The Enrolled Bill's Journey: Becoming Law

The process of a bill becoming a law is a complex one, with many steps and procedures to be followed. In the US, the legislative branch of government is responsible for the enactment of laws, with the Senate and House of Representatives each playing a role.

Once a bill has been introduced and assigned to a committee for study, it will go through a series of reviews and debates, being amended and shaped along the way. If the bill passes these stages, it will then be prepared for the Governor or President's action. This is when a bill becomes enrolled. An enrolled bill is the final version of the bill, agreed upon by both chambers of the Legislature, and is then sent to the Governor or President for approval. If the Governor or President approves, the bill is signed and becomes law. However, if they disapprove, the bill may be vetoed, and sent back to the originating chamber.

The enrolled bill is sent to the Governor for approval

Once a bill has been passed by both houses of Congress, it is sent to the President for approval. The President has 10 days to either sign the bill into law, veto it, or do nothing and allow it to become law without their signature. If the President vetoes the bill, it is returned to Congress, which can override the veto with a two-thirds majority vote in both houses. If the President does nothing, the bill becomes law unless Congress has adjourned within the 10-day period, in which case the bill is pocket vetoed and does not become law.

The Governor can sign the bill, veto it, or allow it to become law without signing

Once a bill has been passed by both houses of the legislature, it is sent to the governor for their action. The governor can either sign the bill, veto it, or allow it to become law without their signature.

If the governor approves of the bill, they will sign it, and it will become law. In some states, such as Virginia, the governor has a set number of days to sign the bill, after which it will become law without their signature. In Virginia, this period is seven days during a regular or special session, and 30 days if there are fewer than seven days remaining in the session.

If the governor objects to the bill, they can veto it. They must return the bill, along with their objections, to the house in which the bill originated. The house will then enter the objections into its journal and reconsider the bill. If the house overrides the veto by a two-thirds majority vote, the bill will be sent to the other house for reconsideration. If both houses override the veto by a two-thirds majority vote, the bill will become law without the governor's signature. If either house fails to override the veto, the bill will not become law.

In some states, governors can also recommend specific and severable amendments to a bill. The house in which the bill originated will enter the governor's recommendation into its journal and reconsider the bill. If both houses agree to the governor's recommendation, the bill, as amended, will become law. If the governor's recommendation is not accepted, the bill will be returned to the governor for further action.

If the governor takes no action on the bill, it will become law without their signature after a statutorily mandated time has passed.

The bill becomes law after the Governor's action

Once the enrolled bill has been signed by the presiding officers of both chambers, it is sent to the Governor for their action. The Governor can either sign the bill, veto it, or allow it to become law without their signature. If the Governor signs the bill, it becomes law. If the Governor vetoes the bill, it is returned to the originating chamber with a message detailing their reasons for disapproval. A vetoed bill can still become law if two-thirds of the members of each house vote to override the Governor's veto. If the Governor does not sign or return the bill within 10 days (not counting Sundays), the bill becomes law automatically, unless the legislature has adjourned during the 10-day period, in which case the bill is pocket vetoed.

In Florida, the process is slightly different. After the enrolled bill is signed by the legislative officers, it is sent to the Governor for their action and then to the Secretary of State, or it is filed directly with the Secretary of State. The bill becomes law when the Governor approves it or fails to sign or veto it within the period specified in the State Constitution. An act can also become law when a subsequent legislature overrides a veto by the Governor. While the legislature is in session, the Governor has 7 days following the presentation of a bill to sign or veto it. If the legislature adjourns sine die before the act is presented to the Governor or while the act is in the Governor's possession, the Governor has 15 days following the date of presentation to take action.

A bill becomes effective 60 days following adjournment, unless another date is specified

The process of a bill becoming a law is a long and complex one. Once a bill has been introduced, debated, and passed by both houses of the legislature, it is prepared for the governor's action. This is called the "enrolled" bill. The enrolled bill is then sent to the governor, who can either sign the bill, veto it, or allow it to become law without their signature.

A bill enacted by the legislature is effective 60 days following adjournment, unless another date is specified in the bill. This means that the bill becomes law 60 days after the governor has signed it, vetoed it, or allowed it to pass without their signature. This period allows for the practical implementation of the bill to be organised, and for the public to be made aware of the new law.

In some states, there are default rules that govern the effective dates of newly signed laws. For example, if a bill does not specify an effective date, guidelines can be used to calculate one.

The enrolled bill is prepared for the President's signature

Once a bill has been passed by both chambers of Congress, it is enrolled. This means it is prepared in its final official form and presented to the President for review. The enrolled bill is then sent to the President for his consideration. The President has the power to veto any bill passed by Congress, and the Constitution provides that "every bill which shall have passed the House of Representatives and the Senate, shall, before it becomes a law, be presented to the President of the United States".

The enrolled bill is delivered to the White House by the Clerk of the House or Secretary of the Senate, who stamps it to certify the date and time of its arrival. The clerk and secretary are also required to report the fact and date of presentation to the President and their respective chambers. The President has 10 days, excluding Sundays, to sign or veto the enrolled bill. If the President signs the bill within this 10-day period, it becomes law.

If the President disapproves of the bill, he can veto it and return it to the originating chamber with a message indicating his reasons for doing so. If the President does not sign or return the bill within the 10-day period, the bill becomes law unless Congress has adjourned during this time (a pocket veto). In this case, the bill does not become law.

The President can also issue a signing statement at or near the time a bill is signed into law. These are official pronouncements that can include the President's interpretation of the bill's language, objections to certain provisions, or their intent in executing the bill. However, signing statements are not part of the legislative process and have no legal effect.

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