Legislative process Alabama Legislature

1 legislative process

1.1 notice , introduction of bills
1.2 committees

1.2.1 legislative council


1.3 committee reports
1.4 third reading
1.5 transmission second house
1.6 conference committees
1.7 presentation governor
1.8 constitutional amendments

legislative process

alabama s lawmaking process differs other 49 states.

notice , introduction of bills

prior introduction of bills apply specific, named localities, alabama constitution requires publication of proposal in newspaper in counties affected. proposal must published 4 consecutive weeks , documentation must provided show notice posted. process known notice , proof.

article 4, section 45 of state constitution mandates each bill may pertain 1 subject, stated in bill title, except general appropriation bills, general revenue bills, , bills adopting code, digest, or revision of statutes .

committees

as other legislative bodies throughout world, alabama legislature operates through committees when considering proposed bills. constitution of alabama states no bill may enacted law until has been referred to, acted upon by, , returned from, standing committee in each house. reference committee follows first reading of bill. bills referred committees presiding officer.

the state constitution authorizes each house determine number of committees, varies quadrennial session session. each committee set consider bills relating particular subject.

legislative council

the alabama legislature has legislative council, permanent or continuing interim committee, composed follows:

from senate, lieutenant governor , president pro-tempore, chairmen of finance , taxation, rules, judiciary, , governmental affairs, , 6 senators elected senate;
from house of representatives, speaker , speaker pro-tempore, chairmen of ways , means, rules, judiciary, , local government, , 6 representatives elected house.
the majority , minority leaders of each house.

the legislative council meets @ least once quarterly consider problems legislation may needed, , make recommendations next legislative session.

committee reports

after committee completes work on bill, reports bill appropriate house during reports of committees in daily order of business. reported bills given second reading. houses not vote on bill @ time reported; however, reported bills placed on calendar next legislative day. second reading made title only. local bills concerning environmental issues affecting more 1 political subdivision of state given second reading when reported local legislation committee , re-referred standing committee considered general bill. bills concerning gambling re-referred when reported local legislation committee continue treated local bills. when reported second committee, these bills referred calendar , not require second reading.

the regular calendar list of bills have been favorably reported committee , ready consideration membership of entire house.

bills listed on calendar number, sponsor, , title, in order in reported committee. must considered third reading in order unless action taken consider bill out of order. important bills brought top of calendar special orders or suspending rules. become effective, resolution setting special orders must adopted majority vote of house. these special orders recommended rules committee of each house. rules committee not restricted making report during call of committees, , can report @ time. enables committee determine order of business house. power makes rules committee 1 of influential of legislative committees.

any bill affects state funding more $1,000, , involves expenditure or collection of revenue, must have fiscal note. fiscal notes prepared legislative fiscal office , signed chairman of committee reporting bill. must contain projected increases or decreases state revenue in event bill becomes law.

third reading

a bill placed on calendar adoption third reading. @ third reading of bill whole house gives consideration passage. @ time, bill may studied in detail, debated, amended, , read @ length before final passage.

once bill discussed, each member casts or vote, , name called alphabetically record vote. since state s senate has 35 members, voting may done in house roll call of members. membership of house 3 times larger, 105 members; since individual role-call voice votes time consuming, electronic voting machine used in house of representatives. house members vote pushing buttons on desks, , votes indicated colored lights flash on board in front of chamber. board lists each member name , shows how each member voted. votes electronically recorded in both houses.

if majority of members present , voting in each house vote against bill, fails passage. if majority vote in favor of bill, approval recorded passing. if amendments adopted, bill sent enrolling , engrossing department of house engrossment. engrossment process of incorporating amendments bill before transmittal second house.

transmission second house

a bill passed in 1 house transmitted, along formal message, other house. such messages in order , read (in second house) @ suitable pause in business. after message read, bill receives first reading, title only, , referred committee. in second house, bill must pass through same steps of procedure in first house. if second house passes bill without amendment, bill sent house of origin , ready enrollment, preparation of bill in final form transmittal governor. however, second house may amend bill , pass amended. since bill must pass both houses in same form, bill amendment sent house of origin consideration of amendment. if bill not reported committee or not considered full house, bill defeated.

the house of origin, upon return of amended bill, may take 1 of several courses of action. may concur in amendment adoption of motion effect; bill, having been passed both houses in identical form, ready enrollment. possibility house of origin may adopt motion non-concur in amendment, @ point bill dies. finally, house of origin may refuse accept amendment request conference committee appointed. other house agrees request, , presiding officer of each house appoints members conference committee.

conference committees

a conference committee empaneled discusses points of difference between 2 houses versions of same bill, , assigned members try reach agreement on content bill can passed both houses. if agreement reached , if both houses adopt conference committee s report, bill passed. if either house refuses adopt report of conference committee, motion may made further conference. if conference committee unable reach agreement, may discharged, , new conference committee may appointed. highly controversial bills may referred several different conference committees. if agreement never reached in conference prior end of legislative session, bill lost.

when bill has passed both houses in identical form, enrolled. enrolled copy official bill, which, after becomes law, kept secretary of state reference in event of dispute exact language. once bill has been enrolled, sent house of origin, must read again (unless reading dispensed two-thirds vote), , signed presiding officer in presence of members. bill sent other house presiding officer in presence of members of house signs it. bill ready transmittal governor.

presentation governor

once bill reaches governor, or may sign it, completes enactment law. point, bill becomes act, , remains law of state unless repealed legislative action, or overturned court decision. if governor not approve of bill, or may veto it. vetoed bills return house in originated, message explaining governor s objections , suggesting amendments might remove objections. bill reconsidered, , if simple majority of members of both houses agrees proposed executive amendments, returned governor, revised it, signature. governor permitted line-item veto on appropriations bills.

in contrast practice of states , federal government (which require supermajority, 2/3, override veto), simple majority of members of each house can choose approve vetoed bill precisely legislature passed it, in case becomes law on governor s veto.

if governor fails return bill legislative house in originated within 6 days after presented him or (including sundays), becomes law without signature. return can prevented recession of legislature. in case bill must returned within 2 days after legislature reassembles, or becomes law without governor s signature.

the bills reach governor less 5 days before end of session may approved within ten days after adjournment. bills not approved within time not become law. known pocket veto . conclusive form of veto, since state lawmakers have no chance reconsider vetoed measure.

constitutional amendments

legislation change state constitution takes form of constitutional amendment. constitutional amendment introduced , takes same course bills or resolution, except must read @ length on 3 different days in each house, must pass each house three-fifths vote of membership, , not require approval of governor. constitutional amendment passed legislature deposited directly alabama secretary of state. submitted voters @ election held not less 3 months after adjournment of session in state lawmakers proposed amendment. governor announces election proclamation, , proposed amendment , notice of election must published in every county 4 successive weeks before election. if majority of vote @ election favor amendment, becomes part of alabama constitution. result of election announced proclamation of governor.