Gavin Howe
Creating laws is the most important job of the U.S. House of Representatives. All laws in the United States begin as bills, and there are multiple steps in the process of how a bill becomes a law. This complex legislative process can be made much easier to understand with a visualisation, such as a storyboard. In this activity, we will be creating a traditional storyboard that represents the process of how a bill becomes a law.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Idea for law is created | Anyone from a child to the president can come up with an idea for a law |
| Idea is brought to a representative | Citizens with ideas for laws can contact their representatives to discuss their ideas |
| Bill is proposed | A representative talks to other representatives about the bill to get their support |
| Bill is introduced | A representative places the bill in the hopper, a special box on the side of the clerk's desk |
| Bill is sent to committee | Committee members review, research, and revise the bill before voting on whether to send it back to the House floor |
| Bill is reported | The committee has approved the bill, so it is sent back to the House floor to be debated |
| Bill is voted upon in the House of Representatives | Representatives discuss and recommend changes to the bill before voting on it |
| Bill is sent to the other House | The bill goes through a similar process in the other House |
| Bill is voted upon in the other House | If the bill is passed by the other House, it is introduced in the Senate |
| Bill is sent to the President | The President can agree with the bill, use the pocket veto, or veto it |
| President agrees with the bill | The President signs the bill and it becomes a law |
| President uses the pocket veto | If Congress is not in session, the bill will not become a law |
| President doesn't sign while Congress is in session, or vetoes | If Congress votes in favour of the bill, it becomes a law |
What You'll Learn
Idea for a law
Ideas for laws can come from anyone, from a child to the President. However, the idea for a law must be proposed by a sitting member of the U.S. Senate or House of Representatives. Citizens who have ideas for laws can contact their Representatives to discuss their ideas. If the Representatives agree, they research the ideas and write them into bills.
Let's say a citizen has an idea for a law to prevent teen traffic accidents. They would then contact their local Representative to discuss the idea. If the Representative agrees, they would research the idea and write it into a bill.
The bill is then proposed to other Representatives to gain their support. Once the bill has a sponsor and the support of some Representatives, it is ready to be introduced.
In the U.S. House of Representatives, a bill is introduced when it is placed in the hopper, a special box on the side of the clerk's desk. A bill clerk assigns it a number that begins with H.R., and a reading clerk reads the bill to all the Representatives. The Speaker of the House then sends the bill to one of the House standing committees.
The Legislative Process: A Comic Strip Guide
You may want to see also
Bill is proposed
The bill-writing process begins with an idea for a law. This idea can come from anyone, from a child to the president. Citizens with ideas for laws can contact their representatives, who will research the idea and write it into a bill if they agree with it. Once a representative has written a bill, it needs a sponsor. The representative discusses the bill with other representatives to get their support.
When a bill has a sponsor and the support of some representatives, it is ready to be introduced. In the US, a bill is introduced when it is placed in the hopper, a special box on the side of the clerk's desk. Representatives are the only people who can introduce bills in the House of Representatives. In Australia, most bills are introduced by government ministers, but other members of parliament can introduce their own bills, known as private members' or private senators' bills.
When a bill is introduced in the US House of Representatives, a bill clerk assigns it a number that begins with H.R. A reading clerk then reads the bill aloud to all representatives, and the Speaker of the House sends it to one of the House standing committees. In Australia, the minister presents the bill, and the clerk reads out its title, known as the first reading. This is followed by the second reading, where the minister explains the purpose, general principles, and effects of the bill.
Tyranny and Law: A Dangerous Dance
You may want to see also
Bill is introduced
The first step in the process of a bill becoming a law is for the bill to be introduced. This can happen in the House of Representatives or the Senate, depending on who the sponsor of the bill is. A bill can be sponsored by any member of Congress, including members of the House of Representatives or the Senate, and the ideas for bills can come from these members themselves or from everyday citizens and advocacy groups. Citizens with ideas for laws can contact their Representatives to discuss their ideas, and if the Representatives agree, they will research the ideas and write them into bills. Once a bill has a sponsor and the support of other Representatives, it is ready to be introduced.
In the House of Representatives, a bill is introduced when it is placed in the hopper, a special box on the side of the clerk's desk. Only Representatives can introduce bills in the House of Representatives. Once a bill is introduced, it is given a number that begins with H.R. by a bill clerk, and a reading clerk reads the bill to all the Representatives. The Speaker of the House then sends the bill to one of the House standing committees.
California's New Law: SB 136 and its Impact
You may want to see also
Bill goes to committee
Once a bill has been introduced, it is sent to a committee. The committee is a group of representatives who are experts on the topic of the bill. For example, if the bill is about education, it will be sent to a committee of representatives who are knowledgeable about education. The committee will review, research, and revise the bill. They may also discuss the bill with others to gain a broader understanding of the topic. This stage is crucial as it ensures that the bill is thoroughly vetted and that all relevant information is considered before it proceeds further.
The committee will then vote on whether to send the bill back to the House floor. If the committee members feel they need more information before making a decision, the bill is sent to a subcommittee. In the subcommittee, the bill is scrutinized in greater detail, and expert opinions are sought. After this, the bill is sent back to the committee for final approval.
The committee plays a vital role in shaping the bill. They can suggest amendments and changes, which the committee will then vote on. This back-and-forth process ensures that the bill is thoroughly debated and refined before it moves forward in the legislative process. It is important to note that the committee stage can be lengthy, depending on the complexity of the bill and the level of expertise required.
Once the committee has finished its work, the bill is reported back to the House floor. At this point, the bill is ready to be debated by the full House of Representatives. This stage marks the transition from the committee's detailed review to broader discussion and deliberation among all members of the House.
Maryland's Lawmaking Process: Understanding How Bills Become Laws
You may want to see also
Bill is voted on
The bill is now voted on by the members of the House of Representatives. There are three methods of voting: viva voce, division, and recorded. In the viva voce method, the Speaker of the House asks the Representatives who support the bill to say "aye" and those who oppose it to say "no". In the division method, the Speaker asks those who support the bill to stand up and be counted, and then does the same for those who oppose it. In the recorded method, Representatives record their votes using an electronic voting system, and can vote yes, no, or present if they don't want to vote. If a majority of the Representatives vote yes, the bill passes in the House of Representatives.
The bill is then certified by the Clerk of the House and delivered to the U.S. Senate, where it is discussed in a Senate committee. The bill is then reported to the Senate floor to be voted on. Senators vote by voice, saying "yea" if they support the bill and "nay" if they oppose it. If a majority of the Senators say "yea", the bill passes in the U.S. Senate and is ready to go to the President.
The Journey of a Bill to Law
You may want to see also
Frequently asked questions
A bill is a proposal for a new law or a change to an existing law.
Anyone can come up with an idea for a bill, from a child to the president. Bills can also be petitioned by people or citizen groups who recommend a new or amended law to a member of Congress that represents them.
A bill is introduced when it is placed in the hopper—a special box on the side of the clerk's desk. A bill is then assigned to a committee whose members will research, discuss, and make changes to the bill.
The bill is then put before that chamber to be voted on. If the bill passes one body of Congress, it goes to the other body to go through a similar process of research, discussion, changes, and voting.
