Law new refers to legislation that has been proposed, debated and passed by a legislative body such as Congress. When the process is complete, the legislation becomes an official rule or regulation known as a statute.
Generally, the new policy idea comes from a senator’s constituents, an interest group or from state agencies or the executive branch of government. Once an idea is settled on, it must be drafted into bill form, a task that requires specialized legal training and experience.
When a bill passes both houses of the Legislature, staff members of the committee that authored the bill write a detailed report explaining its purpose and scope. This document is one of the most important parts of the legislative history of a bill. It outlines the change in existing laws and provides a section-by-section analysis of what the bill intends to accomplish. This information is a valuable resource for both the courts and the executive branch.