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Royal Assent an essential step in legislative process
The granting of Royal Assent to Bills is an essential step in the law-making process in Queensland and one of the key Constitutional duties of the Governor.
On 30 June, Her Excellency received the Clerk of Parliament, Mr Neil Laurie, and granted Royal Assent to the Personal Injuries Proceedings and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2022 and the Revenue Legislation Amendment Bill 2022.
Personal Injuries Proceedings and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2022
A bill for an Act to amend the Electoral Act 1992, the Electoral and Other Legislation (Accountability, Integrity and Other Matters) Amendment Act 2020, the Legal Profession Act 2007, the Motor Accident Insurance Act 1994, the Personal Injuries Proceedings Act 2002 and the Workers’ Compensation and Rehabilitation Act 2003 for particular purposes.
Revenue Legislation Amendment Bill 2022
A bill for an Act to amend the Duties Act 2001, the Duties Regulation 2013, the First Home Owner Grant and Other Home Owner Grants Act 2000, the Gaming Machine Regulation 2002, the Land Tax Act 2010, the Mineral Resources Regulation 2013 and the Payroll Tax Act 1971 for particular purposes.
What is a Bill?
A Bill is a proposal for a law, either a new law or a change to an existing law, placed before the Parliament for its consideration.
What are the different types of Bills?
There are two categories of Bills—
Principal Bills for an entirely new Act (sometimes including related amendments to other legislation), and
Amendment Bills that only amend existing legislation and can usually be identified by the word ‘Amendment’ appearing in the name of the Bill.
Where do Bills originate?
Bills can be introduced by the Government or a private (non-Government) Member of Parliament.
The majority of Bills introduced into the Parliament are Government Bills, with Ministers being responsible for introducing these. Individual Members of Parliament (MPs) can also introduce Bills, with these being known as Private Members’ Bills.
When does a Bill become Law?
Once a proposed law – called a Bill – is debated and passed in the Parliament, it is presented to the Governor for Royal Assent. In Queensland, two parchment copies of the Bill are signed by the Governor on behalf of our Head of State, Her Majesty The Queen.
Upon the granting of Royal Assent, the Bill becomes an Act of Parliament.
Assent is then notified in the Government Gazette, along with the day that the Act becomes operational as Law (or days where different parts of the Act come into operation on different days).