Oklahoma's Path To Law: Understanding The Timeline

The process of a bill becoming a law in Oklahoma involves multiple stages and can take a significant amount of time. In Oklahoma, the legislative session typically begins on the first Monday in February and concludes on the last Friday in May. During this period, thousands of bills are considered, with only a fraction becoming laws. Once a bill is introduced, it goes through several steps, including committee assignments, debates, amendments, and votes in both the House and the Senate. The bill must pass through both chambers before being presented to the governor for approval. The governor can sign the bill into law, veto it, or choose not to take any action. If the governor vetoes the bill, the legislature has the power to override the veto and pass the bill into law. The entire process involves careful consideration, discussion, and negotiation to ensure that the final version of the bill becomes law.

Bills must pass through both the House and Senate

The process of passing a bill through both the House and Senate is as follows: First, a representative sponsors a bill. The bill is then assigned to a committee for study. If released by the committee, the bill is put on a calendar to be voted on, debated, or amended. If the bill passes by a simple majority (218 out of 435), the bill moves to the Senate. In the Senate, the bill is assigned to another committee. If released, it is debated and voted on. Again, a simple majority (51 out of 100) passes the bill. Finally, a conference committee made up of House and Senate members works out any differences between the House and Senate versions of the bill.

The resulting bill returns to the House and Senate for final approval. If a bill is approved by both the House and Senate, it is sent to the Governor of Oklahoma for approval. The Governor may choose to sign the bill, thereby making it law, or veto it, returning it to the Legislature with their objections. In such a case, the bill only becomes law if each house of the Legislature votes to override the veto with a two-thirds majority.

In 2023, more than 3,000 bills were filed, but only around 350 became law. This means that only around 11% of the bills initially filed became law.

The Governor can veto a bill

The Governor of Oklahoma has the power to veto a bill. This is one of the final steps in the process of a bill becoming a law.

Once a bill has been assigned to a committee, heard by the committee, and heard by the floor (the full chamber), it is voted on. If it passes, it goes to the other chamber, where the process is repeated. If the second chamber amends the bill, the differences must be reconciled in a conference committee. After this, the bill is submitted to the Governor of Oklahoma, who may choose to sign the bill, veto it, or take no action.

If the Governor chooses to veto a bill, it does not become state law unless the Legislature overrides the veto with a two-thirds majority. However, if the Governor does not sign off on a bill and it remains unsigned when the Legislature is no longer in session, the bill will be vetoed by default. This is known as a pocket veto and cannot be overridden by the Legislature.

Bills require a majority to pass

The process of a bill becoming a law in Oklahoma involves several stages and requires majority support at various steps. Firstly, a representative sponsors a bill, which is then assigned to a committee for study and consideration. If the committee approves, the bill proceeds to the legislative floor for debate and a vote. A simple majority is required for the bill to pass in the House of Representatives (218 out of 435) and the Senate (51 out of 100). If the bill passes in both chambers, a conference committee comprising members from both houses reconciles any differences between the two versions.

The bill then returns to the House and Senate for a final approval vote, after which it is submitted to the Governor of Oklahoma. The Governor can choose to sign the bill into law, veto it, or take no action. If vetoed, the bill only becomes law if both the House and Senate vote to override the veto with a two-thirds majority. If the Governor takes no action for five days (excluding Sundays), the bill automatically becomes law. However, if the Legislature adjourns during this five-day period, the bill does not become law, resulting in a pocket veto.

While the process requires majority support at various stages, it's important to note that not all bills that are introduced will become laws. In 2023, for example, around 3,000 bills were filed, but only about 350 became laws, highlighting the rigorous nature of the legislative process in Oklahoma.

Bills are assigned to committees

The process of a bill becoming a law in Oklahoma involves several steps and can be lengthy. Bills are initially proposed by a sitting member of the Oklahoma Senate or House of Representatives, or they can be petitioned by citizens or groups who recommend new or amended laws to their representatives. Once a bill is introduced, it is assigned to a committee for study and consideration.

In the Oklahoma Legislature, bills are first considered by legislative committees that research, discuss, and make changes to them. These committees then vote on which bills to advance for further consideration by the full state House of Representatives or the Senate. The committees play a critical role in shaping the legislation by providing a forum for discussion, amendments, and initial voting on the bills.

The committees are typically composed of members from the same chamber as the bill's origin, such as the House or the Senate. The Speaker of the Oklahoma House of Representatives designates the number of committees, their subject areas, chairs, and membership. The President Pro Tempore of the Oklahoma Senate performs similar duties for that chamber. Each committee is led by a chairperson from the majority party and a ranking member from the minority party.

The committees have the authority to hold hearings, collect evidence, and propose amendments to the bills under their consideration. After debating and discussing a bill, the committee votes on whether to report the measure to the full chamber. If a bill is not reported by the committee, it effectively dies and does not advance further in the legislative process.

The committee stage is a critical step in the legislative process, as it allows for a more detailed examination of the bill and provides an opportunity for stakeholders and experts to provide input. It also enables legislators to propose and consider amendments to improve the bill before it reaches the floor of the full chamber.

The Legislature meets annually

The Oklahoma Legislature meets annually in the Oklahoma State Capitol in Oklahoma City. The annual regular session is held from February through May, with the next session starting on February 3, 2025. During each session, the Legislature considers thousands of bills, some of which are relevant to specific organisations like the OMMA (Oklahoma Medical Marijuana Authority).

The process of a bill becoming a law begins with a representative sponsoring a bill. The bill is then assigned to a committee for study and, if released by the committee, it is put on a calendar to be voted on, debated, or amended. If the bill passes by a simple majority, it moves to the Senate, where the process is repeated. If the bill is approved by the Senate, it goes back to the House for final approval. If the bill is approved by both houses, it is sent to the Governor of Oklahoma for approval. The Governor can choose to sign the bill into law, veto it, or take no action. If the Governor does not approve a bill, it will not become state law unless the Legislature overrides the veto.

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