Legislative means relating to the process of making laws. In the United States, the legislative branch of government (Congress) writes and votes on bills that can become laws. Each state also has its own legislative body, often called a state legislature, that creates laws for that state.

When you hear about legislative action, someone is talking about the work of creating, debating, or passing laws. A legislator is a person elected to help make these laws: senators and representatives are legislators.

The legislative branch is one of three branches of American government, along with the executive branch (led by the president, who enforces laws) and the judicial branch (courts that interpret laws). This separation ensures that no single person or group holds all the power. When your class votes on rules for a classroom activity, you're doing something similar to legislative work: discussing options, considering different viewpoints, and deciding together on the rules.