In the case of federal law:
1. Someone writes a letter / e-mail / makes a phone call to his/her representative or senator with a suggestion.
2. The congressperson decides to sponsor a bill that implements the proposal.
3. Congress examines the bill, asks for a vote as to whether to even consider. If so, it goes to an appropriate committee.
4. The committee studies and after due consideration votes on whether to return it to the floor. If not, it has died.
5. If it makes it to the floor, it gets voted on. If it passes, it goes to the OTHER house (than the one where it originated) for another round of committee hearings and such.
6. If the OTHER house makes changes but passes it, the bill goes to a conference committee to iron out the differences.
7. The final form of the bill is voted on by the Senate and the House of Representatives. If it passes, it goes to the President to sign.
8. If the president signs it, it becomes law. If the president vetoes the bill, it goes back to congress, who can vote one more time to override the veto. (Rare.) If the president pockets the bill less than two weeks before congress closes its session, this is a pocket veto that truly kills the bill.
9. If the new law is not challenged by some citizen as being unconstitutional, it is law. Otherwise, the courts get to weigh in on the issue.
10. When the dust is settled and the law has not been stricken, it is LAW!
Ten points to describe, probably ten months of work to go through these steps. If not more.
2007-12-11 09:30:01
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answer #1
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answered by The_Doc_Man 7
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