A law new is a new or revised law that has been passed or amended. Laws can be drafted by the government, by interest groups or by individuals who want to see their ideas become laws. Once an idea for a law has been approved by a group, it is called a bill and it goes through a process to become a law. The process of creating a bill in the United States Senate is different from the process in the House of Representatives or the State Legislature.
A bill begins with a policy idea, which can come from the senator, an organization that calls for a law, or any individual who wants to make a change to the existing law. Once the idea is settled upon, it is drafted into a bill by a person with specialized legal training.
After a bill is drafted, it is assigned to a committee of people who will research and make changes to the law. The bill may be altered significantly from its original form. The bills that get the most support in a committee are then considered for approval by the full Senate or House of Representatives.
If a majority of the members of one of the houses approve a bill, it will become law. The Governor has 10 days to sign or veto bills that have been approved by both houses. If he or she signs the bill, it becomes law; however, if the Governor vetoes the bill, it will not become law unless two-thirds of members of both houses vote to override the veto.
A court can make a law that sets the terms of a specific situation such as divorce, bankruptcy or child custody. A judge can also impose a penalty on a person that violates the law. The penalties are described in a court’s rule book, which contains the rules of procedure. Lawyers use case law, which is a record of past decisions made by judges, when they prepare their arguments for cases. The decisions are then used by other judges in future cases. A court may also decide to cite a case, which means that the judge will reference it during the hearing.
