Legislative glossary
Bicameral
Definition
A legislature with two chambers: here, a Senate and a House. A bill must pass both in identical form to reach the governor.
Why it matters
Bicameralism, two chambers that must pass identical text, is the legislature's structural brake. It doubles every fight on purpose: different district sizes, different terms, and different cultures mean a bill must persuade two distinct institutions. The price is time and the conference-committee bottleneck; the payoff, in theory, is fewer rash laws.
In the game
The Bill to Law Game makes you pass both chambers within one 30-week session. The second chamber isn't a victory lap. It's a fresh committee, a fresh floor, and a calendar that's already half-spent.
Related terms
Comes up alongside