The progress categories for bills are as follows:

  • Prefiled/Awaiting Introduction: Bill is drafted and submitted to the legislative body before the official start of the legislative session, but has not yet been formally presented to the chamber for consideration.
  • Introduced: The proposal for a new law or change to an existing law has been formally submitted by a legislator.
  • House Committee: A House committee is currently examining and amending the bill and deciding whether to advance it to the next stage of the legislative process.
  • House Floor: Bill is ready for full debate and potential amendments on the floor of the House chamber.
  • Senate Committee: A Senate committee is currently examining and amending the bill and deciding whether to advance it to the next stage of the legislative process.
  • Senate Floor: Bill is ready for full debate and potential amendments on the floor of the Senate chamber.
  • Joint Committee: The bill is currently being considered and amended by a committee made up of members from both the House of Representatives and the Senate.
  • Final Vote: The legislative body is currently taking the last vote on the bill before it is sent to the governor., signifying the final step before it either passes or fails to become law in that chamber.
  • Passed: The bill has been signed by the governor and passed into law. legislative body has voted in favor of the bill and is ready to proceed to the next step.
  • Failed: The bill did not successfully pass through the legislative process and will not become law.
  • Injuncted: A court has issued a legal order preventing that bill from being enacted or implemented, putting it on hold until legal issues surrounding the bill are resolved.
  • Undone: A previously passed piece of legislation is effectively canceled or reversed, usually through the passing of a new law that explicitly repeals the old one.
  • Struck Down: A court has declared the bill to be illegal and unenforceable.
  • Crossed Over: The bill has been reported out of committee and has been passed a vote by the full chamber.
  • Vetoed: An official has refused to approve the bill, preventing it from becoming law.
  • Veto Override Vote: Occurs when the legislature passes a bill despite a veto by the executive branch; requires a supermajority vote in both chambers of Congress. Typically this requires a 2/3 majority, but the specific threshold varies by state.