Step by step · 21 entries
Bill stages, step by step
01 UK Parliament
First reading
The short title is read out and the bill is ordered to be printed, with no debate 6. A bill can start in the Commons or the Lords 1.
Who: The House where the bill starts 1
Second reading
MPs debate the main principles of the bill and vote on whether it moves on. It usually takes place no sooner than two weekends after first reading 7.
Who: All MPs, opened by the minister or member in charge 7
Committee stage
Line-by-line examination. Every clause is agreed to, changed or removed 8.
Who: Usually a Public Bill Committee, or for a minority of bills a Committee of the whole House 8
Report stage
MPs debate and amend the bill on the floor of the House. All MPs may speak and vote, and third reading normally follows straight away 9.
Who: All MPs 9
Stages in the second House
The bill goes through first reading, second reading, committee, report and third reading in the other House 7. In the Lords, committee stage has no fixed time limit and usually lasts up to eight days 10.
Who: Members of the Lords, any of whom can take part at committee stage 10
Consideration of amendments
The bill goes back and forth between the Houses until both agree the same wording. If they cannot agree, the bill fails, but the Commons can in some cases use the Parliament Acts in the following session 11.
Who: Commons and Lords 11
Royal Assent
The Monarch's agreement turns the bill into an Act. It takes effect from midnight at the start of the day of Royal Assent if no commencement order or other date applies 12.
Who: The Monarch, announced by the Speakers 12
02 US Congress
Introduction and referral
Only members may introduce legislation. In the House the Speaker refers a bill to every committee with jurisdiction. The Senate usually refers it to the committee for its main issue 2.
Who: A member of the House or Senate 2
Committee hearings and markup
Committees may hold hearings. A markup ends when the committee agrees, by majority vote, to report the bill. Only full committees can report legislation 2.
Who: Committee of jurisdiction 2
House floor
Most bills pass under suspension of the rules, which needs two thirds of Members voting. Others come under a special rule from the Rules Committee 2. Passage needs a simple majority, 218 of 435 13.
Who: House of Representatives 13
Senate floor
Debate is not limited by default. Cloture to end debate needs a supermajority, usually three fifths 2. Passage needs a simple majority, 51 of 100 13.
Who: Senate 2
Resolving differences
The chambers must agree identical text, by exchanging amendments or through a conference committee and its conference report 2.
Who: House and Senate conferees 2
Enrollment
The Government Publishing Office prints the agreed bill in a process called enrolling 13.
Who: Government Publishing Office 13
Presidential action
The President signs or returns the bill with objections. A bill not returned within ten days, Sundays excepted, becomes law, save where an adjournment of Congress prevents its return 3.
Who: The President 3
Veto override
A returned bill becomes law if two thirds of each House agree to pass it on reconsideration 3.
Who: House and Senate 3
03 EU ordinary legislative procedure
Commission proposal
The procedure starts with a legislative proposal from the Commission, normally a regulation, directive or decision 4.
Who: European Commission 4
Parliament first reading
Parliament votes by simple majority, usually on a committee report, and may amend, approve or reject the proposal. No time limit applies 4.
Who: European Parliament 4
Council first reading
The Council accepts Parliament's position, which adopts the act, or adopts its own first reading position. No time limit applies 4.
Who: Council of the EU 4
Second reading
Each side has three months, extendible by one month. Parliament rejects or amends the Council position by an absolute majority, currently 361 of 720 votes 4.
Who: European Parliament and Council 4
Conciliation
The Conciliation Committee is convened within six weeks and has six weeks to approve a joint text. Without one, the act is deemed not adopted 5.
Who: Conciliation Committee of Council and Parliament members 5
Third reading
Parliament and the Council each have six weeks from approval of the joint text to adopt the act. Periods can be extended by a maximum of one month and two weeks 5.
Who: European Parliament and Council 5
Notes
- Fast-tracked UK bills get less scrutiny at committee stage, and Consolidated Fund Bills have no committee stage 8.
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Sources
- UK Parliament: How does a bill become a law? Guide to the passage of a Bill
- Congressional Research Service: Introduction to the Legislative Process in the U.S. Congress, R42843 (10 March 2025)
- National Archives: The Constitution of the United States, A Transcription
- European Parliament: The Ordinary Legislative Procedure, step by step
- EUR-Lex: Consolidated version of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, Article 294
- UK Parliament: First reading (Commons)
- UK Parliament: Second reading (Commons)
- UK Parliament: Committee stage (Commons)
- UK Parliament: Report stage (Commons)
- UK Parliament: Committee stage (Lords)
- UK Parliament: Consideration of amendments
- UK Parliament: Royal Assent
- House of Representatives: The Legislative Process