facing various obstacles and challenges along the way.

The song begins with the introduction of the bill, a piece of potential legislation that has been introduced in Congress by a member of the House of Representatives or the Senate. The bill is personified as a character, portrayed as a piece of paper with eyes and a mouth, who explains that he is just a bill and needs to go through a long process to become a law.

As the song continues, the bill encounters the various steps in the legislative process. He starts in the House of Representatives, where he must be introduced and sponsored by a member of Congress. The bill then goes through a committee, where it is studied and debated by a group of lawmakers. If the bill makes it through the committee, it goes to the House floor for a vote.

The next challenge for the bill is to get through the House of Representatives. The bill needs to be passed by a majority vote in the House before it can move on to the Senate. Once again, the bill faces a committee and a floor vote in the Senate, where the process repeats. If the bill makes it through both houses of Congress, it still needs to be signed by the President to become a law.

Throughout the song, the bill faces various obstacles and setbacks, such as being amended or facing opposition from lawmakers. The bill also learns about the importance of public opinion and the role of lobbyists in influencing the legislative process. Despite the challenges, the bill remains optimistic and determined to become a law, knowing that he has an important purpose to serve.

In the end, the bill succeeds and becomes a law, fulfilling his destiny to make a positive impact on the country. The Schoolhouse Rock! segment concludes with a fun and informative summary of the legislative process, leaving viewers with a better understanding of how a bill becomes a law in the United States.

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