The Long Road to Becoming Law

While the budgetary woes and sensational debates about gay marriage garner all the attention, there are still issues that pop up occasionally that merit a look.

In order for a bill to become law, it must pass through the Rules Committee of the legislative body of its sponsor. So a bill sponsored by a state representative would go through the House Rules committee. That committee decides if it is reasonable to consider this bill. If they decide it is a great bill that should definitely be debated by the House, they can send it "by consent" directly to be scheduled for debate and a vote by the House. If they definitely don't like it, they can table it and it doesn't come up at all. If they want it studied, as most bills are, they assign it to a committee by topic.

For example, the Senate bill that asked for a rate increase in the tax on tobacco was sent to the Committee on Revenue and Taxation. They studied it and decided that it should not be considered and that ended it.

A similar bill was sponsored by a member of the House of Representatives and is being considered by the House Rules committee. If it is sent to the same committee, it will probably suffer the same fate. Proponents of the bill hope that it will be considered by the Committee of Health and Human Services. This is not an unreasonable assignment since the revenue from tobacco tax goes to fund program to discourage tobacco use and for health services required by smokers.

Another bill that is currently being evaluated by the House Rules Committee is HB189 that would make changes in the instruction of sex education in schools. This bill has a long list of specific instruction on what health teachers are to say. It also removes the directive that health teachers not advocate use of contraceptives. Proponents of the bill point out that STD's are up in the State and that something more should be done. Opponents of the bill hold that while health teacherss can present facts, parents should be the ones to teach their children moral principles. For me a major factor is that the State School Board is qualified and elected to determine curriculum standards and requirements. The legislature should not be micro-managing school curriculum.

If a bill is found worthy of "floor debate" it is sent to the legislative body of the sponsor, House or Senate, and is debated and voted upon. If it passes, it is sent to the rules committee of the other legislative body to begin the process again with a new sponsor. If it passes the rules committee and the committee to which it is assigned, and if it receives a majority vote by the second legislative body, it is on its way to the Governor's desk. The Governor can sign it, veto it, or let it go into law without his direct approval.

Stay tuned for more reports on what may soon become your new laws!