Oklahoma Government Resources: Oklahoma Legislation

2023 Legislative Primer
How an Idea Becomes a Law

1. A drafted bill is introduced in one house legislature, numbered, printed, given FIRST READING, and placed on the legislative calendar. All bills for raising revenue must originate in the House of Representatives.

2. The bill receives SECOND READING and is referred to a committee (or committees) for consideration. (Bills may be placed directly on General Order without committee assignment.)

3. The COMMITTEE considers the bills and reports: do pass, do pass as amended, do pass on the committee substitute, or do not pass. The bill is then either sent to the second committee to which it was assigned or ordered printed (with amendments) and placed on the calendar.

4. The bill is placed on GENERAL ORDER for consideration by the whole House of Representatives or the whole Senate.

5. The House of Representatives or Senate CONSIDERS the bill. It is explained, debated, possibly amended, advanced to engrossment, or re-referred to a committee.

6. Bill is then ENGROSSED in a form incorporating all changes made thus far.

7. THIRD READING and final action may then take place. Action may be shown as passed, passed as amended, or failed. Notice may be served to reconsider.

8. The presiding officer of the House or Senate signs the engrossed bill and it is sent to the other house of the Legislature.

**The bill goes through the same process (steps one through seven) in the other house.

9. Bill is signed by the presiding officer and returned to do the house in which it ORIGINATED.

10. If amendments have been added in the second house, the originating house may concur with these amendments or reject them.

11. If such amendments are rejected, the bill may be referred to a conference committee composed of members from both houses to reconcile the existing differences. The committee prepares a conference report (CCR) and each house may adopt or reject the report; the conference committee report cannot be amended. Further conference may be requested if either house rejects the report.

12. Once the bill has passed both houses in identical form, it is ENROLLED and given FOURTH READING in each house. The presiding officer signs it and the originating house sends it to the Governor.

13. The governor may APPROVE or VETO the bill within five days (Sundays excepted) or he may refuse to sign and may allow the bill to become law without approval after the five-day period has elapsed. A bill may become law, regardless of the Governor's veto, if two-thirds majority of each house passes it (override). No bill shall become law after final adjournment (sine die) of the legislature unless approved by the Governor within 15 days after adjournment. A bill not signed within 15 days after adjournment becomes a Pocket Veto.

Notes:

A pocket veto can only occur once the legislative session is in its final 5 days. This is because during a session, a bill becomes law in 5 days if not signed by the Governor. However, in the final 5 days of a session, the Legislature basically runs out of time to override a veto.

Generally, bills that do not pass during the first regular session of a Legislature can be reconsidered during the second regular session of the same Legislature, but they could also just tweak a previously considered bill, give it a new bill number, and reintroduce it in a subsequent session.

No bill may become law after the final adjournment of the Legislature (Sine Die), unless signed by the Governor within 15 days after adjournment.

14. A bill that becomes law is FILED with the Secretary of State.