How A Bill Becomes A Law In Connecticut

Proposed bill

Bill is sent to the clerk of the House of the sponsoring legislator for numbering.

Bill title, number and sponsors are printed in the House and Senate Journals.

Bill is sent to the appropriate joint standing committee of the General Assembly, depending on the bill's subject matter.

Bill requiring action by another committee is referred to that committee, e.g. a bill requiring expenditure is referred to the Appropriations Committee.

Committee may report the bill favorably, defeat the bill or issue no report (the bill fails).

Committee holds public hearings for the public, state agency representatives and legislators on all bills it wishes to consider.

Committee may:
1. have the bill drafted in legal language; 2. combine it with other bills and have it drafted as a committee bill; 3. refer the bill to another committee; or 4. take no action, so the bill fails.  The committee may also write a new "raised" committee bill.

After leaving the last committee, the bill is sent to the Legislative Commissioners' Office to be checked for constitutionality and consistency with other law.

The Office of Fiscal Analysis adds an estimate of the bill's cost.  The Office of Legislative Research adds a "plain English" explanation of the bill.

Clerk assigns the bill a calendar number.

Final printing of bill.

Other house votes on the bill.

A "yes" vote sends the bill to the other house for placement on calendar.

Vote on bill.

Debate and amendments in the house of origin.  House may send the bill to another committee before voting.

Bill returned to first house for concurrence if amended by second house.  If not amended, bill is sent to the governor.  If House and Senate cannot agree, the bill is sent to a joint conference committee.

If the conference committee reaches agreement, a report is sent to both houses.

If one or both houses reject the changes, the bill fails.

If both houses pass the bill, it is sent to the governor.  Governor can
1. sign the bill.
2. veto it, or
3. take no action.

The bill becomes law if:
1. the governor signs it;
2. the governor fails to sign within 5 days during the legislative session or 15 days after adjournment;
3. the vetoed bill is repassed in each house by a 2/3 vote of the elected membership.

Vetoed bill can be reconsidered by both houses.

If governor vetoes, the bill is returned to the house in which it originated.