It is here, too, where members can offer amendments to the bill. Most bills that get this far get their second reading in the couple of weeks following the committee cut-off. If a bill has been amended in committee or on the floor in the first house, it is ordered engrossed. Engrossing a bill means incorporating the amendments into the body of the bill so that the second house gets one document. If a bill has been amended in the second house, it is returned to the first house with the amendments attached so that the first house can decide whether or not it wishes to agree with the changes the second house made.
Third reading is where the roll call vote on final passage is taken.
If the bill finally passes, it continues in the process. If the bill fails on final passage, it goes no further. If the bill passes third reading in the second house and the second house did not amend the bill, the bill has passed the Legislature. If the first house concurs in the amendments, the bill has passed the Legislature. If the first house disagrees with the second house, it can ask the second house to recede from the amendments.