Alberta.

• Author: Gravel, Micheline
• Position: Legislative Reports

The Spring Sitting of the Third Session of the Twenty-Sixth Legislature adjourned on June 14, 2007, after 45 sitting days for a total of just over 251 sitting hours. By the conclusion of the sitting, 27 Government Bills and one Private Member's Public Bill were passed by the Assembly. Nineteen Government Bills, three Private Members' Public Bills, and one Private Bill were left on the Order Paper in addition to other Private Members' business items.

Private Members' Public Bills

The Private Members' Public Bill passed by the Assembly was Bill 203, Service Dogs Act, sponsored by Rob Lougheed (PC, Strathcona), which prohibits discrimination against persons with disabilities who use a certified service dog by allowing such individuals to be accompanied by an accredited service dog in all areas open to the general public. The Bill also includes a provision for a mechanism to identify service dogs. It received Royal Assent on June 1, 2007.

Policy Field Committees

Four Policy Field Committees were created by temporary Standing Order amendments during the Spring sitting. The temporary amendments include a provision whereby a Bill can be referred to one of the new committees by way of a motion by a Member of Executive Council immediately after the Bill has been read a first time or immediately after the Bill has been read a second time. Two Government Bills, Bill 1, Lobbyists Act and Bill 2, Conflicts of Interest Amendment Act, 2007, stand referred to the Assembly's new Standing Committee on Government Services. In addition, Bill 31, Mental Health Amendment Act, 2007, and Bill 41, Health Profession Statutes Amendment Act, 2007, stand referred to the new Standing Committee on Community Services. Bills 1, 2 and 31 were referred after second reading and Bill 41 after first reading. The committees must report back to the Assembly on or before the first week of the Fall 2007 Sitting which is scheduled to commence on November 5, 2007.

On July 11, 2007, the Minister of Environment requested the Standing Committee on Resources and Environment review key issues...