legislation

Legislation refers to the preparation, drafting, and enactment of laws by a legislative body through its formal lawmaking process. The process includes evaluating, amending, and voting on proposed bills, with attention to the language used to express the policy objectives of the proposal. An idea becomes legislative business once it is written as a bill. A bill is a draft version of a proposed law, and once enacted it becomes an act or statute. 

  • An “act” is the formal enactment of legislation, or the law in its session form as passed during that legislative session.
  • A statute is that same law once it is codified in the jurisdiction’s code.

Ideas for legislation may come from legislators, model laws developed by organizations such as the Uniform Law Commission, the Council of State Governments, the American Law Institute, and the American Bar Association, or from interest groups working through lobbyists. Legislators often draw on successful laws from other jurisdictions as models.

The procedures for enacting legislation are governed by the relevant constitution. In the United States, a bill introduced by a sponsor is referred to a committee, where it may be amended to address concerns or correct technical issues. If approved, the bill is reported to the full chamber for floor action. In bicameral legislatures, such as the U.S. Congress, both houses must pass the bill in identical form. Disagreements between houses are resolved through procedures such as conference committees. Once both houses approve the final text, the bill is presented to the executive. The President of the United States may sign the bill into law or veto it, in which case the legislature may attempt to override the veto as permitted by the Constitution.

Federal References:

Illustrative Case law: 

State Resources:

[Last reviewed in September of 2025 by the Wex Definitions Team] 

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