How A Bill Becomes Law: State House Tour Office

State House Tour Office
How a Bill Becomes Law

An Idea Is Developed.
A Bill Is Drafted.
The Bill Is Introduced.
The Bill Is Not Scheduled

For FIRST READING.
The Bill "Dies."
An idea is developed.
A legislator either a Representative or a Senator decides to
sponsor a bill. This could be an original idea, or it could come
as a suggestion from a constituent, an interest group, a public
official, or the Governor. Other lawmakers may be asked to
join as co-sponsors. The co-sponsors may or may not be of the
same political party as the sponsor.
The Bill Is Scheduled

For First Reading.
A bill is drafted.
The Bill Is Heard For

FIRST READING.
At the sponsoring legislators direction, the nonpartisan

Legislative Services Agency (LSA) provides research and
drafting assistance. LSA prepares the bill in proper technical
form.
The bill is introduced.
The bill is filed by the legislato r in her/his own chamber,
which could be either the Senate or the House of
Representatives. If the chamber leadership does not call the
bill for First Reading, it dies. If the bill is called, it is
scheduled for First Reading.
The bill has its First Reading in the house of origin.
The bill is read by title for the first time to the full legislative
body.
Page 2
The Bill Is Heard For

FIRST READING.
The Bill Is Not

Assigned To
Committee.
The Bill "Dies."
The Bill Is
Assigned To
Committee.
The bill is assigned to committee.

The President Pro Tempore ofthe Senate or the
Speaker of the House of Representatives can
choose not to refer the bill to a committee. In this
event, the bill dies.
If the bill is to advance, it is referred to a
committee for review.
The committee takes action on the bill.

For Public Hearing.
The Bill Is
Voted Upon.
A Majority Vote Against.
The Bill "Dies."

For Public Hearing.
The Bill "Dies."
The Bill Is
Voted Upon.
A Majority Vote In Favor.
The Bill Is Returned

To The House Of Origin
For Second Reading.
The committee chairperson may choose not to

schedule the bill for hearing. In this event, the bill
dies.
If the bill is to advance, it is scheduled for a public
hearing. At that hearing, the committee discusses
the merits and disadvantages of the bill, and any
interested party may ask to speak to the
committee. Interested persons may speak in favor
of or in opposition to the bill.
Following this hearing, the bill can be voted upon
or tabled. If the bill is tabled, it may or may not
come back for a vote. If it does not come back for
a vote, the bill dies.
If the committee casts a vote on the bill, the bill
can be defeated or it can advance.
The Bill Is Returned

To The House Of Origin
For Second Reading.

For Second Reading.
The Bill "Dies."

For Second Reading.
Amendments May Be Proposed.

A Simple Majority Vote Is All
That Is Required To Amend.
The Full Body Votes On The Bill.

A Simple Majority Vote In Favor.
The Bill Advances To

Third Reading.

A Simple Majority Vote Against.
The Bill "Dies."
The committee sends the bill back to the house

of origin for Second Reading.
If the committee advances the bill, it is printed
and the full body of legislators has at least two
days to review it.
Chamber leadership may choose not to schedule
the bill for Second Reading. In this event, the bill
dies.
If the bill is scheduled, any legislator of the house
of origin can suggest amendments to the bill. The
amendments can be approved by a majority vote of
the full body of legislators.
Following a vote on amendments, a vote is held on
the bill itself. The bill may die at this point, or
it may advance.
The house of origin holds the Third Reading and

the bill is voted upon by the full chamber.
The Bill Advances To

Third Reading.

For Third Reading.
The Bill "Dies."

For Third Reading.
Amendments May Be Proposed.

A 2/3 Majority Vote Is
Required To Amend.

A Simple Majority Vote In Favor.
The Bill Is Sent To The

Other Legislative Chamber.

A Simple Majority Vote Against.
The Bill "Dies."
Again, chamber leadership may choose not to

schedule the bill for Third Reading, and the bill
dies.
If the bill is scheduled, amendments can once again
be made. However, on Third Reading, the
amendments cannot be approved unless two-thirds
of the legislators agree to the change.
Following a vote on amendments, the bill once again
comes to a vote by the full body. A simple majority
of the full house can advanc e the bill. If a majority
vote is not received, the bill dies.

Second Legislative Chamber.
The Second Chamber

Fails To Act.
The Bill "Dies."
The Second Chamber

Schedules The Bill
For First Reading.
The Second Chamber

Assigns The Bill To
Committee.
The Committee Advances

The Bill And Returns It
For Second Reading.
The Full Chamber

Advances The Bill
To Third Reading.
The Full Chamber

Advances The Bill.
The Bill Returns To The

House Of Origin.
The process repeats in the other chamber.

