Nova Scotia Legislative Report – Spring Sitting May 13, 2013

The Spring sitting of the 5th session of the 61st General Assembly of the Nova Scotia Legislature began on March 26, 2013. The Legislature adjourned on May 10th, 2013. At the time of adjournment, 22 Government Bills, 61 Private Members Bills and 2 Private and Local Bills had been introduced during this sitting of the House of Assembly.

Below is a list of those Bills that received Royal Assent before the Legislature adjourned.

BILLS THAT RECEIVED ROYAL ASSENT

Government Bills

• Bill No. 3 – Support for Parents of Critically Ill or Abducted Children Act
• Bill No. 32 – Solemnization of Marriage Act (amended)
• Bill No. 36 – Provincial Court Act (amended)
• Bill No. 37 – Innovative Transportation Act
• Bill No. 42 – Pension Benefits Act (amended)
• Bill No. 51 – Financial Measures (2013) Act
• Bill No. 54 – Widow’s Pension Act
• Bill No. 55 – Protection of Animal Welfare and Security Act
• Bill No. 57 – Language Schools Act
• Bill No. 59 – Canada-Nova Scotia Offshore Petroleum Resources Accord Implementation (Nova Scotia) Act (amended)
• Bill No. 61 – Cyber-safety Act
• Bill No. 62 – Protection for Persons in Care Act (amended)
• Bill No. 66 – Mariner’s Day Act
• Bill No. 67 – Elections Act (amended)
• Bill No. 69 – Statute Amendments (2013) Act
• Bill No. 70 – Medical Imaging and Radiation Therapy Professionals Act
• Bill No. 76 – Adult Protection Act (amended)
• Bill No. 78 – Canada-Nova Scotia Offshore Petroleum Resources Accord Implementation (Nova Scotia) Act (amended)
• Bill No. 80 – Members’ Retiring Allowances Act (amended)
• Bill No. 81 – Builders’ Lien Act (amended)
• Bill No. 83 – Halifax Regional Municipality Charter (amended)

Private Member’s Bills

• Bill No. 71 – House of Assembly Act (amended)
• Bill No. 72 – House of Assembly Act (amended)
• Bill No. 73 – House of Assembly Act (amended)
• Bill No. 74 – House of Assembly Act (amended)
• Bill No. 75 – House of Assembly Act (amended)
• Bill No. 82 – Provincial Flag Act

Private and Local Bills

• Bill No. 43 – An Act to Incorporate the Trustees (amended)
• Bill No. 84 – District of Barrington Health Professionals Assistance Act (amended)

STATUS UPDATES
The following are status updates on all Bills that have not received Royal Assent.

Government Bills

• Bill No. 58 – Appropriations Act, 2013– Passed third reading, and is awaiting Royal Assent.

