The Pegislative Process: Step Five

Bill goes to second chamber

In the second chamber, the engrossed bill needs to go through the same process as it did in the house of origin, including finding a sponsor in that chamber.

If the second chamber passes the same version of the bill as the engrossed bill (meaning, no amendments were adopted in the second chamber), then the bill has passed the General Assembly and is sent to the Governor for his signature to sign the bill into law. If, however, the second chamber added any amendments to the bill, it must return to the house of origin because the bill must pass both houses in the exact same form in order to be sent to the Governor.

If the second chamber added any amendments to the bill, the house of origin then has two options:
First, it can vote to concur in (i.e., agree with) one or more of the second chamber’s amendments, meaning it agrees to add the amendments that the second chamber added. If it concurs in all of them, then the same bill has passed both houses, it is “enrolled” (incorporating the amendments into the engrossed bill), and then sent to the Governor.

Second, it can also vote not to concur in one or more of the amendments. If this occurs, the bill returns to the second chamber. Again, two options are possible. The second chamber can decide:

1. To “recede” from the amendments it added, meaning it agrees to remove the amendments that are in disagreement. In this case, the bill has passed both houses in the same form; it is enrolled (in this case, the enrolled bill is identical to the engrossed bill) and sent to the Governor.
2. Not to recede from its amendments. In this case, a conference committee, made up of members from each chamber, is formed in an attempt to resolve the differences. The conference committee then issues a conference committee report, which is generally a compromise between the two chambers. The report may recommend one of the following three options or any combination of them:
   1. The house of origin should concur in the second chamber’s amendments,
   2. The second chamber should recede from its amendments,
   3. And/or the bill should be further amended in a specified manner.
      

If the report passes both chambers, it is enrolled and sent to the Governor.