BILL NO. 47

(as introduced)

4th Session, 61st General Assembly
Nova Scotia
61 Elizabeth II, 2012



Private Member's Bill



Modernizing Government Act



The Honourable Jamie Baillie
Cumberland South



First Reading: April 25, 2012

(Explanatory Note)

Second Reading:

Third Reading:

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Explanatory Note

This Bill

(a) provides for fixed provincial election dates;

(b) requires the Auditor General to prepare an updated report of the Province's finances before each general election;

(c) permits a person to vote in a provincial election at any polling station in Nova Scotia on ordinary polling day;

(d) requires the Governor in Council to appoint a person with a disability to the Election Commission;

(e) requires provincial by-elections to be called within 3 months of a vacancy and to be held within 6 months of a vacancy;

(f) requires the House of Assembly to debate petitions presented to it with at least 10,000 signatures if the subject-matter of the petition is within provincial jurisdiction;

(g) requires the panel reviewing MLAs indemnities, allowances and salaries to be independent; and

(h) prohibits a former MLA from being a lobbyist for three years following ceasing to be an MLA.

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An Act to Modernize
the Government of Nova Scotia

Be it enacted by the Governor and Assembly as follows:

1 This Act may be cited as the Modernizing Government Act.

2 Chapter 5 of the Acts of 2011, the Elections Act, is amended by adding immediately preceding Section 29 the following Sections:

3 Chapter 5 is further amended by adding immediately after Section 123 the following Section:

4 Subsection 356(2) of Chapter 5 is amended by

(a) striking out "and" at the end of clause (a); and

(b) adding immediately after clause (a) the following clause:

5 Subsection 8(1) of Chapter 1 of the Revised Statutes, 1989 (1992 Supplement), the House of Assembly Act, is repealed.

6 Subsection 10(1) of Chapter 1 is amended by

(a) striking out "six" in the third line and substituting "three"; and

(b) striking out "twelve" in the fourth line and substituting "six".

7 Chapter 1 is further amended by adding immediately after Section 36 the following headings and Section:

PART IVA

HOUSE BUSINESS

8 Section 45A of Chapter 1, as enacted by Chapter 9 of the Acts of 2006 and amended by Chapter 40 of the Acts of 2007 and Chapter 5 of the Acts of 2009, is further amended by adding immediately after subsection (2) the following subsection:

9 Chapter 34 of the Acts of 2001, the Lobbyists' Registration Act, is amended by adding immediately after Section 3 the following Section:

10 Subsection 18(1) of Chapter 34, as amended by Chapter 57 of the Acts of 2010, is further amended by adding "Section 3A," immediately after "with" in the first line.

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