Nova Scotia.

• Author: Boucher, Annette M.
• Position: Legislative Reports - Legislative bills; debate

The fall sitting of the Fourth Session of the 61st General Assembly commenced on October 25, 2012 and concluded on December 6th, 2012 when thirty-three Bills received Royal Assent. The Speech from the Throne opening the Fourth Session was delivered on March 29, 2012 at the beginning of the spring sitting--it was interesting to observe during the fall sitting on October 25, November 9th and 27th, 2012, two hours and eight minutes were used by three members (two Government and one Official Opposition) to reply to the speech.

During the fall sitting the NDP government introduced twenty-nine Public bills and five Private and Local Bills. The Opposition Parties introduced thirty-three Private Members' bills and one Private and Local bill.

Legislation Proposing New Electoral Districts

As an update to the article which appeared in the Winter 2012 issue, second reading debate on Bill 94--An Act to Amend Chapter 1 (1992 Supplement) of the Revised Statutes, 1989, the House of Assembly Act, took a little over nine hours and a recorded vote on second reading was taken on November 5th', 2012--second reading passed by twenty-eight members voting in favour and nineteen members voting against the motion for second reading. The Law Amendments Committee considers bills after second reading and receives submissions from the public. It was of note that for the first time in at least thirty-five years the Committee held meetings on a...