How a bill becomes law in Georgia
ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) - Monday marked the start of a new legislative session in the Peach State. Lawmakers from across the state will convene to draft new laws.
Before actually hitting the Georgia law books, there is a lengthy process to get new laws in place.
What is the first step for a bill to become law in Georgia?
The first step often starts with the people themselves. If there is an issue or a need to change a law, a state senator or state representative can be ed. The first step is also for drafting the idea for a solution for a new law or changing a current law.
The idea to create or change a law is there. Now what?
For a law to be created or changed, a legislator, either from the State Senate or State House, has to bring it to the Georgia General Assembly. From there, the legislator will go to the Office of Legislative Counsel, where an attorney will help them draft a bill. State senators will file the bill with the secretary of the Senate and state representatives will file with the clerk of the House. After the bill is filed, the next step is the legislative session. The legislative session starts in January every year. Bills can be filed before the start of the session but for a bill to potentially become a law, action has to be taken during a legislative session. Bills can also be filed during the session itself.
Why is the legislative session so important?
When the legislative session starts, the third step can begin. The bill will go through a first reading, which happens on the first legislative day after the bill is filed. The first reading formally introduces the bill to legislators. After the first reading, it is assigned to a committee.
What are the different committees?
There are three different committees:
The first is a standing committee, which is the most common committee. This committee type is more permanent and forms each session. All bills introduced during the legislative session are assigned to a standing committee.
The second is a study committee. This committee is assigned and authorized by one or both chambers. This committee is typically for a specific issue.
The third committee type is a conference committee. This committee is created when the originating chamber of a bill cannot agree on the changes proposed by the other chamber during the voting process. The committee is made up of three from the Georgia Senate and House to try and find a compromise on the bill.