How a Bill Becomes a Law in Ohio
Step 1: The Bill is Introduced
A bill must be sponsored by at least one legislator from either the Senate or the House of
Representatives in order to be introduced in either house. The legislator that introduces the bill
becomes the bill's sponsor and manages the bill through the legislative process. Upon introduction,
bills are numbered consecutively with the appropriate house designation from where it was introduced
(HB for House of Representatives and SB for Senate). Introduction constitutes the first of the three
considerations of each bill required by the Ohio Constitution.
Step 2: The Reference Committee
After introduction, the bill is sent to the Reference Committee where it is reviewed for substance
and possible duplication. It is then assigned to a standing committee for testimony, debate, and
committee action. The Reference Committee's report back to the floor is the second consideration
of the bill.
Step 3: Committee Hearings and Action
Standing committees are designated in each house to deal with bills relating to particular subject
areas, such as education, finance, elections, energy, etc. When bills are complicated,
controversial, or when a committee has been assigned several bills relating to one topic, a
subcommittee is often appointed to hold additional hearings, make changes, and report back to
the full committee.
The assigned committee or subcommittee examines and debates each bill. Persons with an interest in
the bill testify before the committee during the hearings. At least two hearings are held: one for
proponents and one for opponents. The committee may amend, rewrite, or combine bills. Then the bill
is either reported back favorably to the house or indefinitely postponed (defeated). A majority vote
of committee members is required to take either action. The committee may also take no action on the
bill, causing it to be "dead" at the end of the term.
Step 4: The Rules Committee
A bill that has been favorably reported back to the House of Representatives or Senate is then sent
to the Rules Committee of that house. The role of the Rules Committee is to select bills for floor
action, listing for third consideration the bills that need to be debated and voted on. When a bill
has been listed for a floor vote, it is printed in official form (engrossed).
Step 5: Floor Action
The bills to be voted on are given a third consideration. Amendments may be offered from the floor.
Debates are offered according to the rules of the house and the requirements of parliamentary debate.
All members on the floor are required to vote. A bill must attain a favorable vote by a majority of
the membership in order to pass. In the House of Representative, 50 votes are needed, while 17 are
required in the Senate. Emergency legislation requires a 2/3 vote of the membership of both the House
of Representatives and Senate.
After the bill passes one house, it is sent to the other where it follows a similar procedure. If
a bill is amended in the second house, it must return to the first house for approval of the
amendments. If the first house refuses, a conference committee is appointed to produce a version
that both houses will approve.
Step 6: Governor's Signature
A bill that has passed both houses is enrolled in act form and signed by the Speaker of the House
of Representatives and the President of the Senate. The act is then sent to the Governor, who has
ten days after receiving it to sign or veto it. If the act is signed, the act becomes law in 90
days. However, emergency or appropriating measures become effective immediately. If the act is
vetoed, it is returned to the house of origin with the Governor's written objections. Three-fifths
of the majority is required in both houses to override a veto. If the Governor fails to either
sign or veto the act at the end of ten days (excluding Sundays and legal holidays) it becomes
law without the signature.
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