If a House bill is amended by the Senate, the House must agree to those changes or try to resolve the differences in a conference committee with three members from each house.

Same for Senate bills improved by the House.

But a conference committees is an opportunity for mischief.

It’s the last chance for your opponents to slip in a word or phrase that guts your bill.

What can you do to avoid this fate?

Reach agreement on amendments before your bill is heard in the other body.

Absent that compromise, minimize the differences between the two versions so that there’s less chance damage can be done.