Thanks to Schoolhouse Rock, you might already know how a bill becomes a law over in Washington, DC. The basic process here in Austin is similar, and it sounds pretty simple: the House and Senate both need to pass the same version of a bill, and then it goes to the governor for his or her signature, just like Congress does for the president. If the governor doesn't approve, he can veto a bill, preventing it from becoming law. However, things get more complicated in practice.