Bills

• What is a bill?

  A bill is a proposal for new statutory laws. Before a bill becomes a statutory law, it has to go through three readings. Once it passes through the readings the same process occurs again within the senate. Then, it is approved and signed by royal assent.
• First Reading


  It is the government, federal, or provincial which introduces a bill to its legislatures. It makes the proposal available in printed form for public commentary. Most bills usually die at the first reading.
• Second Reading


  Stage which the the bill is reintroduced by the minister whose department is responsible for the subject matter of the bill and becomes a matter of full parliamentary debate particularly as regards the reason for the. consequences of the proposal.
• How does the second reading usually go?

  It culminates in a vote and if the bill passes it is considered approved in principle. It is then generally sent to the appropriate standing committee of the legislature/Parliament for further study and sometimes public hearings.
• Third Reading


  A committee will recommend amendments to the bill that are then debated when the bill is reintroduced for final approval.
• Royal Assent


  Approval by Lieutenant Governer, if federal, or Governer Genereal, if provincial, of the bill.