VPRS 14108 Certified Bills

A Bill is a proposed law (piece of legislation, or statute) that is introduced into Parliament but has not yet been passed. If passed and granted Royal Assent, it becomes an Act.The certified bills are the official copies of bills as passed by both Houses of Parliament, signed by the Clerks of the Legislative Assembly and the Legislative Council.Attached to the bills is correspondence regarding proposed amendments, typing errors, etc. Notes and edits have been made on the printed documents in ink.There are five key steps involved in making a law. These are:1) Policy Development - the complex process by which ideals, ideas and practical needs are formalised and expressed in party or Independent Members' policies.2) Draft Bill stage - the conversion of party (usually, though not exclusively, Government) policy into a series of statements and clauses that will eventually be placed before Parliament as a Bill. For the Government this task is undertaken by Cabinet.The technical detail of each clause is drafted by Parliamentary Counsel. The Public Service can also recommend administrative changes to the relevant Minister. When the draft Bill is expressed in a form acceptable to the Parliamentary party, it can be introduced into the Parliament.3) Parliamentary Processes - generally a Bill may be initiated in either House of the Parliament of Victoria although in practice most Bills originate in the Lower House. All financial Bills must be introduced in the Legislative Assembly.A distinction is made between a Government Bill, introduced by the appropriate Minister, and a Private Member's Bill, brought on by an Opposition, Independent, or Government backbench member.Examination of the Bill is then conducted in three formal stages, or "readings":Permission to introduce a Bill into Parliament and to proceed with it is obtained in the First Reading. No debate is allowed.In the Second Reading, some time after the First Reading, the principles but not the details of the Bill are debated.If at this stage the House decides to examine the Bill's clauses it has the option of proceeding to what is termed the Committee Stage of a Bill in which all Members (a Committee of the Whole) scrutinise and, if they decide, amend the Bill's clauses. That is, the Bill is committed.Occasionally, Bills are instead referred to a Select Committee for examination.After the committee phase the Chairman of Committees reports to the chamber on the status of the Bill. Usually the House has the option either of considering the Bill further in Committee or passing on to the third and final reading.The committee stage is not compulsory. When Bills are considered uncontroversial or are of a minor nature, the House may choose to avoid the committee stage and pass directly to the third and final stage of parliamentary examination.At the Third Reading, further debate may be permitted, but this is restricted and rarely resorted to. The Bill is then passed.When the Bill has passed the house of origin it is transmitted to the other Chamber where an identical scrutiny procedure is followed. Amendments may be made or suggested in which case messages pass between the two houses until unanimity is achieved.The Bill is now expressed in identical terms, agreed upon and accepted by both houses. When this occurs the parliamentary process is concluded.4) Royal Assent - the Queen, represented by the Governor, approves the Bill. It is now referred to as an Act of Parliament. (Further records relating to the passage of Acts through this stage can be found in VPRS 7584 Acts Given Royal Assent, VPRS 7585 Proclamations of Royal Assent and VPRS 14559 Acts Withheld from Royal Assent.)5) Commencement - the time from which the law, as specified in the Act of Parliament, applies. In Victoria this occurs on a day specified in the Act or if the Act so provides, on a day proclaimed by the Governor or if not otherwise stated, 28 days after Royal Assent.(The above description is taken from http://www.parliament.vic.gov.au/law.html)