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Oregon Legislative Resources: The Basics in Oregon

This Guide is intended to help you trace the history of an Oregon law, from its introduction as a bill to codification in statute.

The Oregon Legislative Information System (OLIS) page will help you find recent Oregon Legislative history.

History of earlier bills will require more work.

  1. A Legislative idea is suggested. A Legislator or Legislative committee is needed to sponsor the bill.
  2. Legislative counsel creates the bill draft.
  3. Bill is introduced in either the House or the Senate and is assigned to a committee.
  4. Committee holds public hearing and work sessions. Committee acts on the bill  to pass, amend, or not pass. If it does not pass, it dies in Committee.
  5. If the bill passes in the Committee, it is sent on to the House or Senate for a 2nd or 3rd reading and a vote. If it does not pass, it dies.
  6. If a bill passes in the first Chamber, it is sent to the second Chamber for a reading and the Committee process is repeated.
  7. If the bill passes in the second Chamber, it is sent to the Governor.  If it was ammended, it must go back to the first Chamber and the process repeats. The bill must pass in both Chambers.
  8. When the bill passes both Chambers, it is sent to the Governor to be signed into law. If the Governor does not the sign bill, it becomes law without signature. If the Governor vetoes the bill, a two-thirds vote in both Chambers is needed to override the veto.