5
How a bill becomes a law
Overview of Volaworand
History of Volaworand
See also:
- Volaworand Newswire
Geography of Volaworand
See also:
- Principal fossil localities
- Queen Elizabeth Land
Head of State
Legislative Branch
Executive Branch
Judicial Branch
See also:
- How a bill becomes a law
- Volaworand Defence Forces
- Foreign Relations
Economy of Volaworand
See also:
- Volaworand Space Agency
- Southern Transportation Corporation
- VIM Programme
- Attractions and Tourist Activities
- Royal National Zoological Park
- Kentucky Fried Penguin Locations
Spending Bills can only start in the House of Commons, although any other type of bill can be proposed in either the House of Commons or the Senate. Ussually bills are submitted by the Cabinet, though occasionally the opposition parties and private member bills can be introduced and debated.
FIRST READING
Any idea for a new law or a change to current law is written down. The idea is now called a bill. The bill is printed and read in the Chamber where it is introduced. New bills originating and approved by the other chamber also enter at this stage. This stage is largely a formality, as it simply introduces a bill for debate. First reading of bills are rarely opposed.
SECOND READING
The bill is given a Second Reading in the Chamber where it is introduced, where parliamentarians debate the idea behind the bill. They consider questions such as, “Is the idea behind the bill good?” “Does it meet people’s needs?” “Who will be affected by this bill?” If the Chamber votes for the bill and it passes this stage, it goes to a committee. If defeated the bill dies.
COMMITTEE STAGE
At the Committee Stage, the bill is studied carefully. Committee members hold hearings or special meetings where different people inside and outside government can make comments about the bill. The committee can ask for government officials and experts, or witnesses, to come and answer questions. The committee can suggest changes or amendments to the bill when it gives its report to the Chamber. This is where the bulk of the legal language of the bill is written. Since the Governing Party controls committee memberships, most bills introduced by the opposition and private members are killed in committee.
REPORT STAGE
At the Report Stage, the committee reports the bill back to the Chamber. All parliamentarians can then debate it. During this stage, those who were not part of the committee that studied the bill can suggest amendments to the bill. If an amended bill is passed it returns to the Committee stage. If passed without amendment it proceeds to Third reading
THIRD READING
The bill is then called for a Third Reading. The parliamentarians debate it again. Sometimes they can change their minds about a bill. They might vote for it at Second Reading but not at Third Reading if they do not like the changes made to the bill. If it passes Third Reading, the bill then goes to the other Chamber, where it goes through the same stages.
ROYAL ASSENT
Once both the Senate and the House of Commons have passed the bill in exactly the same wording, it is given to the Governor General for Royal Assent (final approval), and it becomes law. Legally, the Governor General can veto a bill by withholding Royal Assent, or reserve the bill for the signification of the Queen's pleasure (allowing the sovereign to personally grant or withhold assent). If the governor general reserves assent, the bill becomes law but the sovereign may within two years disallow the bill, thereby annulling the law in question. No Volaworand Governor General has ever denied or reserved Royal Assent to a bill.
See also:
Act Establishing Queen Elizabeth Land National Nature Preserve (2017)
War Measures Act (2017)
Public Order Temporary Measures Act (2018)
