Advocate's Toolbox

Basically How a Bill Becomes Law in New Hampshire (In Plain English)

1. The bill is drafted by legislative services.

2. The bill is filed by its sponsors as a house or a senate bill.

3. The bill is assigned to a committee which reviews it.

4. The committee holds public hearings.

5. The committee makes a recommendation that the bill should or should not pass when it goes to the full house or senate for a final vote.

6. The bill then goes to the house or senate body for the final vote.

7. If the bill passes, it is sent on to the other body.

8. The process then starts all over again, but in the new body.

9. After another round of hearings, etc., the second body votes on the bill. If it is passed, it goes to the Governor for signature and then it becomes law.

10. If the bill passes, but has changes which make it different from the original bill, then a special committee is set up to work out an agreement between the house and senate so everyone is satisfied with the changes. This is called the Committee of Conference.

11. Once the Committee of Conference has everything worked out, then the bill is sent back to both houses for their approval. Then it goes to the Governor for signature.

12. The Governor then has three choices: he/she can sign the bill and it becomes law; he/she can choose not to sign it and it becomes law, without the signature, within five days; or he/she can veto the bill and it goes back to the legislature for a vote to override the Governor’s veto. It takes a 2/3 majority vote to do this, or the bill dies.