Lesson 3 of 5
How a Bill Becomes Law
From introduction to signature in Congress, Tennessee and Colorado, and where citizens can weigh in.
The text
All Bills for raising Revenue shall originate in the House of Representatives; but the Senate may propose or concur with Amendments as on other Bills.
Every Bill which shall have passed the House of Representatives and the Senate, shall, before it become a Law, be presented to the President of the United States; If he approve he shall sign it, but if not he shall return it, with his Objections to that House in which it shall have originated, who shall enter the Objections at large on their Journal, and proceed to reconsider it. If after such Reconsideration two thirds of that House shall agree to pass the Bill, it shall be sent, together with the Objections, to the other House, by which it shall likewise be reconsidered, and if approved by two thirds of that House, it shall become a Law. But in all such Cases the Votes of both Houses shall be determined by yeas and Nays, and the Names of the Persons voting for and against the Bill shall be entered on the Journal of each House respectively. If any Bill shall not be returned by the President within ten Days (Sundays excepted) after it shall have been presented to him, the Same shall be a Law, in like Manner as if he had signed it, unless the Congress by their Adjournment prevent its Return, in which Case it shall not be a Law.
Every Order, Resolution, or Vote to which the Concurrence of the Senate and House of Representatives may be necessary (except on a question of Adjournment) shall be presented to the President of the United States; and before the Same shall take Effect, shall be approved by him, or being disapproved by him, shall be repassed by two thirds of the Senate and House of Representatives, according to the Rules and Limitations prescribed in the Case of a Bill.
Bills may originate in either House; but may be amended, altered or rejected by the other. No bill shall become a law which embraces more than one subject, that subject to be expressed in the title. All acts which repeal, revive or amend former laws, shall recite in their caption, or otherwise, the title or substance of the law repealed, revived or amended.
A bill shall become law when it has been considered and passed on three different days in each House and on third and final consideration has received the assent of a majority of all the members to which each House is entitled under this Constitution, when the respective speakers have signed the bill with the date of such signing appearing in the Journal, and when the bill has been approved by the Governor or otherwise passed under the provisions of this Constitution.
Every bill which may pass both Houses of the General Assembly shall, before it becomes a law, be presented to the Governor for his signature. If he approve, he shall sign it, and the same shall become a law; but if he refuse to sign it, he shall return it with his objections thereto, in writing, to the house in which it originated; and said House shall cause said objections to be entered at large upon its journal, and proceed to reconsider the Bill. If after such reconsideration, a majority of all the members elected to that House shall agree to pass the Bill, notwithstanding the objections of the Executive, it shall be sent, with said objections, to the other House, by which it shall be likewise reconsidered. If approved by a majority of the whole number elected to that House, it shall become a law. The votes of both Houses shall be determined by yeas and nays, and the names of all the members voting for or against the Bill shall be entered upon the journals of their respective Houses.
If the Governor shall fail to return any bill with his objections in writing within ten calendar days (Sundays excepted) after it shall have been presented to him, the same shall become a law without his signature. If the General Assembly by its adjournment prevents the return of any bill within said ten-day period, the bill shall become a law, unless disapproved by the Governor and filed by him with his objections in writing in the office of the Secretary of State within said ten-day period.
Every Joint Resolution or order (except on question of adjournment and proposals of specific amendments to the Constitution) shall likewise be presented to the Governor for his signature; and on being disapproved by him shall, in like manner, be returned with his objections; and the same, before it shall take effect, shall be repassed by a majority of all the members elected to both Houses in the manner and according to the rules prescribed in case of a Bill.
The Governor may reduce or disapprove the sum of money appropriated by any one or more items or parts of items in any bill appropriating money, while approving other portions of the bill. The portions so approved shall become law, and the items or parts of items disapproved or reduced shall be void to the extent that they have been disapproved or reduced unless repassed as hereinafter provided. The Governor, within ten calendar days (Sundays excepted) after the bill shall have been presented to him, shall report the items or parts of items disapproved or reduced with his objections in writing to the House in which the bill originated, or if the General Assembly shall have adjourned, to the office of the Secretary of State. Any such items or parts of items so disapproved or reduced shall be restored to the bill in the original amount and become law if repassed by the General Assembly according to the rules and limitations prescribed for the passage of other bills over the executive veto.
No law shall be passed except by bill, and no bill shall be so altered or amended on its passage through either house as to change its original purpose.
