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Simple English definitions for legal terms
statute
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A quick definition of statute:
A statute is a law made by a group of people called a legislature. It's like a rule that everyone has to follow. The government makes these rules to keep people safe and make things fair. When the government makes a new rule, they have to go through a process to make sure it's a good idea. Then they write it down and put it in a book so everyone can read it and know what they're supposed to do. Each state has its own set of rules, and the federal government has its own set too.
A more thorough explanation:
A statute is a law made by a group of people called a legislature. Legislatures can be found at the federal level, like the United States Congress, or at the state level, like the California State Legislature. Statutes are also known as acts, such as the Civil Rights Act of 1964 or the Sarbanes-Oxley Act.
For a federal statute to become a law, it must be passed by both the House of Representatives and the Senate, and then usually approved by the president. Once a federal statute is enacted, it is published multiple times. First, it is published as a "slip law." Then, all of the slip laws for each session of Congress are published together as "session laws." Finally, all laws that are of a "general and permanent nature" are eventually compiled into the United States Code, and also the Revised Statutes of the United States.
State statutes can be found through a list provided by the state government. Readers can also attempt to find state statutes organized by topic.
For example, the Civil Rights Act of 1964 is a federal statute that prohibits discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin. This statute was passed by Congress and signed into law by President Lyndon B. Johnson. It is an example of a federal statute that has had a significant impact on American society.
Another example is the California Education Code, which is a collection of state statutes that govern education in California. These statutes cover topics such as school funding, teacher qualifications, and student rights. The California Education Code is an example of state statutes that are important for governing specific areas of life within a state.