How are laws made Legislating is a slow

How are laws made? Legislating is a slow process ON PURPOSE and there are many places a potential law can die along the way. The Framers designed the process to protect people from the government and to ensure thought and discussion occurred. They hoped to prevent laws based on emotion and ensure laws were based on reason.

How a Bill Becomes a Law It starts as an idea… Usually to correct a problem or address a concern A member of Congress takes the idea and writes a BILL (a proposed law) and introduces the bill to his House

Lets look at an example… A House Bill is written by a Congressman and starts in the House Bill

Bill starts in a House Committee; STOP It can be passed or can die in committee If Passed… STOP Bill reaches the House Floor; It can be passed or can die If Passed… Bill DEAD END

Bi Crossover: House bills now go to the Senate ll Bills that start in the Senate now go to the House

STOP Bill reaches a Senate Committee; It can be passed or can die in committee If Passed… STOP Bill reaches Senate Floor; can be passed or can die If Passed… DEAD END

A 2/3 rds vote of BOTH STOP Houses can override a veto; without the bill dies STOP DEAD If Vetoed… END Bill If Signed… The bill then goes to the President; he can sign it into law or veto the bill BILL IS NOW A LAW If 2/3 rds in BOTH houses agree…

Bills go through the same process in House and Senate Where they start (House or Senate) depends on where it is first introduced and by whom. This is how laws are made. Remember, it is a slow process ON PURPOSE and there are many places a bill can die along the way ON PURPOSE.

YOUR TURN! • With a partner, you are going to take the next EIGHT minutes to write your own bill that will go through the process. • Think about things you would like changed or problems in society you would like addressed. Bills need to be REALISTIC and SERIOUS! Bills banning school or. DUE AT homework do not fit this criteria! END OF • You will have to defend why your bill is CLASS! important- keep this in mind when writing!

DEAD END STOP DEAD END

STOP DEAD END BILL IS NOW A LAW