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The legislative process is complex. One of our roles is to help our members keep abreast of all the twists and turns the legislative process can take.
It can be easy to forget about the Tennessee General Assembly after voting for your districts’ members. But each year, the General Assembly considers hundreds of bills that affect daily life for all Tennesseans. Here’s an overview of how it works:
Introduction: All legislation must be introduced in both the House and Senate by a member of that body. For a bill to become law, it must be considered and passed on three separate “readings,” or formal considerations. The first reading is generally where the bill is introduced and voted on without debate. If there are no objections, it then moves on to second reading.
Second Reading: The Speaker delegates every bill to a committee for consideration and second reading. In the House there are 12 committees, and in the Senate, there are 16 committees. This is generally where most of the work on a bill happens. Whether that is amending it or passing as introduced, this happens in committee. It is normal for a bill to pass through multiple committees if it has a fiscal note (would cost the state money) or touches multiple committees’ areas of jurisdiction. The second reading process can be long, as legislators consider hundreds of bills each year.
Sent to Subcommittee: In the House, the body is sufficiently large, that they have a subcommittee system. Once a bill is referred to a standing or full committee in the House, the full committee then refers it to the smaller subject matter committee known as a subcommittee. After passing the subcommittee, the bill would then go to the full committee for consideration. In the Senate, the body is much smaller, eliminating the need for subcommittees. Each bill is considered by the full committee in the Senate.
Failed to Pass: If a bill fails to pass at any step in the second reading, it is sent to the clerk’s office to be withdrawn. At this time, the bill is “dead.”
Passed: If a bill passes second reading, it moves to third reading and gets placed “on calendar,” ready for consideration on the House or Senate floor.
Third Reading: The day a bill is “on calendar,” it is up for debate and amendment by the whole body (House or Senate).
Passed: For a bill to pass, it must win a majority vote in both the House and Senate.
Failed to Pass: Without a majority vote, a bill can either be deferred/sent back to the committee or subcommittee, or not pass, killing the bill for the session.
Final Step: Once passed in both bodies, a bill goes to the House speaker and the Senate speaker to sign. Once signed, it is referred to the governor. The governor then has 10 business days to sign the bill, veto it or allow it to become law without his signature. After it is signed, or allowed to become law without the governor’s signature, it becomes a public chapter (law).
If vetoed: If the governor vetoes a bill, that veto can be overridden by the legislature, or if the legislature decides not to act, the veto stands.
Knowledge is power. If you don’t feel like your voice is being heard in this process, joining a coalition or organization of like-minded individuals will boost your voice. That’s what we do at TEBA. We use our members’ voices and advocate for the businesses and families of Tennessee. Joining a group like TEBA guarantees that your voice won't be stifled just because you may not understand the rules. That is our job.
Last session, with the help of over 3,500 emails to legislators, we put a stop to a bill that would have increased the cost of prescription drugs for hard working Tennesseans. Working together, we can keep healthcare affordable for Tennessee employers and families.
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