Law New is a term used to describe new laws (or legislation) that have been proposed, debated and passed by Congress or another legislative body. It also refers to the process by which a law is created and becomes a statute (written law).
Legislation begins with a policy idea. This idea may come from a senator’s constituents, an issue raised during a political campaign or from state agencies and departments. Once an idea for a bill is settled, it must be drafted. Drafting a bill is a complicated task that requires specific legal training. This process is usually carried out by the staff of the Senate’s Legislation Drafting Commission, but interested parties may hire their own attorneys to draft a bill.
After a bill is drafted, it is sent to the Senate for consideration. A bill can be sponsored by one or more legislators, who are known as cosponsors. Once a bill has been introduced, it will be assigned to a committee.
A committee report is written on a bill that details the purpose and scope of the legislation. If a bill contains changes in existing law, the text of those changes must be indicated in the report. The report will also indicate whether or not the committee recommends approval of the bill.
After a bill is approved by both houses of the Legislature, it is sent to the Governor for her signature or veto. The Governor has 10 days to sign or veto a bill, and if she does not, the bill becomes law.