Indiana Social Studies USG.3.5
The Standard
Explain how a bill becomes law in the legislative process of the United States and the state of Indiana.
2026 Indiana Academic Standards: K-12 Social Studies · Students understand the nature of citizenship, politics, and governments, understanding the rights and responsibilities of citizens and how these are part of local, state, and national government. Students examine how the United States Constitution protects rights and provides the structure and functions of various levels of government. Students examine how the United States interacts with other nations as well as the government's role in world affairs will be examined.
Teacher's field guide
What This Standard Means
What Students Need to Do
- Students trace a bill through committee review and votes in both chambers of Congress or the Indiana legislature. They explain what happens when the president or governor signs or vetoes it.
What Mastery Looks Like
- A student can put the steps in order and explain why both chambers must agree on the same bill. They know Congress needs two-thirds in each chamber to override a veto, while Indiana needs a majority of elected members in each chamber.
Common Misconceptions
- Some students think a bill becomes law after one chamber votes yes or after a committee approves it. Others think the president signs Indiana bills, or that veto overrides require the same vote in both systems.
How to Assess It
- Exit ticket: Trace a proposed school bus safety bill through Congress and the Indiana legislature. Include committee review, both chambers' votes, and who can sign or veto each bill.
Lesson moves
Ways to Teach It
Give pairs bill-stage cards for Congress and Indiana, then have them arrange each path and mark where a veto can happen.
Ask: If the House and Senate pass different versions of a school bus safety bill, what must happen before it can be signed?
Give students mock vote totals for both chambers; have them decide whether a presidential veto or an Indiana governor's veto is overridden.
Use the Indiana General Assembly bill tracker to find a signed bill, then record its committee, chamber votes, and governor's action.
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Printable USG.3.5 Worksheet
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