How are laws made?“Laws, like sausages, cease to inspire respect in proportion as we know how they are made.” John Godfrey Saxe, American poet (1816 – 1887)

What does this mean?

How are our laws made?

Where do laws come from?

• Constitutions• Legislatures• Voters• Administrative agencies• Courts• ANYONE can come up

with a law…

Legislative Process:How a bill becomes a law

• Where in the U.S. Constitution is the process described?

–Article I, Section 7 (p575 of your book)

• I’m Just A Bill• Legislatures try to respond to the

needs of the citizens by making bills• Unclear law p22

Agencies that make law…

• OSHA• EPA• DOT• TSA• Department of Homeland Security• Hidden lawmakers• Regulations by agencies become law without

being voted upon (but hold public hearings)

Courts can also make laws:

• Precedent• All lower courts in the jurisdiction where the

precedent was issued must follow it• Example-a states supreme court ruled that the

states constitution required that school funding be equalized throughout the state-richer and poorer school districts would each have to spend the same amount per student (all lower courts would have to follow)

International Lawmaking

• Treaty• United Nations

– 200 member countries– US was founding member

• Problem 2.5 p28

Who makes laws in Oregon?

Are you going to be a lawmaker?What is a lawmaker?

Who is a lawmaker? Advocacy-the active support of a cause Lobbying-way to influence the law making process

by convincing lawmakers to vote as you want them too

Oregon Voters = Lawmakers Initiative-a procedure that enables a specified

number of voters to propose a law by petition Referendum-legislative act that is referred to

voters for final approval or rejection Read Problem 3.3 (p36) and answer the questions