BILL INTRODUCTION

A Senator introduces the bill by filing it with the Secretary of the Senate.  The title is then read by a clerk during legislative session and the bill is referred to an appropriate standing committee by the Senate President Pro Tempore.

SENATE COMMITTEE

The bill may then be considered by the committee or referred by the chairman to a subcommittee with instructions to study it and make recommendations to the full committee.  Consideration of the bill could also include input from the public through subcommittee or committee hearings.

The committee may then vote to report the bill to the Senate floor, either as committed (which means without change), as amended (with changes), or, in rare instances, with a negative recommendation.  The committee may also decide not to report the bill at all.

THE FULL SENATE

The measure then goes to the full Senate for the first of three days of consideration in each chamber.  No debate or amendments are permitted from the floor at this stage.

On second consideration, Senators may propose amendments, if they are deemed relevant to the subject of the bill.  Debate is permitted at this stage.  Once agreed to by the Senate for a second time, the bill is reprinted to include any amendments.

On third consideration, a bill may again be amended.  At the conclusion of debate, a roll call is held.  If a constitutional majority -- usually 26 Senators -- vote in its favor, the bill passes the Senate.  (With a some special bills, the Constitution requires a larger majority -- two-thirds of the membership in each chamber.)

HOUSE COMMITTEE

After the bill has passed the Senate, it is sent to the House of Representatives, where the Speaker refers it to the appropriate standing committee in the House.

THE FULL HOUSE

If the bill is reported from committee it follows a course similar to that in the Senate, except on first consideration.  After first consideration in the House, the bill is not automatically moved on to second consideration, but is laid on the table.  It may be removed from the table by a motion of the Majority Leader, or a designee.   

When a bill is so removed from the table, it is placed on the legislative calendar for the next day. 

Second and third consideration and final passage in the House is similar to the Senate, with 102 votes generally being the constitutional majority in the House. 

SENATE RECONSIDERS

If the House amends a Senate bill, the bill is returned to the Senate to consider the changes.  A constitutional majority is needed to concur with the amendments.  The Senate may amend a House bill in the same manner.  Either chamber may defeat a bill originating from the other, either in committee or on the floor.

CONFERENCE COMMITTEE

If the Senate refuses to agree to the amendments made by the House, or vice versa, the bill usually goes to a Conference Committee made up of three members of each chamber.  The Conference Committee attempts to resolve the differences between the two versions of the bill and its members report to their respective chambers.  The Senate and House each hold a vote on whether to accept the committee report.  If approved by Senate and House, the bill is then sent to the Governor for consideration.

THE GOVERNOR

The Governor, after referring the bill to the Attorney General to certify its legality and constitutionality, can either sign, veto, or take no action on the legislation. 

The official certified copy of each bill approved by the Governor is placed in the custody of the Secretary of the Commonwealth, given an act number, and filed.  It is then no longer considered a bill, but an "Act of the General Assembly."

If the Governor does not act on the bill within a prescribed time, it becomes law without his signature.

PRINTING AN ACT

The Legislative Reference Bureau -- where the bill originated -- prepares the act for printing.  The Bureau, with the approval of legislative leaders and the Attorney General, may correct editorial errors or make other small changes that do not change the substance of the act.

The Bureau then publishes the act along with others from that year in book form, known as the Pamphlet of Laws, for distribution to courts, attorneys, libraries and citizens who may request them.

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