Making Laws

Laws start out being called "bills" - which is the working draft of what the law will become. To become law, the bill needs to be passed by the Legislative Assembly, and receive "Royal Assent" - meaning the Lieutenant Governor must sign the bill. Once signed, the bill becomes the law of Manitoba, and is referred to as an "Act" or a "Statute".

There are several stages in the process of a bill becoming law in Manitoba:

• Introduction and First Reading
• An MLA will move that the bill be "read" and introduced into the House. It is not debated at this time.
• Second Reading
• The bill is debated, and voted on. If passed, the House is saying that it agrees with the principle of the bill.
• Committee Stage
• Members of the public may make submissions about the bill, members of the committee may make comments as well. The committee will examine the bill clause by clause and may submit amendments.
• Report Stage
• The House considers a bill that has gone through the committee stage and all of the amendments to the bill. The MLA sponsoring the bill will move for concurrence and third reading.
• Concurrence & Third Reading
• A motion to concur and have a third reading is the final stage for the bill in the Legislative Assembly. The bill may be debated, amendments proposed, referred back to committee, or passed. When the concurrence and third reading motion is passed, it signals the passage of the bill.
• Royal Assent
• Once all of the stages through the House have been passed, the Lieutenant Governor signs the law (called Royal Assent), and the bill has become Manitoba law.