A step-by-step account on how a bill is passed in the state legislature:  

I. Initial Steps
Initiation of legislation - can come from government, elected officials, businesses, lobbyists, citizens, etc.

II. Draft of the Bill
A request for a bill draft is made by legislators, the Governor, state agencies, and local governments. A staff attorney for the state legislature prepares a formal draft of a bill.

III. Introduction
A bill is introduced into the legislature by a Senate, House or Assembly member. After being introduced, or read for the first time, a bill is assigned to a committee in the house where it was introduced.

IV. The Committee Process
A committee holds a hearing to take testimony (this is where you will most likely give your comments) and gather information about the bill. Following testimony and discussion, the committee will evaluate, often amend, and make recommendations on the bill.  Please review the "effective public comment" section. This section will give you tips on how to deliver effective testimony to the committee. 

A committee may then vote a bill out favorably, unfavorably or without any recommendation, or table the bill, which basically kills the bill. A bill may go through this process in one or more committees before being sent to the floor for the second time in the house in which it originated.

After going through the committee process the bill is sent to the floor again. If it passes a "Second Reading," a floor debate may occur and the bill is read the third time, usually on the day following the debate. If the vote is favorable, the bill will be read again and sent to the other chamber.

If the bill passes in the house where it was introduced, it goes to the other chamber to begin the same process over again.

When a bill has passed both the House and Senate, but in different versions because of amendments, the two chambers try to agree on a single version by appointing a committee, with members being appointed from each house.

All bills must pass through both houses before being sent to the governor for action.

The governor can sign the bill into law or veto it. A two-thirds majority in both houses is usually required to override a veto. When the governor signs a bill, it becomes law. A bill can also become law if the governor does not return the bill to the General Assembly within a certain amount of time. The length of time varies in different states.

Every state has its own variations of this process, but this is a basic outline of how a bill is passed in every state. To find out how the exact process works in your state please contact the ASDS office.