1. Drafting the Bill: Bills typically start at the Legislative Council where a member of the General Assembly (either a Senator or Representative) works with an attorney to draft the bill into legal language. 2. Introduction: The member reads and checks the bill, and then submits it to the Clerk of either the House or Senate. Prefiled bills can be submitted before the session begins and are officially introduced on the first day of the session. 3. First Reading: Once introduced, the bill is read for the first time, assigned a number, and referred to the appropriate committee. 4. Committee Review: The majority of legislative work occurs in committees where members specialized in relevant subjects review the bill and can propose amendments. The committee then reports its recommendations to the full body. 5. Second Reading: The bill is scheduled for a second reading where it is debated and can be amended. Further amendments require unanimous consent. 6. Voting: Following debate, the bill is put to a vote. The method of voting can include voice votes, electronic votes in the House, or roll calls in the Senate. 7. Third Reading: The bill is read for the third time. Amendments are typically no longer accepted at this stage. 8. Sending to the Other Body: If passed by the originating body, the bill is sent to the other chamber (House or Senate) where it follows a similar process: committee review, readings, and voting. 9. Amendments: If the second chamber makes amendments, the bill is sent back to the original chamber for consideration of those changes. 10. Conference Committee: If both chambers cannot agree on the amendments, a conference committee is formed to reconcile differences. Their report must be approved by both chambers. 11. Ratification: Once both chambers agree, the bill is ordered to be ratified, signed by the officials of both chambers, and then sent to the Governor. 12. Governor's Approval: The Governor can sign the bill into law, let it become law without a signature, or veto it. If vetoed, the body in which it originated can override the veto with a two-thirds vote. 13. Becomes Law: If the bill is signed or the veto is overridden, it becomes law, typically effective 20 days after the Governor's approval unless otherwise stated. Note: Constitutional amendments follow a similar process but require a two-thirds vote in both chambers and do not need the Governor's approval. They are placed before the voters for final approval.

A member of the public can get involved in the legislative process in South Carolina in several ways: 1. Contacting Legislators: Individuals can reach out to their local legislators to express their views on pending legislation or to advocate for specific issues that matter to them. This can be done via email, phone calls, or by attending local town hall meetings. 2. Attending Legislative Sessions: Members of the public can attend meetings of the General Assembly, including sessions of the Senate and House of Representatives. They can watch the discussions and debates on various bills. 3. Participating in Committee Hearings: Committees play a crucial role in the legislative process. Members of the public can attend committee meetings where they can provide input, share opinions, or even present testimony on specific bills. 4. Submitting Petitions: Individuals or groups can submit formal petitions to the General Assembly to advocate for specific legislative changes or to highlight community issues. 5. Lobbying: Engaging in lobbying activities by coordinated efforts through interest groups or organizations to influence legislation on particular issues is another way to participate. 6. Staying Informed: Keeping track of legislative developments by following bills of interest can help citizens stay informed. This enables them to engage more effectively in the process. 7. Voting: Participating in elections is critical as it helps determine which individuals will represent the public in the legislative process. 8. Public Comment: Some legislative processes allow for public comments on proposed regulations and rules, providing a venue for public input.

Tracking bills is hard, especially if you rely on state legislature websites, which are often hard to navigate. Thousands of bills get filed in South Carolina every year (and about 180,000 bills nationwide). If you want to be an effective advocate, you need to know where legislation of interest stands, and act quickly.

FastDemocracy's free version allows you to track an unlimited number of bills - no strings attached. We'll send you a daily or weekly email on your priority bills and give you tools to research bills and legislators.

FastDemocracy Professional is for anyone who tracks bills in a professional capacity. It features

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1. Sign up here for a free FastDemocracy account.

2. Head to Tracked Topics to select issue areas you care about.

3. Use the search bar on top if you're looking for something specific.

4. Click "Track Bill" for any legislation you'd like to monitor a bit closer. That's how you add it to your Tracked Bills. You can also click on a bill to learn more, see the bill summary, most recent actions, votes, news and tweets. You can also contact legislators or share your bills on social media.

5. You can track an unlimited number of bills for free and we'll send you a daily or weekly email if your tracked legislation moves.

6. Do you need real-time alerts, outreach tools, bill lists, and professional functions? Then FastDemocracy Professional is the right fit for you.

7. Track bills on your smartphone using our free mobile app.

You can use the Find Your Legislators tool to find them, see their voting records, and contact them.