Introducing Bills in the Legislature & Legislative Process (Chapter 5)

Introducing Bills in the Legislature

• The members who introduces a bill is known as the author or sponsor • Look for cosponsors • Introduced bills and resolutions are referred to committee • Hearings may be held • If a bill receives a majority vote in committee (if it is "reported favorably") it moves to consideration by the entire chamber

Introducing a bill

to officially bring a bill before a legislative chamber for the first time, introducing a bill is the first step in the formal legislative process

Bill

A proposed new law or change to existing law brought before a legislative chamber by a legislative member.

Amendments

Killer amendments ("poison pills")

Floor Debate

Period during which a bill is brought up before the entire chamber for debate - House rules (Time allotted per member per bill) - Senate rules ("Unlimited" debate)

Delay Tactics

Senate (Filibuster), House (Chubbing), Quorum necessity

Filibuster

speaking continuously without yielding to another member, causing time to run out before bill can be voted on

Chubbing

Lengthy debate on noncontroversial bills to cause time to run out and thereby prevent other bill from coming up

Quorum necessity

members leave the floor to prevent bill consideration

Voting

voice votes & roll call votes

voice notes

chair declares winner by listening to "ayes" and "nays"

roll call votes

member votes are recorded

Gubernatorial responses

veto, line-item veto, inaction, & emergency clause

line-item veto

spending bills only

inaction

bills neither signed nor vetoed become law without governor's signature

emergency clause

Makes bills become effective immediately, rather than after customary 90-day waiting period

Bureaucracy

A method of organizing any large public or private organization that includes hierarchical structure, division of labor, standard operating procedures, and advancement by merit.