1. HOW DOES A BILL BECOME A LAW?

2. Have You Ever Wondered…  Why do we have so many laws?  What are the steps that turn a bill into a law?

3. Making a law is not EASY  There are ten steps that have to take place in order for a bill to become a law! A bill is an idea that a citizen or a representative wants to turn into a law.

4. Step 1: The Bill Begins  Every state has a certain number of representatives depending on the population. There are a total of 435 representatives in the US.  The bigger states have more representatives while the smaller ones have lesser representatives. For example: Texas has 36 representatives because it is big while New Jersey only has 12 since it is smaller.  If a citizen has an idea, they can send it to the representative. If the representative likes it, he or she can research and write it.

5. Step 2: Team Work  The representative cannot get the bill to pass on their own. They show it to other representatives.  If some other representatives approve it, then the bill is introduced to the committee.

6. Step 3: A New Idea  The bill is put into a special box called a Hopper.  Each bill gets a number.  The speaker of the house reads the bill and the bill is sent to a standing committee.  The speaker of the house is the presiding officer of the house.

7. Step 4: Check Me Out  The bill is sent to a committee with members who are experts on that topic.  The members revise and edit it before sending it to the house.

8. Step 5: Time For Debate  When the committee approves the bill, it goes to the house to be debated.  Members decide if they are in favor of it or against it.  An example could be if citizens should get a ticket for going over 35 MPH or not.

9. Step 6: Put On Your Thinking Cap  The representatives one at a time explain why they agree or disagree with the bill.  After that, the reading clerk reads it section by section. The representatives propose changes to each section.

10. Step 7: Time To Vote  After that, the speaker of the house asks the representatives to say yes if they agree and no if they disagree.  If the majority agrees to the bill, the bill is sent to the senate.

11. Step 8: What Do The Senators Think?  Each state has two senators despite the size or population  When the bill gets to the senate, a lot of the same steps are repeated.  Once it is debated in the senate, the senators vote on it.  If the majority agrees, the bill is sent to the president.

12. Step 9: What Does The President Think?  The bill is sent to the president.  The president can agree or disagree.  If the president agrees, the bill becomes a law.  If the president disagrees, it is sent back to the house and senate.

13. Step 10: The Final Decision!  The representatives from the house and senate vote. If two-thirds of them agree, the bill becomes a law!