LEGISLATIVE PROCESS How A Bill Becomes A Law

(Intro - 1st Reading)

1. An idea is developed
A LEGISLATOR who is a representative or a senator decides to sponsor
a bill, lets say the legislator has encountered some problems so he/she
decided to sponsor a bill. It could be an orginal idea or a suggestion
from a consituent, an interest group or a public official.
2. A Bill is Drafted
The Member or the Bill Drafting Division of the Reference and
Research Bureau prepares and drafts the bill upon the Member's
request.
The bill is prepared in PROPER TECHNICAL FORM
3. The Bill is introduced
The bill is filed by the legislator in her/his own chamber, which could be either
the Senate or the House of Representatives. If the chamber leadership does
not call the bill for First Reading, it dies. If the bill is called, it is scheduled
for First Reading
4. First Reading
The bill is filed with the Bills and Index Service and the same is numbered and
reproduced.
Three days after its filing, the same is included in the Order of Business for
First Reading.
On First Reading, the Secretary General reads the title and number of the bill.
The Speaker refers the bill to the appropriate Committee/s.
5. Bill is assigned to a committee
The President Pro Tempore ofthe Senate or the Speaker of the House of
Representatives can choose not to refer the bill to a committee. In this event,
the bill dies. If the bill is to advance, it is referred to a committee for review.

The Committee where the bill was referred to evaluates it to determine the necessity
of conducting public hearings.

If the Committee finds it necessary to conduct public hearings, it schedules the time
thereof, issues public notics and invites resource persons from the public and private
sectors, the academe and experts on the proposed legislation.
If the Committee finds that no public hearing is not needed, it schedules the bill for
Committee discussion/s.
Based on the result of the public hearings or Committee discussions, the Committee

may introduce amendments, consolidate bills on the same subject matter, or propose
a subsitute bill. It then prepares the corresponding committee report.
The Committee approves the Committee Report and formally transmits the same to
the Plenary Affairs Bureau.

When the bill is scheduled for a public hearing the committee discusses the merits
and disadvantages of the bill, and any interested party may ask to speak to the
committee. Interested persons may speak in favor of or in opposition to the bill.
Following this hearing, the bill can be voted upon or tabled. If the bill is tabled, it
may or may not come back for a vote. If it does not come back for a vote, the bill
dies. If the committee casts a vote on the bill, the bill can be defeated or it can
advance.

6. Scheduled for Public Hearing

7. Voted upon
8. Sent back to the originating house for the Second reading