What happens when the House and Senate disagree on a bill?

As the House Republican Caucus Chair, I’m often asked what I mean when I say, “House bills are now in the Senate,” or “the Senate amended a House bill.” People also want to know: If a bill is changed in the other chamber, is that the final version? Does it become law just like that?

These are great questions—and the answers aren’t always straightforward. There’s a lot of behind-the-scenes work in the legislative process that doesn’t get much attention, especially in the final stretch of session. Once bills start moving between the House and Senate, the process of passing legislation becomes a lot more technical—and sometimes confusing.

That’s why I wanted to take a moment to break down what really happens when a bill moves from one chamber to the other, what it means when a bill is amended, and how lawmakers resolve differences when they don’t see eye to eye. As we head into the final days of the 2025 legislative session, here’s a quick guide to what’s happening—and why it matters.

What happens after a bill passes one chamber?

When a bill is introduced in the Legislature, it starts in either the House or Senate. It goes through public hearings and debate in committees, and if it moves forward, it gets voted on by the full House or Senate.

If the bill passes, it’s sent to the other chamber (House to Senate, or Senate to House) to go through the same process. But sometimes, the second chamber makes changes to the bill. Before a bill can become law, both chambers must agree on the exact same version.

That’s where “concurrence” or “dispute” comes in.

What does “concur” or “do not concur” mean?

• Concur means the original chamber agrees with the changes. Example: If the Senate changes a House Bill and the House concurs, the House agrees to those changes and the bill moves forward to become law.
• Do not concur means the original chamber doesn’t agree with the changes. In this case, the bill is sent back to the second chamber with a message saying, “We don’t agree—please pass our original version instead.”

When a simple agreement isn’t enough

Sometimes, the differences between the House and Senate versions of a bill are too big to resolve with a simple yes or no. That’s especially true for major legislation, like the state’s budgets.

How lawmakers compromise: Conference Committee

When the House and Senate can’t agree on a bill, they may form a conference committee to work out the compromise.

Here’s how that works:

• Each chamber picks six members—four from the majority party and two from the minority.
• This small group meets behind the scenes to negotiate and write a new version of the bill.
• Once the group agrees, they send their final version—the conference report—back to the House and Senate.
• Lawmakers can’t change or amend it. They must vote yes or no on the compromise as-is.

In Washington, the majority party (currently the Democrats) controls most of the process, including who’s appointed to the conference committee and what makes it into the final version of the bill.

Stay involved | Your voice matters

No matter where we are in the legislative process—whether a bill is being introduced, debated, amended, or finalized—your voice plays a vital role in shaping the future of our state. Understanding how bills move through the Legislature is just the beginning. Speaking up, staying informed, and engaging with your elected officials truly makes a difference.

If you’re interested in learning more about how to participate, check out this short video I put together on how you can get involved in the legislative process.

Weekly updates

As House Republican Caucus Chair, I provide a weekly video update throughout the legislative session. Every week, I break down major developments shaping the future of our state—highlighting proposals that affect families, communities, and the overall direction of Washington.

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