Oregonizers.org

How government works

How does an idea become a law?

You do not need to memorize the process. Here's the map, in plain language.

This page describes the basic path a bill can take through the Oregon Legislature. Real legislation can take different routes, stop along the way, be changed, or never become law.

The short version

A bill has to keep moving.

1

An idea becomes a bill

Someone proposes an idea for changing Oregon law. A legislator can introduce a bill in the Legislature.

2

The bill is introduced

The bill receives a number and enters the legislative process. It begins in either the House or the Senate.

3

A committee takes a look

Bills are generally referred to committees. Committees can hold meetings, hear testimony, amend bills and decide whether to move them forward.

4

The chamber considers it

If the bill moves forward, members of the House or Senate consider and vote on it.

5

The other chamber gets a turn

A bill generally must pass both the House and Senate in the required form before it can reach the governor.

6

The governor acts

Depending on the legislation and circumstances, the governor may sign a bill, veto it, or allow it to become law without a signature under Oregon law.

7

It becomes law, or it doesn't

A bill that becomes law joins Oregon's body of law. Other bills stop somewhere along the way.

Where people can participate

The process isn't a locked room.

There are opportunities for the public to participate at different points in the legislative process.

Contact a legislator Tell your elected representative how an issue affects you or your community.
Attend a public meeting Watch legislative work happen and learn what is being discussed.
Submit testimony When a committee accepts public testimony, you may be able to submit written or oral testimony.
Follow the bill Use official legislative records to see where a bill is in the process.

The useful part

You don't need to understand the whole process.

If a bill matters to you, you mostly need to answer a few questions:

  1. What is the bill?
  2. Where is it right now?
  3. Who is handling it?
  4. What happens next?
  5. Is there something I can do at this point?

Oregonizers will help you find those answers without making you learn the entire legislative system first.

See what's happening now

Official records

Want the source?

Oregon's official legislative records are the place to verify what a bill says, where it is in the process, scheduled events, votes and other legislative information.

Open OLIS Open Oregon Legislature