Private member's bill
In Australia, a draft bill is prepared by Parliamentary Counsel, acting under instructions from the private member.
This was introduced by Kevin Andrews, Member for Menzies, after the Northern Territory Legislative Assembly had passed such a law, the Rights of the Terminally Ill Act 1995.
Notable also was the private member's bill introduced by Alan Corbett in the New South Wales Legislative Council to amend the Crimes Act of 1900.
The first successfully enacted (or indeed introduced) bill in over 100 years to address the protection of children from abuse and excessive physical chastisement.
It received very wide support from New South Wales organisations related to child health and welfare and was backed by several prominent members of the medical profession, particularly in the paediatric field, notably John Yu, CEO of Royal Alexandra Hospital for Children, Sydney (who had been honoured by the Australian Government with the prestigious Australian of the Year award in 1996).
), ban the use of force above the shoulders (thus preventing neck, head, brain and facial injuries), and require that any physical force applied leave only trivial and short-lived signs such as redness (that is, no bruising, swelling, welts, cuts, grazes, internal injuries, emotional trauma, etc.
); with the exception of the clause banning the use of implements (which was dropped to gain essential support from the state Labor Government for the bill), it was passed intact and became law in 2001.
Under rules established in 1986, 20 items of private members' business are selected at random to receive priority in debate.
In the House of Commons (but not in the Senate), private members' bills remain on the order paper when Parliament is prorogued.
[9] The ramifications of the 1986 rules and new probability of success of private members bills were discussed in the Canadian Parliamentary Review, 1988, Vol 11, No.
[8] Article 74 of the Hong Kong Basic Law prohibits private members' bills that relate to public expenditure, political structure or the operation of the Government.
[16] Of the 300 or so private members' bills introduced in the 14th Lok Sabha, barely 4% were discussed; 96% lapsed without even a single debate in the House.
The number of private members' bills an individual MK can submit is restricted, and their introduction requires approval by the Knesset Presidium (composed of the Speaker of the Knesset and their deputies), who are allowed to reject bills which are racist in their essence or reject the Jewish character of the state.
Every second Wednesday is reserved for debating members' bills, although this rule is overridden when certain government business is before the House, such as the Budget.
[20] The ballot to select new members' bills is conducted by drawing numbered counters out of a biscuit tin, purchased in the 1980s from now-defunct department store chain DEKA.
Additional bills may be introduced via the Ten Minute Rule, although this is usually used just to raise an issue rather than legislate on it, or through presentation without debate under Standing Order 57.
There are two principal routes for influencing UK law: Only a small proportion of private members' bills are enacted.
The Abortion Act 1967 was enacted in the United Kingdom through this means: with the Bill itself being introduced by a Liberal Party Member of Parliament, David Steel; through the support from Labour Home Secretary Roy Jenkins the Bill was given enough government time to allow a full debate.
[27] As many MPs return to their constituencies on Thursday night, this has the practical effect of blocking all private members' bills without solid support.
will delay consideration to a future date; Government and opposition whips routinely block contentious private members' bills in this way.
This is a formality; the bill will be put to the bottom of the order paper, will likely be objected to on each future occasion and has no practical chance of success.
