Bill

  • Law, policy, and regulation
  • Fortification
  • Legal document

Definition

A bill is a document introduced in the legislature that serves the purpose of either amending primary texts or seeks to create a new primary text. It is debated in the legislature before being enacted. The Constitution of the country explains the process by which a bill might become a law. The bill itself is one step in the creation of a law but is not binding.

Examples:

Bill to amend an existing primary text: In Kenya, federal law makers in the 10th parliamentary session (2008-2013) introduced a bill in parliament to amend the 1965 Food and Chemical Substances Act. After debates, this bill was passed into law, overhauling the 1965 Act to create the Food and Chemical Substances Act, 2012.

Bill to create a new primary text: In 2021, in the province of Balochistan, Pakistan a bill on food fortification was introduced at the provincial legislature. This bill, after debates this bill was enacted and became the Balochistan Food Fortifcation Act, 2021.

References

See also see the definition of primary texts, legislation, legislature, policy in the primer on public law and regulation. 

Adapted from: Cornell Law School, Legal Information Institute, Legislation available at: https://www.law.cornell.edu/wex/legislation, accessed on 1 November 2024