Law is one of those industries where change happens at a rapid pace. Whether it is the latest technology or new strategies to help clients, lawyers are always looking for ways to unleash their potential and do things differently. One area of the legal industry that has received a great deal of attention is known as new law. While this concept can be hard to pin down, it is one that all legal firms should understand so they can harness its ideas to their advantage.
New laws are created in a legislative process called lawmaking. The first step is for a senator to come up with a policy idea. The idea may be prompted by a constituent, an organization that is calling for a law, or a State official. The idea will then be turned into a bill and then assigned to a committee. The committee will research the bill and make changes before it is put before the chamber to vote on. If a bill passes both houses, it becomes law. However, if the Governor vetoes a bill, it can still become law because the Legislature will have 10 days to override the veto.
While the process of making a law is different in the House and Senate, both have similar rules and regulations to create and pass legislation. If a bill is passed, the committee will write a report that describes the purpose and scope of the legislation, explains all changes made to existing law, and includes a section-by-section analysis of the bill. This report is an important element of the legislative history of a bill and will be used by courts, executive departments, and the public for information about the law’s purpose and impact.