No bill shall be considered or become a law unless referred to a committee, returned therefrom, and printed for the use of the members. Every measure referred to a committee of reference of either house shall be considered by the committee upon its merits, and no rule of either house shall deny the opportunity for consideration and vote by a committee of reference upon such a measure within appropriate deadlines. A motion that the committee report the measure favorably to the committee of the whole, with or without amendments, shall always be in order within appropriate deadlines. Each measure reported to the committee of the whole shall appear on the appropriate house calendar in the order in which it was reported out of the committee of reference and within appropriate deadlines.
No bill, except general appropriation bills, shall be passed containing more than one subject, which shall be clearly expressed in its title; but if any subject shall be embraced in any act which shall not be expressed in the title, such act shall be void only as to so much thereof as shall not be so expressed.
Every bill shall be read by title when introduced, and at length on two different days in each house; provided, however, any reading at length may be dispensed with upon unanimous consent of the members present. All substantial amendments made thereto shall be printed for the use of the members before the final vote is taken on the bill, and no bill shall become a law except by a vote of the majority of all members elected to each house taken on two separate days in each house, nor unless upon its final passage the vote be taken by ayes and noes and the names of those voting be entered on the journal.
Every bill passed by the general assembly shall, before it becomes a law, be presented to the governor. If he approve, he shall sign it, and thereupon it shall become a law; but if he do not approve, he shall return it, with his objections, to the house in which it originated, which house shall enter the objections at large upon its journal, and proceed to reconsider the bill. If then two-thirds of the members elected agree to pass the same, it shall be sent, together with the objections, to the other house, by which it shall likewise be reconsidered, and if approved by two-thirds of the members elected to that house, it shall become a law, notwithstanding the objections of the governor. In all such cases the vote of each house shall be determined by ayes and noes, to be entered upon the journal. If any bill shall not be returned by the governor within ten days after it shall have been presented to him, the same shall be a law in like manner as if he had signed it, unless the general assembly shall by their adjournment prevent its return, in which case it shall be filed with his objections in the office of the secretary of state, within thirty days after such adjournment, or else become a law.
In Congress
- Introduction. A Representative or Senator introduces a bill. Revenue bills must start in the House (Article I, Section 7).
- Committee. The bill goes to a committee, which may hold hearings, amend it ("mark up"), and vote to report it. Most bills die here.
- Floor. The full chamber debates and votes. In the Senate, ending debate on most bills ("cloture") takes three-fifths of the Senators duly chosen and sworn, 60 when there are no vacancies. That is a Senate rule (Rule XXII), not a constitutional requirement.
- The other chamber. Both houses must pass the identical text; differences are resolved by a conference committee or by one house accepting the other's version.
- The President. He may sign it; veto it and return it with objections; or do nothing. A bill left unsigned for ten days (Sundays excepted) becomes law, unless Congress has adjourned and prevented its return (a "pocket veto").
- Override. Two-thirds of each house can override a veto, and the votes must be recorded by name.
In Tennessee
- Each bill must contain one subject, expressed in its title (Article II, Section 17).
- A bill must pass on three different days in each house and get, on final passage, a majority of all members each house is entitled to, not merely of those present (Article II, Section 18).
- The Governor has ten calendar days (Sundays excepted) to act, or the bill becomes law without his signature. Tennessee has no pocket veto: if the legislature's adjournment prevents a bill's return, it still becomes law unless the Governor files his veto with the Secretary of State within that ten-day period. A veto can be overridden by a majority of all members elected to each house (Article III, Section 18), the same number needed to pass the bill in the first place.
In Colorado
- Laws must be passed by bill, and amendments may not change a bill's original purpose (Article V, Section 17); each bill, except general appropriation bills, has one subject clearly expressed in its title (Section 21).
- Every bill referred to a committee must be considered by that committee on its merits; legislative rules may not deny it a committee vote (Section 20).
- Passage requires a majority of all members elected to each house, with the final vote taken by ayes and noes and the names recorded in the journal (Section 22).
- The Governor has ten days to act while the legislature is in session; if adjournment prevents a bill's return, he has thirty days after adjournment to file a veto with the Secretary of State, or the bill becomes law. Overriding a veto takes two-thirds of the members elected to each house (Article IV, Section 11).
- The people can also make laws directly by initiative, or refer laws to the ballot by referendum (Article V, Section 1). The Colorado course covers this.
Where citizens come in
Committee hearings are often the most effective moment to speak. Tennessee and Colorado legislative committees can take public testimony, and your own legislators hear from constituents by mail, phone and email. Use Christian Vote USA's bill pages to see a bill's status and its sponsors, and "My Officials" to contact the people who vote on it.
Check your understanding
This lesson is educational and is not legal advice. Laws and procedures change; confirm current rules with the official sources linked above.