THE LIFE CYCLE OF LEGISLATION

From Idea into Law

D

D
SE

SE
FU

FU
RE

RE
E

E
AG

AG
EE SS EE

SS
TT PA TT

PA
I MI
MM COMMITTEE HEARING: M
COMMITTEE HEARING: CO Policy or Appropriations CO
INTRODUCED Policy or Appropriations IN IN
ASSEMBLY RULES Bill may not LD THIRD CHAIRPERSON LD
BY CHAIRPERSON HE HE
BILL COMMITTEE be heard by SECOND ASSEMBLY AND MEMBERS
MEMBER, AND MEMBERS FIRST RULES THIRD
PREPARED committee COMMITTEE ASSEMBLY READING COMMITTEE SECOND
ASSEMBLY NUMBERED, ASSIGNS TESTIFY: SENATE ASSIGNS SENATE
BY
FIRST BILL TO until 31st RECOMENDATIONS READING DEBATE TO SENATE READING BILLS TO TESTIMONY BY: RECOMENDATIONS SENATE READING
MEMBER LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE day after
BILL AUTHOR PASS
VOTE BILL AUTHOR
PASS
READING
READING, CITIZENS COMMITTEE DEBATE
COUNSEL introduction CITIZENS
PRINTED EXPERTS VOTE
EXPERTS
LOBBYISTS PASSED WITH SENATE AMENDMENTS
LOBBYISTS

Revised Revised
Proposed Third Proposed Third RETURN TO ASSEMBLY FLOOR

WITHOUT SENATE AMENDMENTS

Amendments Reading Amendments Reading Concurrence in Senate Amendments
SUGGESTIONS FOR NEEDED LEGISLATION FROM

Analysis Analysis

LEGISLATURE
HAS 60 DAYS
THE CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE (not including
Agencies, Citizens, Governor, Lobbyists

YES NO
joint recesses)
A S S E M B LY R U L E S C O M M I T T E E TO OVERRIDE VETO
VETO WITH
2/3 VOTE IN CONFERENCE COMMITTEE
Although the procedure can become complicated, this chart shows the essential EACH HOUSE 3 Assembly 3 Senate
steps for passage of a bill. Members Members
** Assembly policy committee
will do Governor's Veto analysis
Typical committee actions are used to simplify charting the course of legislation.
CONFERENCE REPORT

Some bills require hearings by more than one committee, in which case a
BILL IS CHAPTERED BY
committee may rerefer the bill to another committee. For example, bills with SECRETARY OF STATE
monetary implications must be rereferred to the proper fiscal committee in each
Bill becomes law January 1st
House before they are sent to the second reading file and final action. of the following year unless it
contains an urgency clause
(takes effect immediately) or
SIGN GOVERNOR YES ASSEMBLY
and
NO

A bill may be amended at various times as it moves through the Houses. The bill SENATE
specifies its own effective Adopt
must be reprinted each time an amendment is adopted by either house. All bill date. Conference
Report
actions are printed in the DAILY FILES, JOURNALS and HISTORIES.

WITHOUT ASSEMBLY AMENDMENTS

If a bill is amended in the opposite House, it is returned to the House of Origin for *Follow same
concurrence in amendments. If House of Origin does not concur, a Conference procedures
as in the
Committee Report must then be adopted by each House before the bill can be Assembly
sent to the Governor. BECOMES LAW WITHOUT SIGNATURE

RETURN TO SENATE FLOOR

D Concurrence in Assembly Amendments

D
SE

SE
U

FU
EF

RE
R
GE

E
AG
E SA E

SS
E S TE
TT PA

PA
I M IT
M
COMMITTEE HEARING: C OM COMMITTEE HEARING:
C OM
SENATE INTRODUCED IN Policy or Appropriations IN PASSED WITH ASSEMBLY AMENDMENTS
BY Bill may not
Policy or Appropriations LD RULES CHAIRPERSON LD
BILL RULES CHAIRPERSON HE THIRD HE
MEMBER, COMMITTEE be heard by COMMITTEE AND MEMBERS THIRD
PREPARED AND MEMBERS SECOND SENATE FIRST COMMITTEE
NUMBERED, ASSIGNS committee COMMITTEE ASSIGNS SECOND ASSEMBLY
SENATOR BY TESTIFY: SENATE READING TO ASSEMBLY ASSEMBLY RECOMENDATIONS
FIRST BILL TO until 31st RECOMENDATIONS BILLS TO TESTIMONY BY: ASSEMBLY READING
LEGISLATIVE BILL AUTHOR PASS READING DEBATE READING PASS
READING, COMMITTEE day after COMMITTEE BILL AUTHOR READING DEBATE
COUNSEL CITIZENS VOTE
PRINTED introduction CITIZENS VOTE
EXPERTS
EXPERTS
LOBBYISTS
LOBBYISTS

Revised Revised
Proposed Third Proposed Third
Amendments Reading Amendments Reading
Analysis Analysis