Bill Basics: What is a Bill and How Does it Become Law?Marie Sullivan, Director of Governmental RelationsNOVEMBER 21, 2013

INVEST IN OUR FUTURE THROUGH PUBLIC EDUCATION

Purpose of a Bill• Creates, amends or deletes a law• State laws are recorded as “statutes” in

the Revised Code of Washington (RCW)• Only the state legislature can change an

RCW– And only during session or a special session

called by the Governor

INVEST IN OUR FUTURE THROUGH PUBLIC EDUCATION

Introduction of a Bill• Bills are only introduced by legislators• The type of bill – HB or SB – is

considered the House of Origin• Identical bills are called “companion” bills

INVEST IN OUR FUTURE THROUGH PUBLIC EDUCATION

Other Kinds of Legislation• Joint memorials – jokingly called “letters to

Santa Claus” – Directed at President, Congress, etc.

• Joint resolutions – amendments to the State Constitution – must be approved by Washington voters

• Concurrent resolutions – usually legislative business e.g., setting cutoff dates,

rules

INVEST IN OUR FUTURE THROUGH PUBLIC EDUCATION

Bill Process• Introduced by a legislator

– First reading is on the floor, typically title only• Other legislators may sign on in support• Bill is assigned to a policy committee or –

if strictly a money-related bill – to a fiscal committee

INVEST IN OUR FUTURE THROUGH PUBLIC EDUCATION

First Hurdle: The Hearing• A bill may be given a hearing at the

discretion of the committee chair• People testify in support or opposition of

the bill or with concerns• Courtesy hearings

INVEST IN OUR FUTURE THROUGH PUBLIC EDUCATION

Second Hurdle: Vote in Committee• Bill may be modified by an amendment or

striking amendment• A vote will be taken and recorded, and the

bill moved forward• “Subject to signature” requirements

INVEST IN OUR FUTURE THROUGH PUBLIC EDUCATION

Third Hurdle: Fiscal or Rules Committees• Fiscal committee – same hearing process• Testimony is typically only on fiscal issues• If substantial modifications, it could

become a 2nd substitute• When passes the fiscal committee – the

bill is sent to Rules• If no fiscal impact, bill is sent to Rules

INVEST IN OUR FUTURE THROUGH PUBLIC EDUCATION

Third Hurdle (cont.): Rules Committee• Led by the Speaker of the House or the

Lieutenant Governor• Members “pull” bills

– White Sheet to the Green Sheet– Green Sheet to the Floor

• If Rules committee votes to move forward, it goes to the Floor Calendar

• “Package Pull”

INVEST IN OUR FUTURE THROUGH PUBLIC EDUCATION

Fourth Hurdle: Scheduled for a Vote on the Floor• Leadership and/or committee chairs

discuss bills• Caucus presentations and discussions• “Working the doors”

INVEST IN OUR FUTURE THROUGH PUBLIC EDUCATION

Fifth Hurdle: House of Origin Vote• Sponsor of the bill prepares talking points

and speaks in support of the bill on the floor

• Any Legislator in the House of Origin may offer amendments to the bill

• If amended on the floor, it becomes an “engrossed” bill

INVEST IN OUR FUTURE THROUGH PUBLIC EDUCATION

Fifth Hurdle (cont): Cutoff Dates• During this entire process, there are

“cutoff dates” – dates by which a bill must have been moved forward to remain in consideration during the session

INVEST IN OUR FUTURE THROUGH PUBLIC EDUCATION

Sixth Hurdle: Bill Introduced in Other “Chamber”• Bill is assigned to a policy or fiscal

committee • The entire process begins anew• Cutoff dates apply with a more

compressed schedule

INVEST IN OUR FUTURE THROUGH PUBLIC EDUCATION

Seventh Hurdle: Hearing and Vote in Opposite Chamber

• The bill must receive a hearing and be passed by a policy committee or fiscal committee - or both - if it has both a policy and fiscal impact

• Committee chairs negotiate bills, discuss amendments

INVEST IN OUR FUTURE THROUGH PUBLIC EDUCATION

Opposite Chamber Hurdles

• Eighth Hurdle: Rules committee• Ninth Hurdle: Getting scheduled for a full

vote• Tenth Hurdle: Voting by the full “chamber”

INVEST IN OUR FUTURE THROUGH PUBLIC EDUCATION

11th Hurdle: Reconciling Changes• If the bill was changed, it has to return to its

“House of Origin” for a vote to “concur” or “dispute” the changes that were made

• If bill is significant or controversial, it can be sent to a “Conference Committee”– e.g., budget, complex, lots of changes made

• Bill is still subject to ever-shrinking cutoff dates

INVEST IN OUR FUTURE THROUGH PUBLIC EDUCATION

12th Hurdle: Final Steps• The bill requires full vote• Placed on consent or dispute agenda• Conference vote is up or down• The bill must be signed by both the

President of the Senate (the Lieutenant Governor) and the Speaker of the House

INVEST IN OUR FUTURE THROUGH PUBLIC EDUCATION

13th Hurdle: Signed by the Governor• Governor action

– Deliver date determines when clock starts for some bills

• Unless there’s an emergency clause or specified “effective date,” the default effective date is 90 days after the end of the original session

INVEST IN OUR FUTURE THROUGH PUBLIC EDUCATION

Save the Date!January 26-27, 2014

Legislative Conference Day on the Hill

Registration Open Now!

Sponsored by: WSSDA/WASA/WASBO