17290_Authority_February_2024

municipalauthorities.org | 17 Commonwealth of Pennsylvania • House of Re p resentatives HOW A BILL BECOMES A LAW IN PENNSYLVANIA 5. SECOND CONSIDERATION : The bill is subject to debate and amendment. FISCAL NOTE : Any bill which may require an expenditure of Commonwealth funds or funds of any political subdivision or cause a loss of revenue to the Commonwealth or any political subdivision must be referred to the Appropriations Committee for a fiscal note before can be given third consideration reading on the calendar. 6. THIRD CONSIDERATION & FINAL PASSAGE: The bill on third consideration is considered in its calendar order. In the Senate, bills on third consideration may be amended and are subject to debate whereas bills on final passage may not be amended but are subject to debate. In the Senate, 26 votes are required for final passage. What happens if the Senate approves a House bill without amendments? The bill is then transmitted back to the House and is signed by the Speaker in the presence of the members. It is then returned to the Senate to be signed by the President of Senate (Lieutenant Governor) or the President Pro Tempore. After which the bill is transmitted by the House to the Department of State for recording and then to the Governor for further action. What happens if the Senate approves a House bill with amendments? If a House bill is amended in a Senate Committee or on the Senate floor, it is returned to the House where it is automatically referred to the House Rules Committee. When the bill has been favorably reported by the Rules Committee, either as committed (with the Senate amendments) or in the version last passed by the House (without the Senate amendments), it is placed on the Calendar. What happens if the House agrees to the Senate amendments? If the majority of the elected members of the House (102 members) agree to the Senate amendments, the bill is transmitted to the Governor for further action. Officially, this action is known as voting "to concur in amendments made by the Senate. What happens if the House refuses to agree to the Senate amendments? If the majority of the House members refuses to agree to the Senate amendments, the bill usually goes to a conference committee, made up of three members from each chamber, appointed by the Speaker and the President Pro Tempore, whose duty is to resolve, if possible, the differences existing between the House and Senate on the bill, and report to their respective members. A constitutional majority of the elected members of the House (102 members) and Senate (26 members) is required for the adoption of a Conference Committee Report. If the Report is approved by both the House and the Senate, it is sent to the Governor for further action. What happens after the bill goes to the Governor? The Governor refers the bill to the Office of General Counsel for an opinion as to the legality and constitutionality of the legislation. After the Office of General Counsel's review, the Governor then has three options: (1) he may sign the bill into law; (2) he may veto the bill {he may veto specific items in an appropriations bill, this is known as a "line item veto}; or (3) he may allow the bill to become law without his signature. What happens after the Governor signs the bill into law? The bill is transmitted to the Department of State for certification, assignment of an Act number, and filing. What happens if the Governor vetoes the bill? The bill is returned to the house of origin for possible further action. The bill may be re-passed by a two-thirds vote of the members of both the House (136 members) and Senate (34 members). What happens if the Governor does nothing? If the bill is not signed within 10 days when the General Assembly is in session, it becomes law. If the bill is not signed within 30 days when the General Assembly has adjourned sine die, it becomes law. The bill is then transmitted to the Department of State for certification, assignment of an Act number, and filing. Source: Pennsylvania Legislative Services ( PLS )