A bill is introduced by a sponsoring legislator on the floor of either house, numbered by the clerk and referred for consideration to one or more committees of that house. The deadline for introduction of all bills except appropriations bills or bills requested by the Governor (special message) is Noon on the 15th day of a 30-day session. Committee recommendations usually determine the success or failure of a bill. A bill may be amended in a committee or a substitute measure with the same number and general subject matter may be put in its place.
If you are very interested in a particular bill, do not be dismayed if it seems to sit for a long time in a committee, particularly in a tax, finance or appropriation’s committee. Bills which ask for money or for taxing authority often lie dormant until the last few days of a session and then move with unbelievable speed.
It a bill passes successfully through its committee referrals, it returns to the floor of the house in which it was introduced for floor consideration. If it passes that house, it goes to the other house. However, it may also be tabled, referred again or defeated.
In the second house the bill is again considered in one or several committees and it may again be amended or substituted. If it gets through its committee assignments, it returns to the floor of that house for consideration and may from there be referred, tabled, defeated or passed.
If the bill passes the second house and it has been amended or substituted by the second house, the originating house must concur or with the changes. If the originating house fails to concur, a conference committee representing both houses is appointed to decide what to present to both houses for acceptance.
A bill that has been passed in some agreed upon form by both the House and the Senate goes to the Governor for signature. The Governor may choose to sign or to veto the bill. If the bill contains an appropriation, the Governor may veto portions if he wishes (line item veto); if it does not, he may only veto the entire bill. If vetoed, 2/3 of the House and 2/3 of the Senate must vote in favor of the bill in order to override the etc. If the veto override fails, the bill is dead. Most bills do not reach the Governor’s desk before the Legislature adjourns. The Governor has 20 days following the close of the session to sign, veto or fail to sign (pocket veto) any bill which he did not act on during the session. Any bill is much more likely to have died in committee or on the floor before even reaching the Governor’s desk.
In New Mexico, no more than 1/4 to 1/3 of bills introduced ever make it all the way to enactment. The historic trend in New Mexico is for more and more introductions each succeeding session.
Posted by Linda Gaume on 01/05 at 08:44 AM
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