Constitution of Queensland and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2016 (Qld)

An Act to amend the Constitution of Queensland 2001 and the Parliament of Queensland Act 2001 for particular purposes The Parliament of Queensland enacts—

Part 1 Preliminary

1 Short title This Act may be cited as the Constitution of Queensland and Other Legislation Amendment Act 2016 .

Part 2 Amendment of Constitution of Queensland 2001

2 Act amended This part amends the Constitution of Queensland 2001 .

3 Insertion of new ch 2, pt 5 Chapter 2— insert—

Part 5 Portfolio committees and consideration of proposed legislation

26A Establishment of portfolio committees (1) The Legislative Assembly must, at the beginning of every session of the Legislative Assembly, establish at least 6 committees of the Legislative Assembly (portfolio committees). (2) The Legislative Assembly must allocate areas of responsibility to each portfolio committee that collectively cover all areas of government activity. Note— See also the Parliament of Queensland Act 2001 for provisions about the membership and operation of portfolio committees. (3) This section does not limit the Legislative Assembly's power to establish committees and confer functions and powers on committees.

26B Requirement for proposed legislation to be considered by committees (1) The Legislative Assembly must ensure each Bill for an Act that is proposed for enactment is referred to a portfolio committee, or another committee of the Legislative Assembly, for examination by the committee. (2) The period of the referral must be at least 6 weeks from the date of the referral. (3) This section does not prevent the Legislative Assembly, by ordinary majority, doing any of the following under the standing rules and orders of the Legislative Assembly— (a) declaring a Bill to be an urgent Bill; (b) referring an urgent Bill to a committee for less than 6 weeks; (c) for a Bill declared to be an urgent Bill after it is referred to a committee—discharging the Bill from the committee less than 6 weeks after the referral; (d) deciding not to refer an urgent Bill to a committee before the Bill is passed by the Legislative Assembly.