Making laws is an important part of any government that works. But how exactly does a thought become a rule that we have to follow?
A bill goes through a lot of different steps, from committees to debates to choices made by the president.
How the Bill Begins
The process starts with an idea, usually from a lawmaker who sees a problem or an area that needs to be fixed. The idea is then turned into a bill, which is a formal plan that lays out the law that would be made.
Thoughts from the Committee
The bill is then brought up in either the Senate or the House of Representatives. Here, it is given to the right group to think about and make changes to. At hearings, committees let individuals give their expert views.
Vote Casting on the Floor
It undergoes a whole floor vote to get the necessary majority in case it manages to survive the committee. If gets defeated, the bill goes back to the other house, and the process starts over from the beginning with vote on the floor and going through a committee. Often there are versions of the bill that differ between the palaces, so a conference group has to work out all discrepancies.
The President’s Decision
The bill then goes to the President leaving the President to either sign or submit it back to Congress for further revisions. The President will either decide to veto (block/reject) the bill or sign it into effect.
The Creation of the Law
If the bill manages to pass through this process without any inconveniences, it will be miraculously turned into law. Then, the implementation of the rule is to be made, which will result in complete change of a society in more than one way.