What happens when a bill is not acted upon in committee?

When a bill is not acted upon in committee, it effectively dies due to the lack of action or support to move it forward in the legislative process. Committees play a crucial role in evaluating proposed legislation, and if a bill does not receive a hearing, a vote, or any further consideration from the committee, it does not progress to the next stages of the legislative process. This inaction means that the bill will not be debated on the floor of either chamber, nor will it be sent to the opposing chamber for consideration.

This mechanism serves to filter out bills that may not have significant support or that may need more refinement. The legislative process is designed to allow only those bills that are adequately vetted and have garnered the necessary attention to advance, hence why bills that stall in committee are considered effectively dead.