section_path: Legislative process/Regular legislative procedure
section_name: Regular legislative procedure
paragraph_text: Regular legislative procedure
  
  In most cases, the bill is first examined and amended by the appropriate committee in two stages taking place at least seven days apart. At the first stage a debate in principle and on the articles is conducted and at the second stage a second reading takes place followed by debate and vote by article. During the legislative elaboration of every bill from the competent standing committee and until the second reading of the relevant articles, every special permanent committee can express its opinion on any specific issue that falls within its competence. If the bill passes the committee stage, it is sent to the plenary for debate. During the plenary session, MPs vote for the draft law or law proposal to become law (Νόμος, Nomos) in three stages: first in principle, where the bill's main theme is discussed (usually a bill also includes other, miscellaneous, provisions or even provisions from other government ministries that have no relation to the bill's main theme), then per article (when amendments may be proposed and either approved or rejected) and finally as a whole.