Questions Relating to the Content of Bills

Introduction

Even after a bill has received first reading, the Speaker or Members can challenge its acceptability at any time if it appears to conflict with any practice or fall short of any requirement of the House.

One question which does notarise very often, but which can present the Chair with some difficulty, is whether a particular bill should be presented as a public bill or as a private bill. Private bills can only be sponsored by private Members and are introduced at the request of the person, group of persons, or corporation affected by the bill. Such bills must follow a distinct legislative procedure. The ruling by Speaker Bosley in this chapter was thus of some consequence.