What is the Difference Between Act and Bill?

The main difference between a bill and an act lies in the stage of the legislative process they represent.

• Bill: A bill is a formally introduced legislation, often in the form of a proposal for a new law or a proposal to change an existing law. It is introduced in either the House of Representatives or the Senate and is labeled as H.R. or S., depending on where it is introduced. Bills go through several stages of debate, discussion, or amendment before they can advance further in the legislative process.
• Act: An act, also known as a law, is the final version of a legislation that has passed both houses of Congress (or Parliament) and has been approved by the President (or the reigning monarch in the UK). In the United States, when a bill is passed in identical form by both the Senate and the House, it is sent to the President for their signature. If the President signs the bill, it becomes a law, also known as an Act of Congress. In the UK, a bill becomes an Act of Parliament after being approved by the House of Commons, the House of Lords, and formally agreed to by the reigning monarch.

In summary, a bill is a proposal for a new law or a change to an existing law, while an act is the final, approved version of the legislation that has become law.

Comparative Table: Act vs Bill

The main difference between an Act and a Bill lies in their stages within the legislative process. Here is a table summarizing the differences:

In summary, a Bill is a proposal for a new law, while an Act is a law that has been passed by the legislature and given assent by the President or Governor. An Act is a subset of law and has the power to confer legal rights, obligations, and liabilities, whereas a Bill is a draft of proposed legislation and does not have such powers.