A flowchart detailing the process involved in a bill becoming a law in Washington State.
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A legislator drafts a bill which they plan to propose to the state legislature.
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The legislator presents the bill to either the senate or the house.
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The bill is given a number and read aloud.
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The bill then goes to a committee to be reviewed for approval.
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NO
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If the bill is not approved, no further action is taken.
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YES
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The bill then goes for a final vote in either the house or the senate. The vote of whichever legislative body it is sent to determines what happens next.
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If the bill is passed, the rules committee reviews it once again.
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YES
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Legislators debate the bill and then vote. Whether the legislators pass the bill or not determines what happens next.
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If the committee sends the bill on, it goes to the rules committee and is placed on a calendar to be discussed on a certain day.
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If the bill is approved, it moves on to a hearing. Any person can testify for or against the bill.
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YES
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NO
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If the bill is not passed, no further action is taken.
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If the bill is passed by one body, it is then sent to the other body to be subjected to the same process. The vote again determines what happens next.
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If the bill is accepted by both legislative bodies, it is signed by their leaders and is sent to the governor.
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If the bill is not passed, no further action is taken.
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After the hearing, amendments can be made to the bill.
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The bill becomes a law
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The governor signs the bill.
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The governor reviews the bill. The governor then makes a decision.
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At this point, citizins can contact the governor to voice thier opinion on the bill.
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YES
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NO
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The governor does nothing for ten days.
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The
governor vetos, or rejects, the bill or certain parts of it.
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If nothing else is done, the bill does not become a law.
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The legislature decides against the governor's deicision, and attempt to override the governor's veto.
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The bill becomes a law.
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The two-thirds majority vote in favor of the bill is achieved in both legislative bodies.
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YES
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The legislative bodies take another vote on the bill. The fate of the bill is decided by whether or not a two-thirds majority is attained in favor of the bill in both bodies.
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NO
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The two-thirds majority vote in favor of the bill is not achieved in both legislative bodies.
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The bill does not become a law.
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How a bill becomes a law in Washington State
