Act of Parliament facts for kids
An Act of Parliament is a special type of law made by a country's parliament. Think of it as a big, important rule that everyone in the country must follow. These laws help a country run smoothly, covering everything from how schools work to how taxes are collected.
Contents
How a Bill Becomes an Act
An Act of Parliament usually starts as an idea for a new law. This idea is written down as a document called a Bill. A Bill is like a draft or a proposal for a new law.
Introducing a Bill
Once a Bill is written, it is introduced into the Parliament. Depending on the country, Parliament might have different parts, like the House of Commons and the House of Lords in the United Kingdom, or the House of Representatives and the Senate in other places.
Debating and Approving Bills
Members of Parliament then discuss the Bill. They debate its ideas, suggest changes, and vote on whether they think it should become a law. This process can take a while, as many people need to agree. If a Bill gets enough votes and is approved by all the necessary parts of Parliament, it then becomes an official Act of Parliament.
Special Bills
Some Bills have special rules about where they start. For example:
- Bills about taxes or how the government spends money often start in the House of Commons in the UK, and also in countries like Canada and Ireland. This is because the House of Commons represents the people who pay taxes.
- In the UK, Bills that help to tidy up old laws or combine many laws into one (called consolidation bills) often start in the House of Lords.
Different Names for Bills
In some countries, like Spain and Portugal, a Bill might have different names depending on who suggests it:
- If the idea comes from the government, it might be called a "Project."
- If the idea comes from a regular member of Parliament, it might be called a "Proposition" or a Private Member's Bill.
Private Bills
Sometimes, a Bill is introduced to Parliament to deal with a specific issue for a particular person, group, or company, rather than affecting everyone in the country. These are called private bills.
See also
In Spanish: Ley del Parlamento para niños
More Information
- You can find all Acts of Parliament from 1988 onwards, and other legal documents, online for free from the Office of Public Sector Information (OPSI).
- Acts of Parliament from as far back as 1267, updated to today, are also available online for free from the Department of Constitution Affairs (SLD).
