Legislation is the written law that Parliament makes. It is one of the primary sources of law (the other being case law – decisions made by courts).
The legislative process usually begins with a new policy idea. This may come from a senator’s constituents, from an organization advocating for a change in the law, or from a State official. The idea is then drafted into bill form. This is a very specialized task that requires a great deal of legal training. Bills are often prepared by staff in the legislature, but they can also be drafted by Members of Congress, and lawyers working for government agencies or private organizations sometimes submit their ideas for legislation in bill form.
Once a bill has been drafted, it is debated and amended by the legislature. Eventually, it is passed and becomes an Act of Parliament. Once an Act has been made, it must be complied with by all the agencies of the Commonwealth. This is a very important task and often takes much time and resources.
The law-making processes in different States and countries vary greatly. However, most have similar stages that a piece of legislation must go through in order to become an Act. Some of these stages are described below, but please note that the precise details can differ from one bill to another. This is because the law-making process in each country can be influenced by factors such as its political climate, culture and traditions, the way that different committees work together, and the procedures of each chamber.