Statutes vs. Bills

Statutes are the laws of the state. Bills are the legislative documents used to create or amend laws.

All statutes originate as bills that are enacted by the legislature and either signed by the governor or allowed to take effect without the governor's signature.

Understanding how the existing law is affected by a bill is fundamental to accurate reading and understanding of the bill. Because bills should be read in the context of statutes, this guide discusses statutes first.