How do the branches of the government contribute to the process of a bill becoming a law?

The branches of government play a role in how a bill becomes a law. While the main part of the process belongs to the legislative branch, the executive branch and the judicial branch may play a role. It is possible for the President to suggest to Congress an idea for a bill. The Supreme Court, through previous rulings, may shed some light on what may or may not be acceptable in a possible bill.

The main part of the process belongs to Congress. A bill gets introduced into one of the houses of Congress. It will go to a committee, and if the committee recommends that the full house act on it, the full house will vote on the bill. Then, if it passes, it goes to the other house of Congress, and the same process occurs again. Once the bill passes both houses of Congress in identical form, it will go the President. The President may sign the bill into law, or the President may veto the bill. If it is vetoed, it goes back to Congress. If two-thirds of both houses of Congress vote to override the veto, the bill will become a law.

The judicial branch could be asked to review a law to determine if it is or isn’t constitutional. If the law was unconstitutional, the law would stop being in effect once the ruling was made. The Supreme Court has the final say on any law that is in the court system.

While most of the responsibility falls to the legislative branch, the executive and the judicial branches have some role in the lawmaking process.