The Assembly’s Primary Legislation Process

Introduction is the first stage of the legislative process.

Second Stage is a debate on the principles of a Bill, and a Bill may be defeated at this stage.

 If it should pass Second Stage, a Bill will immediately go to Committee Stage, in which the relevant Committee will invite interested parties to discuss and examine it. The Committee makes a report to the Assembly at the end of its inquiry, and may include recommended amendments.

Then Consideration Stage and Further Consideration Stage ensue. Members’, Ministers’ and Committee amendments that accord with admissibility criteria applied by the Speaker, are marshalled and grouped for debate and decision. Debate and decisions occur in plenary session. There is no time limit for debate on legislation.

After the amending stages, a Final Stage takes place at which the entire bill may again be defeated. If however it should survive this process, it will be subject to a series of checks before it is enacted or printed as an Act of the Assembly.