Three Phases of a Legislative Session

A Legislative session has three phases. The first phase consists of both the House and Senate drafting and filing its own bills with its Chief Clerk. There are more than 3000 Senate and House bills, and each gets a “First Reading” on the floor of the chamber in which it was introduced. Next, the respective chamber’s bills go to the House Speaker or Senate President for assignment to a Committee. The Committee Chair then schedules public hearings for those bills chosen to see the light of day. The lucky bills get a Public Hearing and subsequently get a Work Session and are passed out of committee by a majority of Committee members. Each successful bill either is sent to another committee, such as Ways and Means if substantial expenditures are involved, or to the respective chamber’s floor for Second Reading. Then after at least one day’s delay, to Third Reading, debate and a final vote. Since this same process must be followed for every bill, resolution, referral or memorial, for the current session to end on June 29, 2007, timing is critical.

To begin Phase Two, all successful bills in one chamber must receive a majority vote on that chamber’s floor, then be delivered to the other chamber with enough time remaining in the session for the second chamber’s First Readings, committee assignments, public hearings, work sessions, subsequent referrals, Second and Third Readings, floor debate and final vote.

Since April 30th is the end of this session’s Phase One, it is also the deadline for passing health care reform from the first chamber in this Legislative session. The various health care reform bills remain in their original committees, so time is of the essence.

In short, with little more than two weeks left in Phase One of this session, time for health care reform is running out. Nevertheless, there is still enough time for bills to be consolidated and compromises reached. Otherwise, a great opportunity to benefit the health and well-being of all Oregonians will have been lost.


Dennis Richardson