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G r a s s r o o t s A
d v o c a c y
We advocate for and
with people with brain injury and family members by responding to
their challenges and representing their concerns through legislative
efforts and active support of programs created for their needs
Guide to the Indiana
General Assembly
Enacting laws
The Indiana General Assembly, with
the governor, is responsible for enacting laws by which the
residents of our state must abide.
It has the authority to enact laws in
any area not prohibited by Indiana's Constitution or by the U.S.
Constitution. However, federal law can override state statute.
General Assembly Organization
The Indiana General Assembly is made
up of two chambers, the House and the Senate. Legislators serving in
the House are called Representatives, and members of the Senate are
called Senators.
Districts
One legislator is elected from each
of the 100 Statehouse districts and 50 state Senate districts in
Indiana. Both House and Senate districts are determined by
population.
Thus, each member of the House
represents roughly the same number of voting age residents, and the
same is true for each Senator. Because there are fewer Senate
districts, Senators represent a larger number of residents than
house members.
Sessions
Sessions of the General Assembly
begin each year in January. Short sessions, held in even-numbered
years, last up to 30 days and end by mid-March. Long sessions, held
in odd-numbered years, last up to 61 days, ending in April.
Indiana's biennial budget is the
reason for the differences in session lengths. The state budget is
considered in the long session, providing more time for legislators
to complete business on the state's finances as well as
non-budgetary legislation. 2007 is a long session year.
How a Bill Becomes
a Law
1. Drafting:
A legislator drafts or authors legislation.
2. First Reading/Introduction:
The author files the bill for introduction in the chamber where he
or she serves (either the House or Senate). The bill is then
assigned a number and referred to a committee.
3. Committee Action:
Bills get referred to committees by subject matter. A committee can
take no action on a bill, killing it (thus, the bill is "dead"). Or
a committee can hold public hearings, debate, amend, and/or vote on
the bill. If the bill is approved by the committee, it moves on to
the full chamber or "floor" for action.
4. Second Reading/Floor Action:
The chamber can choose to not act on the bill, killing it. Or it can
debate, amend and/or send the bill to a vote. The chamber can also
recommit the bill to a committee, sending it back through the
previous step.
5. Third Reading/Votes:
The chamber debates the bill, and upon close of debate, takes a roll
call vote. If the bill is approved, it is sent to the other chamber
for consideration.
6. Second Chamber Consideration:
A legislator from this chamber "sponsors" the bill and shepherds it
through under the same process above.
7. Enrollment/Conference
Committee:
A bill that passes in identical form in both chambers is considered
"enrolled." It is then ready to be sent to the governor for action.
If the second chamber amends the bill, the legislation must return
to the first chamber for concurrence on those new amendments. If the
first chamber agrees to the amendments, the bill is enrolled. If the
first chamber does not agree to the new amendments, a "conference
committee" is convened to resolve the differences in versions of the
bill. (The conference committee is made up of members from both
chambers.) The bill can die in conference committee if these
differences are not resolved. Only when both chambers pass an
identical bill can it be enrolled.
8. Governor's Action:
The governor may sign the bill, pass it without signing it, or veto
it. If the governor signs the legislation or takes no action, the
bill becomes law, effective on the date specified in the bill. If
the bill is vetoed, it is returned with reasons to the General
Assembly.
9. Veto Override:
The General Assembly may override a veto by passing the bill again
in both houses by a majority vote in each chamber.
Legislative Links
Indiana General Assembly
www.state.in.us/legislative
Indiana General Assembly
legislator lists
www.in.gov/legislative/legislators
Indiana 2007 Senate and House
Committees
http://www.in.gov/apps/lsa/session/billwatch...
U.S. House of Representatives
www.house.gov
U.S. Senate
www.senate.gov
Online Advocacy Tools
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L e g i s l a t i v e
A c t i o n C e n t e r |
 The National Brain Injury
Association maintains a terrific online advocacy resource
called the
Legislative Action Center where you can enter your zip
code, find out about your state representatives and contact
them regarding issued that are of great importance to you and
the future of the brain injury community. Simply click on the
image of the Capitol building. |
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