Making laws
referral
The assignment of a newly introduced measure to the committee (or committees) with jurisdiction over its subject.
In full
After introduction, a measure is referred to committee. In the House the Speaker, advised by the nonpartisan parliamentarian, makes the referral, and complex bills can go to several committees at once. In the Senate, referral follows the chamber's standing rules on jurisdiction. Referral is routine but consequential: a friendly or hostile committee often decides a measure's fate.
Also written as: referred to committee
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A plain-language explanation for civic education, not legal advice. When in doubt, the official source named above controls.