Queensland Parliament Factsheet Legislation Process FAQ

What is a bill? What are the parliamentary stages of a bill? A bill is a proposal for a law, either a new law or a change to an existing law, placed before the There are steps, or stages, through which a bill Parliament for its consideration. must pass. These are—

Where do bills originate? 1. presentation, explanatory speech and first reading The majority of bills are introduced by the Government. Ministers are responsible for 2. committee consideration introducing the bills into the parliament. 3. committee report Individual members who are not ministers may 4. second reading introduce bills. This type of bill is known as a Private Member’s Bill. 5. consideration in detail What stages does legislation go 6. third reading through before it is introduced in the 7. Royal Assent Parliament? What is the origin of the term ‘reading’?

The stages that occur before a Government bill is The term has its origins before printing was introduced in parliament are— invented. At that time, the Clerk of the Parliament was required to read the whole bill to • Policy approval by the Government. Cabinet the parliament, so members could be informed of approves all major new policies, new or its contents. By the end of the 16th century, it was W www.parliament.qld.gov.au major expenditure and contentious matters. the accepted practice for the Clerks to read bills For legislation this is called the “authority to on three separate occasions before prepare a bill” stage. The proposed they were passed. legislation is then ranked in order of priority on the legislation program for the sitting by What is the presentation and Cabinet. first reading? • Drafting instructions are prepared by the department sponsoring the legislation The minister presents the bill and tables the bill and sent to the Office of the Queensland and the Explanatory Notes, Statement of Parliamentary Counsel for the drafting of the Compatibility with human rights and nominates a bill. portfolio committee (or other parliamentary committee) to consider the bill.1 • The draft bill and draft Explanatory Memorandum are submitted to Cabinet for The minister then makes a speech explaining the “authority to introduce a bill” approval. bill. This is known as the Explanatory Speech. Following the Explanatory Speech, the minister • Cabinet reviews the bill after drafting and moves that the bill be now read a first time. If this before it is introduced in Parliament. is agreed to, the Clerk, who has been handed the bill by the minister, reads out the short title of the • The minister responsible for the bill seeks a bill. E [email protected] E [email protected] clearance from the Parliamentary Members of his or her party for the bill’s introduction. 1 If the bill includes an override declaration under the Human • The final bill is printed ready for introduction Rights Act 2019, the minister will table a statement regarding in parliament. the declaration. +61 7 3553 6000

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Updated January 2020 P +61 7 3553 6000 E [email protected] W www.parliament.qld.gov.au opportunity for theParliament toconsiderthe motion forthe “thirdreading”. This isthefina The minister inchargeofthebillmoves the What isthethirdreading? to individualclausesof the bill. During thisstageamendments maybeproposed in detail.Billsareexaminedclausebyclause. The nextstageistheconsiderationofbill What isconsideration indetail? the shorttitle. given asecondreading,theClerkagainreads After agreementisreachedthatthebillbe government andnon-governmentmembers. debate continueswithcontributionsfromboth to theminister’s speech. The secondreading the committee. The shadowministerresponds as wellanyamendmentsrecommendedby portfolio committee’s examinationandreport is restrictedtotheprinciplesofbill, about thebill.Debatemaytakeplacebutit minister hasanotheropportunitytospeak by theministerinchargeofbill. The The motionforthe“secondreading”ismoved What isthesecondreading? the secondreadingdebate. relevant billwillbeputontheNoticePaper for document istabledintheparliamentand Once acommitteecompletesitsreport,the committee reportstage? What happensattheportfolio that thetimeperiodbealtered. or bytheCommitteeofLegislative Assembly report unlessthereisaresolutionbytheHouse committee hasuptosixmonthscompletethe the committeewillprepareareport. The particular field.Fromtheinformationgathered change fromthepublicorexpertsina to receivecommentsandsuggestionsfor Assembly. Committeesconductinquiries more detailthanispossibleintheLegislative A committeeisabletoexamineissuesin and non-governmentMembersofParliament. is madeupofagroupbothgovernment parliamentary committee.Eachcommittee legislation, billsareexaminedbya To ensureQueenslandhasthebestpossible What iscommitteeconsideration? Queensland ParliamentFactsheet it issignedbytheGovernor it willcomeintoforceonthedateofassentwhen If an Act doesnothaveacommencementclause, Clerk oftheParliament— When theGovernorhasassentedtobill, copies? What happenstothetwoparchment This iscalledRoyal Assent. signed bytheGovernoronbehalfofQueen. Assembly, twoparchmentcopiesofthebillare Following thepassageoflegislationthrough What isRoyal Assent? It willspecifythatthe Act comesintoforce— usually stateswhenan Act willcomeintoforce. When an Act hasacommencementclauseit When doesan Act comeintoforce? and assentedtobytheGovernor. is alawpassedthroughtheLegislative Assembly An Act ofParliament, usuallyjustcalledan Act, What isan Act ofParliament? An exampleof abill agreed to. The longtitleisthenagreedto. time afterthethirdreadingmotionhasbeen reads theshorttitleofbillathirdandlast be amendedtodisposeofthebill. The Clerk Bill. The motionforthethirdreadingcanonly • • • • Legislation ProcessFAQ Parliament. retains onecopyintherecordsof Archives; and deposits onecopywithQueenslandState Gazette. or uponproclamationintheGovernment on aparticulardateordates; receiving Royal Assent . .