Once the bill has advanced through the house of origin,
it is sent to the second house , where the process
repeats.
The second chamber may fail to act on the bill, in which
case the bill dies. If action is taken, the bill must pass
through First Reading, Committee, Second Reading and
Third Reading.
The bill can die at any step of th e way, just as it can in
the house of origin.
At the same stages as in the house of origin, as long as
the bill is advancing, amendments may be proposed and
accepted.
Page 6
The bill returns to the house of origin.
The Bill Returns To The

House Of Origin.
Amendments Were Not Made

And The Bill Is Sent To The
Governor For Signature.
Amendments Were Made

To The Bill.
The House Of Origin

Fails To Take Action.
The Bill "Dies."
The House Of Origin

Approves Changes Made.
If the bill advances through the second chamber

without amendments, the bill is sent to the
Governor for signature.
If the bill advances with amendments, it returns to
the house of origin.
The House Of Origin

Does Not Approve
The Changes.
The Bill Is Assigned To

Conference Committee.
The house of origin may fail to take action, and the

bill dies. The legislative body may vote to
approve the changes made by the second chamber.
If th is happens, the bill is sent to the Governor for
signature.
If the first chamber does not approve the changes
made by the second chamber, and both houses want
the bill to advance, the bill is assigned to a
Page 7
The Bill Is Assigned To

The Conference Committee

Cannot Reach Agreement.
The Bill "Dies."
Conference Committee
Reaches Agreement.
A Report Is Sent
To Both Chambers.
Both The Senate And The House

Approve The
Committee Report.

Either The Senate Or The House

Does Not Approve The
Committee Report.
The Bill "Dies."
Conference Committee is made up of two members
from each of the legislative bodies. Each chamber
sends one member from both major political parties.
The four members attempt to reconcile differences
between the chambers.
If agreement cannot be reached, the bill dies.
If agreement is reached, the bill returns to both
chambers. Both the Senate and the House of
Representatives must approve the bill before it can
be sent to the governor for signature.
Page 8
The bill is sent to the Governor.

The Governor Signs The

Bill Into Law.
The Governor Vetoes

The Bill.
The Governor Allows The

Bill To Become Law
Without A Signature.
The House And The Senate

Do Nothing.
The Bill "Dies."
The House And The Senate

Vote To Over-Ride The Veto.
The Measure Fails.
The Bill "Dies."
A Majority In Both The

House And The Senate Vote
To Over-Ride The Veto.
The Bill Becomes Law.
Once the governor receives a bill, he can sign it,

veto it, or do nothing. If he signs it, th e bill
becomes law. If he does nothing, the bill
becomes law without his signature.
If he vetoes the bill, and the Senate and House of
Representatives do nothing, the bill dies. If he
vetoes the bill and the Senate and the House of
Representatives atte mpt to over-ride the veto,
the bill may still become law.
If less than 26 Senators and less than 51 House
members do not vote to o v e r-ride the veto, the
bill dies. If a simple majority of both chambers
vote to over-ride the veto, the bill becomes law.
The bill becomes law.
For More Information, or to Schedule A State House Tour

State House Tour Office, State House, Room 220
The bill becomes law at a date specified in the

body of the bill. It could be the date of the
actual passing or a date at some point in the
future.
200 West Washington Street, Indianapolis, IN 46204

(317) 233-5293
(317) 233-9565 Fax
captours@idoa.state.in.us
Please visit our web site again at: www.IN.gov/statehouse
Published 2001

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State House Tour Office

How a Bill Becomes Law

The Bill Is Introduced.

The Bill Is Not Scheduled

The Bill Is Scheduled

The Bill Is Heard For

At the sponsoring legislators direction, the nonpartisan

The Bill Is Heard For

The Bill Is Not

The bill is assigned to committee.

The Bill Is Scheduled

The Bill Is Not Scheduled

The Bill Is Returned

The committee chairperson may choose not to

The Bill Is Returned

The Bill Is Not Scheduled

The Bill Is Scheduled

Amendments May Be Proposed.

The Full Body Votes On The Bill.

The Bill Advances To

The Full Body Votes On The Bill.

The committee sends the bill back to the house

The house of origin holds the Third Reading and

The Bill Advances To

The Bill Is Not Scheduled

The Bill Is Scheduled

Amendments May Be Proposed.

The Full Body Votes On The Bill.

The Bill Is Sent To The

The Full Body Votes On The Bill.

Again, chamber leadership may choose not to

The Bill Is Sent To The

The Second Chamber

The Second Chamber

The Second Chamber

The Committee Advances

The Full Chamber

The Full Chamber

The Bill Returns To The

The process repeats in the other chamber.

The bill returns to the house of origin.

The Bill Returns To The

Amendments Were Not Made

Amendments Were Made

The House Of Origin

The House Of Origin

If the bill advances through the second chamber

The House Of Origin

The Bill Is Assigned To

The house of origin may fail to take action, and the

The Bill Is Assigned To

The Conference Committee

Both The Senate And The House

The Bill Is Sent To The

Either The Senate Or The House

The bill is sent to the Governor.

The Bill Is Sent To The

The Governor Signs The