In the parliamentary law-making procedure of a democratic legislature, a proposed bill must pass through distinct procedural stages from its initial introduction to its final approval before transmission for assent. Arrange the following legislative stages of an ordinary public bill in the exact sequential order in which they must occur.
- 1Formal publication of the bill in the official legislative journal followed by the reading of its short title by the Clerk without plenary debate.
- 2Plenary debate open to all members focused exclusively on the general principles, underlying policy merits, and broad objectives of the bill.
- 3Detailed clause-by-clause examination, public hearings, and drafting of proposed amendments by a specialized Standing Committee.
- 4Submission of committee recommendations to the plenary followed by line-by-line consideration and voting under the Committee of the Whole.
- 5Final review of the clean engrossed copy of the bill, formal motion for passage, and final voting prior to transmission for concurrence or assent.
Answer
The correct procedural order for passing an ordinary public bill is: (1) Formal publication and First Reading, (2) Plenary debate on general principles (Second Reading), (3) Clause-by-clause scrutiny by a Standing Committee, (4) Report Stage and consideration by the Committee of the Whole, and (5) Final voting and Third Reading.
The law-making process follows a strict constitutional sequence: First Reading introduces the bill through gazetting and short title reading; Second Reading focuses on plenary debate regarding principles and policy; Committee Stage entails detailed clause-by-clause investigation by a standing committee; Report Stage and Committee of the Whole review proposed amendments in plenary; and Third Reading concludes with final voting on the clean text.
Step-by-Step Solution
Key Concept
Legislative Procedure and Law-Making Stages
Estimated Time:2m 30s