A BILL

Meaning of a Bill

A bill can be defined as a proposed law to be discussed in the parliament in order for it to become law. It is also seen as a proposal which becomes law after it undergoes the necessary procedures in the parliament. For a bill in the parliament to become law, the president or head of state has to give his assent, i.e. sign the bill.

Types of Bill

Public Bill

This is a bill that deals with the matter or problem that affect the whole or a section of a country. This type of bill comes from the executive arm of government to the legislature.

Money Bill

This type of bill deals with how government raises and spend money. A money bill can therefore be inform of budget that deals with the total estimated revenue and expenditure of government in a financial year. Money bill also comes from the executive.

Private Member Bill

This is a bill introduced into the parliament by a member of such house or parliament.

How a Bill is passed in the Parliament in order to Become Law

First Reading

This is the stage at which the draft of the bill is presented to the clerk of the house by a minister or a member of the parliament, depending on the type of bill. Members of the parliament will be notified about the presence of such bill by the clerk of the house, who will read out the title. It will be printed out in leaflets and circulated to all members for them to study before the second reading which the date will be fixed. No debate is allowed to take place at this stage, it is just a mere way of introducing the bill to the house.

Second Reading.

This is the stage in which the person that brought the bill to the house will explain to the house the purpose of the bill. Members of the parliament (legislature) will then debate or argue for or against the bill, whether it should be read a second time or not. It will be put to vote, and if two-third majority of the members vote for the bill, it will move to the next stage, and if not, that will be the end of the bill. No amendment of the bill would be proposed or made at this state.

Committee Stage.

This is the stage where the bill is referred to a committee which can be a standing committee or a committee of the whole house depending on the importance of the bill. A committee of the whole house (often called committee of the whole), comprises all members of the house chaired by the speaker or president of the senate. All members in the committee of the whole house consider the bill section by section and amendments proposed and voted for. In a less important bill, it will be referred to a standing committee where members are constituted into groups of four or five for the purpose of considering bills. The bill will now be considered in the committee and amendments made.

Report Stage.

At this stage, all the findings of the various committees are reported to the house, or the bill is placed before the house after all the amendments have been made. It is the speaker or senate president, if it is the committee of the whole, or the chairman of the standing committee as the case may be, who would read the bill in its amended form to the house.

Third Reading.

This is the final stage at which a thorough look would be taken on the bill in order to correct certain errors connected with the drafting of the bill or amendment. A final vote is also taken at this stage. The bill will now be taken to the president for his assent, after the bill has passed all the five stages in both houses of representative and the senate. The bill will automatically become a law after being signed by the president.

However, under the presidential system of government, the president has the power to veto the legislative bill by not signing it to become law. But after thirty days, the legislature is empowered by law to withdraw such a bill back to the legislature. If the bill is now supported by two-third majority, it thus becomes a law automatically without the presidential assent.