A bill in Colorado can be introduced in either the House or Senate. It is then assigned to a committee to hold hearings before being debated and voted on by the full chamber. If it passes, the bill moves to the other chamber and repeats this process. If changes are made, a conference committee reconciles the versions. The governor can then sign the bill into law, or veto it, which the legislature can override with a two-thirds vote. Citizens can also propose laws through initiatives or referendums.

1. How a bill becomes law in Colorado

2. Introducing a bill Bills are introduced by legislators A bill can be introduced in the Colorado House or the Colorado Senate

3. In the House … Introduction First reading by the House clerk Assigned to committee by speaker of the House You can search for, and look up the status of a bill here: http://www.leg.state.co.us/Clics/CLICS2009A/csl.nsf/BillFoldersHouse?openFrameset

4. House Committees Agriculture, Livestock, and Natural Resources Appropriations Business Affairs and Labor Education Health and Human Services Judiciary Local Government State, Veterans, and Military Affairs Transportation and Energy You can find House Committee Membership Here: http://www.leg.state.co.us/clics/clics2009a/directory.nsf/HouCommWp?OpenView You can find Bills by Committee Here (Click on “By Committee” on the lower line) http://www.leg.state.co.us/Clics/CLICS2009A/csl.nsf/BillFoldersCom?OpenFrameSet

5. In Committee Committee hearing Public and Expert Testimony Amendments may be offered A passing vote from the Committee sends the bill back to the House Committees publish their calendars here: http://www.leg.state.co.us/Clics/CLICS2009A/csl.nsf/Calendars?OpenFrameSet You can listen to committee hearings on a bill here: http://www.leg.state.co.us/clics/clics2009a/cslFrontPages.nsf/Audio?OpenForm

6. Back on the House Floor Committee reports offered (committees report on the status of a bill that was assigned to it) House floor and second reading (may include debate and additional amendments) House floor and third reading final passage

7. On to the Senate… Introduction First reading by the Senate clerk Assigned to committee by Senate President Committee hearing (may contain any amendments) Committee reports offered Senate floor and second reading (may include debate and additional amendments) Senate floor and third reading final passage (without any additional amendments)

8. Senate Committees Agriculture and Natural Resources Appropriations Business, Labor, and Technology Education Finance Health and Human Services Judiciary Local Government and Energy State, Veterans, and Military Affairs Transportation

9. Decision Time If a bill passes the Senate without amendments, it goes to the Governor Otherwise, it goes to Conference Committee.

10. Conference Committee A conference committee is composed of 3 members from each house, meeting to work out language acceptable to both houses on a bill that passed each house in different forms. A majority of the members of the committee must agree before the Conference Committee Report may be submitted to the Senate and House The bill then returns to each house for a final up-or-down vote

11. If a bill requires appropriations… Legislative Legal Services, the non-partisan research staff of the Legislature, analyzes a bill to determine it effect on the state’s spending or revenues Any bill that would require funding (or would reduce revenue without reducing spending) if implemented is sent to the Appropriations Committee as part of the process. In the Appropriations Committee an appropriation clause is added to the bill that includes the amount of funding required.

12. The Governor Once passed by the House or Senate, the bill becomes Colorado law when signed by the governor. If the governor fails to sign a bill within 10 days upon receiving a bill while the General Assembly is in session or within 30 days if the General Assembly is adjourned, the bill becomes Colorado law.

13. If the governor vetoes … If vetoed, the governor sends a veto message to the General Assembly If the General Assembly decides to override the governor's veto, it must have two-thirds votes of all members from both the House and Senate.

15. The law has a clause, known as, “The Safety Clause,” that this law is necessary for the public safety.