Process that takes place after a Bill is passed by Parliament

After a Bill has been debated and passed by Parliament, the Parliament Secretariat must undertake the final administrative phase before the Bill is submitted to the Office of the President for His Excellency’s assent.

The Parliamentary Secretariat, specifically the Tables Unit, together with the Secretary-General and the Deputy Secretary-General, ensure that the Bill is properly proofed and finalised for printing.

The process involves a comprehensive and meticulous proofing of the Bill. The text is reviewed clause by clause to ensure that it accurately reflects the version agreed to by Parliament during its final reading. This includes verifying amendments made by the Standing Committee and those adopted during the Committee of the Whole Parliament stage, ensuring that all cross-references are correct, checking numbering and formatting. Any typographical, grammatical, or formatting errors identified at this stage are corrected to produce a clean version of the passed law.

Following this detailed proofing, the Bill is printed. This printed version represents the final and certified text of the Bill as passed by Parliament. The formatting adheres to prescribed legislative standards to ensure it is suitable for presentation to the Head of State for assent.

Once printing is completed, the Secretary-General submits to His Excellency the President for assent – and the Constitution provides that a seven-day window for assent to take place.

Upon receiving Presidential Assent, the Bill becomes an Act of Parliament and the Secretary-General conveys the Act to the Attorney-General through the Solicitor-General, for publication in the Gazette, as mandated under the Constitution.

This finalisation process is critical, as it ensures the integrity, accuracy, and legality of the law-making process, safeguarding that the text enacted into law accurately represents the approval of Parliament.