State Legislative Process

The Minnesota Legislature has 201 Members (67 Senators & 134 Representatives).  You have one representative and one senator.  Find out who represents you by visiting this link or calling 651.296.2146 or 1.800.657.3550.

Senators are elected for a four-year term and representatives are elected for a two-year term. However, in election years ending in 0, such as 2000 or 1990, Senators serve for a two-year term in order to provide for the redistricting process done in conjunction with the United States census.  Most legislators have “real jobs” too; they typically work at the Capitol from the end of January until the end of May.

HOW A BILL BECOMES A LAW

The legislative branch of government is responsible for passing and revising laws.  They do this by introducing bills.  A bill is an idea for a new law or an idea to change an old law.  Anyone can suggest an idea for a bill, but only a legislator can move the bill through the legislative process.  The legislator who sponsors and introduces the bill is called the chief author.  The chief House author introduces the bill in the House and the chief Senate author introduces the bill in the Senate.  The bill is then sent to appropriate committees in both the House and the Senate.  The bill is discussed in one or more committees and each committee votes to approve or disapprove.  If approved, the bill goes to the floor of the House and the Senate where it is discussed and can be changed and then is voted on.  If the two bills now don’t exactly match, they are sent to a conference committee where a few members of the House and a few from the Senate try to work out the differences between the two bills and reach a compromise.  The bill then goes back to the full House and full Senate where it is voted on.  If the bill passes both the House and the Senate it then goes to the Governor; if the Governor signs the bill, it becomes law; if the Governor vetoes the bill it goes back to the House and Senate where a 2/3 majority is required to override the Governor’s veto.

WHY ME?

Your senators and representatives work for you.   Advocating what is important to you helps enable them to do the job of representing the wants and needs of their constituents.

You’re the expert.  Legislators don’t automatically know and understand all the issues present in their districts upon election.  You have the personal stories and experiences that tell the realities of issues present in their district.

Legislators are people, too.  Senators and representatives were once constituents of the very district they now represent.  They have a vested interest in supporting, listening to, and working for the people of their very own communities.

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