Private Member’s Bills

• Bill No. 1 – Accountability in Economic Development Assistance Act – Passed first reading, and is awaiting debate in principle by the House.
• Bill No. 2 – Reliability in the Delivery of Electricity Act – Passed first reading, and is awaiting debate in principle by the House.
• Bill No. 4 – Balanced Budget Act – Passed first reading, and is awaiting debate in principle by the House.
• Bill No. 5 – Elections Act (amended) – Passed first reading, and is awaiting debate in principle by the House.
• Bill No. 6 – Next Generation Act – Passed first reading, and is awaiting debate in principle by the House.
• Bill No. 7 – Liquor Control Act (amended) – Passed first reading, and is awaiting debate in principle by the House.
• Bill No. 8 – Food Bank Donation Tax Credit for Farmers Act – Passed first reading, and is awaiting debate in principle by the House.
• Bill No. 9 – Review to Invest in Student Achievement Act – Passed first reading, and is awaiting debate in principle by the House.
• Bill No. 10 – Public Utilities Act (amended) – Passed first reading, and is awaiting debate in principle by the House.
• Bill No. 11 – Affordable Higher Education Act – Passed first reading, and is awaiting debate in principle by the House.
• Bill No. 12 – Public Service Act (amended) – Passed first reading, and is awaiting debate in principle by the House.
• Bill No. 13 – Liquor Control Act (amended) – Passed first reading, and is awaiting debate in principle by the House.
• Bill No. 14 – Diabetic Persons Support Act – Passed first reading, and is awaiting debate in principle by the House.
• Bill No. 15 – Education Act (amended) – Passed first reading, and is awaiting debate in principle by the House.
• Bill No. 16 – Green Energy Promotion Act – Passed first reading, and is awaiting debate in principle by the House.
• Bill No. 17 – Blueprint for the Future of Public Education in Nova Scotia Act – Passed first reading, and is awaiting debate in principle by the House.
• Bill No. 18 – Life-threatening Illness Student Support Act – Passed first reading, and is awaiting debate in principle by the House.
• Bill No. 19 – Increasing Immigration to Nova Scotia Act – Passed first reading, and is awaiting debate in principle by the House.
• Bill No. 20 – Electricity Act (amended) – Passed first reading, and is awaiting debate in principle by the House.
• Bill No. 21 – Supporting All Students’ Success in the Classroom Act – Passed first reading, and is awaiting debate in principle by the House.
• Bill No. 22 – Joseph Howe Day Act – Passed first reading, and is awaiting debate in principle by the House.
• Bill No. 23 – Sound Recording Tax Credit Act – Passed first reading, and is awaiting debate in principle by the House.
• Bill No. 24 – Multi-year Funding Act – Passed first reading, and is awaiting debate in principle by the House.
• Bill No. 25 – Health Act (amended) – Passed first reading, and is awaiting debate in principle by the House.
• Bill No. 26 – Sales Tax Act (amended) – Passed first reading, and is awaiting debate in principle by the House.
• Bill No. 27 – Day Care Act (amended) – Passed first reading, and is awaiting debate in principle by the House.
• Bill No. 28 – Tax Review (2013-14) Act – Passed first reading, and is awaiting debate in principle by the House.
• Bill No. 29 – Housing Development Corporation Act (amended) – Passed first reading, and is awaiting debate in principle by the House.
• Bill No. 30 – Housing Development Corporation Act (amended) – Passed first reading, and is awaiting debate in principle by the House.
• Bill No. 31 – Full Disclosure of Accounting Changes Act – Passed first reading, and is awaiting debate in principle by the House.
• Bill No. 33 – Rural Nova Scotia Physicians Act– Passed first reading, and is awaiting debate in principle by the House.
• Bill No. 34 – Ratepayer Protection Act – Passed first reading, and is awaiting debate in principle by the House.
• Bill No. 35 – Trade Union Act (amended) – Passed first reading, and is awaiting debate in principle by the House.
• Bill No. 38 – Trade Union Act (amended) – Passed first reading, and is awaiting debate in principle by the House.
• Bill No. 39 – Trade Union Act (amended) – Passed first reading, and is awaiting debate in principle by the House.
• Bill No. 40 – Education Act (amended) – Passed first reading, and is awaiting debate in principle by the House.
• Bill No. 41 – Child Protection Intervention Act– Passed first reading, and is awaiting debate in principle by the House.
• Bill No. 44 – Ratepayer Fairness Act– Passed first reading, and is awaiting debate in principle by the House.
• Bill No. 45 – Transparency in Power Rates Act– Passed first reading, and is awaiting debate in principle by the House.
• Bill No. 46 – Public Utilities Act (amended) – Passed first reading, and is awaiting debate in principle by the House.
• Bill No. 47 – Capital Projects Review Act– Passed first reading, and is awaiting debate in principle by the House.
• Bill No. 48 – Power Rate Reduction Review Act– Passed first reading, and is awaiting debate in principle by the House.
• Bill No. 49 – Revenue Act (amended) – Passed first reading, and is awaiting debate in principle by the House.
• Bill No. 50 – Maintenance and Custody Act (amended) – Passed first reading, and is awaiting debate in principle by the House.
• Bill No. 52 – Safer Schools Act– Passed first reading, and is awaiting debate in principle by the House.
• Bill No. 53 – Stand Up Against Bullying Day Act– Passed first reading, and is awaiting debate in principle by the House.
• Bill No. 56 – Cyberbullying Intervention Act – Passed first reading, and is awaiting debate in principle by the House.
• Bill No. 60 – Residential Tenancies Act (amended) – Passed first reading, and is awaiting debate in principle by the House.
• Bill No. 63 – Maintenance and Custody Act (amended) – Passed first reading, and is awaiting debate in principle by the House.
• Bill No. 64 – Maritime Link Act (amended) – Passed first reading, and is awaiting debate in principle by the House.
• Bill No. 65 – Maritime Link Act (amended) – Passed first reading, and is awaiting debate in principle by the House.
• Bill No. 68 – Firefighter Licence Plates Act – Passed first reading, and is awaiting debate in principle by the House.
• Bill No. 77 – Thinker’s Lodge Act – Passed first reading, and is awaiting debate in principle by the House.
• Bill No. 79 – Government Advertising Act – Passed first reading, and was debated in principle by the House on May 8th.
• Bill No. 85 – Fair Telecommunications Practices Act – Passed first reading, and is awaiting debate in principle by the House.

THE PROGRESS OF BILLS IN THE NOVA SCOTIA LEGISLATURE

The legislative process begins when a Bill is presented by a Member of the House of Assembly and is given First Reading by the House, without debate.

A Bill is given Second Reading after being debated in principle in the House.

Following Second Reading, Bills are referred to one of the legislative committees – the Law Amendments Committee or Private and Local Bills Committee – for detailed discussion in meetings outside the House. Members of the public can attend the meetings of these Committees and make presentations respecting any Bill. Amendments are frequently considered and may be adopted and included in the Bill when it is reported back to the House.

Bills reported back from the legislative committees are debated, clause by clause, by the members of the House acting as the Committee of the Whole House on Bills. The Bill is then reported back to the House.

The Bill receives Third Reading and the final approval of the House. There may be some debate at this stage but usually the Bill is voted on with no discussion.

The Bill receives Royal Assent when the Lieutenant Governor signs the final version. The Bill is then referred to as an Act, and is assigned a chapter number in the Statutes of Nova Scotia.

Commencement is the day on which the Act takes effect. Ordinarily, an Act takes effect when it is given Royal Assent. Sometimes, however, it provides that it will come into effect only when is it proclaimed to take effect by Order in Counsel to be made by the Cabinet.

Government Bills are introduced by the Minister of the department responsible for the legislation. Private Member’s Bills are generally introduced by a member of the opposition parties. Government Bills have a higher likelihood of becoming law since the largest party in the Legislative Assembly supports the initiative. Except in a minority government, Private Members Bills are unlikely to be brought forward for substantive debate or become law.

If you wish to be informed when a specific piece of legislation is scheduled to be heard by a legislative committee, please contact us and we will make arrangements for you to be so informed.