Legislative branch: How does a bill become a law

Question 1

Steps 1, 2, 3

Answer 1

1. Bill is introduced by an interest group, legislature, agency, org, community members, etc. Once a Assembly member or Senator agrees to author a bill, it is introduced to the legislature.
2. Assembly bill is put into legal language by the Legislative Counsel (non-partisan)
3. Bill is in sent to Rules Committee to be referred (sometimes goes to more than one). The bill cannot be heard for at least a month so that media, other legislators, and the public sphere can read the bill.

Question 2

Steps 4,5,6

Answer 2

4. Bill is voted on in at least one Policy Committee (such as Agricultural committee, etc)
5. Bill is voted on in Appropriations Committee (if there is a financial cost). The leadership in this committee decides what goes to the floor.
6. Bill is voted on the Assembly or Senate Floor (depending on where it started). Once it passes with majority, it goes to next chamber.

Question 3

Step 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 (gut and amend)

Answer 3

6. Bill sent to Senate/Assembly Rules Committee to be referred.
7. Bill is voted on in at least on Policy Committee
8. Bill is voted on in Appropriations Committee (if financial cost)
9. Bill is voted on the Assembly/Senate Floor
10. If there are any amendments (even a word), bill is sent back to Assembly/Senate for concurrence (negotiate, maybe kill). Because it is so easy to amend a bill compared to passing it, floor amendments can be used to substantially modify a bill even to the point of killing it. For example, in a “gut and amend” the entire contents of a bill is stripped and replaced with new content.

Question 4

Step 11

Answer 4

11. If it passes, the bill goes to the Governor. If the governor signs the bill, it becomes law. If the governors vetoes the bill, the bill fails (2/3 vote in each house needed to override). Additionally, if the governor returns the bill without a signature, it still becomes law (often done when Governor doesn’t want to necessarily endorse a policy but wants to support constituents).

Question 5

What is the impact of interest groups on the legislative process?

Answer 5

The legislative process requires lobbying by interest groups in many ways:
1. Making Campaign contributions: Lobbyists are expected to attend fundraisers and sometimes make contributions in a “pay to play” atmosphere as they do so at the same time bills of interests to those lobbyists are being considered by legislators. Interests groups like local governments that barred from making contributions especially rely on lobbyists.
2.Simply being there. Lobbyists watched bills as they proceed through legislature to know how legislators vote on a bill and also to make friends/contacts.
3.Knowing the process. Lobbyists uncover “unwritten rules” from how members address each other to what they wear.
4. Providing information. The most important role is giving legislators, committees, and staff detailed info on a bill, esp its impact on their clients.
5. Coalition building. Interests groups may develop coalitions with each other to help craft to defeat policies.
6. Grassroots lobbying. Grassroots efforts helps mobilize interests and connect them with their representatives on specific policy issues. Successful lobbyists know how to cultivate the constituents closes to legislators or how to help their clients become significant constituents worth listening to.