Until that day I am still just a bill

The first part of the legislative session has gone very quickly. Tuesday, Feb. 21, is the last day that a bill can get out of a committee in the Indiana House of Representatives.

Every year the 100 legislators beginning after their election in November have the opportunity to file bills in the House (we are limited to 10 bills each or a potential of 1,000 bills). Once the bills are filed then the Speaker of the House assigns the bills to one of our number of committees. These bill assignments are posted on a Bill list and are handed down by the Speaker for what is known as the first reading of a bill.

The committee chairman takes the list of bills that have been assigned to their committee and decides what bills the committee will hear. Once a bill is schedule for a hearing the Author of the bill will present the bill to the full committee. The chairman can decide to not take a vote on the bill, hold the bill for amendments or vote the bill out of committee.

Once the bill has passed committee it will go to the full house for 2nd reading of the bill where there is a chance for the other members of the house to amend the bill. The next step is the bill is placed on the 3rd reading calendar at which time there will be a final roll call vote in the house.

If the bill passes, then the bill is sent to a Senator who will become the Senate sponsor and the process will begin all over.

The deadline for bills in the house on 2nd reading is February 23rd and the last day for 3rds is February 27th.

As of Friday, Feb. 17, of the 681 House filed this year 156 have been passed out of committee and 90 have been passed out of the house on their way to the Senate.

As an update on the Senate their 50 members filed 580 bills and 193 have been passed out of committee and 109 have passed out of the Senate on their way to the House.

If there is a bill you are interested in following you can go to www.in.gov and follow either by Legislator, Bill Number or Committee.