Enrollment and Ratification

Enrollment and Ratification: Once both chambers agree on identical language for a bill the bill is ordered enrolled. The Enrolling Clerk creates a document that contains the chambers’ agreed upon language and checks to make sure the text accurately reflects the final action of the chambers. The Enrolling Clerk then presents the enrolled bill to the presiding officers of the House and Senate for their signatures. The signing of the enrolled bill by the presiding officers is the act of ratification. The signed bill is then transmitted by the enrolling office to the Governor. If the Governor’s signature is not required, the signed bill is sent directly to the Secretary of State’s Office for filing. Finally, through a process called chaptering, the Enrolling Clerk assigns a Session Law number to each enacted bill.