The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1925-02-05
.SOLON DESCRIBES
MAKING OF LAWS
Speaker Sachtjen Describes
Methods of Law Making
In Wisconsin.
WORK IN COMMITTEES

Madison.-How laws are made in
Wisconsin, the devious paths through
which a bill must travel before it be-
comes statute and the care that is
taken to guard against errors in judg-
ment and phraseology in the drafting
OF measures, should be Of interest to
every citizen of Wisconsin, according
to Herman w. Sachtjen, speaker of
the state assembly.
"Most people know that to become
law, a measure must pass the as
sembly and senate and be signed by
the governor" Mr.. Sachtjen said, "but
the machinery of legislation within
the two houses of the state legisla-
ture is not generally very we'll under
stood.
'The first five weeks of the session
is largely devoted to the introduction
of bills. To be introduced from the
floor, a bill must be enclosed in a
regulation envelope carrying the au-
thor's name and the substance of the
measure. This caption is read when
the bill is introduced, after which the
measure is referred to the committee
on revision, which makes any neces7
sary grammatical or other corrections,
determines whether the bill accom-
plishes the purpose intended and then
reports it back to the house.
"The measure is then read the first
and. second time with slight pause
between readings so that members
will have an opportunity to fully un-
derstand it. Following the second
reading the presiding officer refers
the bill to. the proper committee. 1t
is bulletined for public hearing by
the chairman of the committee and
any person interested may attend the
hearing and argue either for or
against adoption. After the hearing
closes, the committee goes into execu-
tive session and decides whether to
recommend indefinite postponement or
passage of the measure.
Committees reports are received
by the main body and made matter
of record and the bill is placed on the
calendar. When passage is recon-
mended and the measure comes up for
action the question put to the house
is "Shall the bill be engrossed and
read a third time 2" Engrossment
means the incorporation of all amend
ments and putting the measure into
shape for final passage. Up to the
time the bill is engrossed amendments
may be offered either from the floor
Of the chamber or in committee, but
after the bill is voted engrossed, no
more amendments may be made to it.
"After engrossment, the house votes
on the question "Shall the bill be read
third timer" and if this is passed,
the presiding officer says, Chill num-
Der (blank) having been read three
times, shall the bill pass?" If the
measure passes, it is sent to the other
house, where it must go through the
entire process again, except that the
question asked is "Shall the bill be
concurred in" rather than shall it be
engrossed or passed
"Shou1d the other house amend the
measure, the amendment must travel
the same path in the first house that
the bill originally followed. Amend
of bills for a long time. Occasionally
when the two houses of the legislature
cannot agree on an amendment, a COM
mittee of conference is appointed in
each house and in joint meeting of
the two, an agreement is sought. In
cases where the committee on confer
ence reports back to the respective
houses that an agreement cannot be
reached, new committee may be ap-
pointed or the report of the first COM
mittee accepted. In the latter case,
the bill is automatically killed.
"After passage by one house and
concurrence by the other the bill is
enrolled with the presiding officer of
the house where it originated, and de-
livered to the governor by him. 1t
now carries the name of 'act' and on
the envelope in which it is taken to
the governor the entire history of the
measure is written, including what
committees heard it, and the action
taken in the respective houses. The
act must be signed by the presiding
officers of both houses and by the
chief clerk of the house where it
originated. The governor is allowed
six days in which to sign or veto the
act, but if he takes no action within
that time, the act becomes a law with
out his signature. The last step in
making the law is the depositing of
the act with the secretary of state,
and the publishing of it in the official