How to Read a Bill Before It Becomes Law

Before you start

Reading a bill requires access to the bill's text and the records of legislative proceedings. You do not need to be a lawyer. You need a quiet place to read and a notebook to write your questions.

• The bill's text. Find the official version published on the website of the National Assembly or your State House of Assembly.
• The legislative order paper. This document lists the bills scheduled for debate on a given day.
• The Hansard. This is the official verbatim report of parliamentary debates. It records what lawmakers said about the bill.
• A calendar. Track the dates of the bill's first, second, and third readings.
• Contact details for the relevant legislative committee. Find the committee clerk's office phone number or email address.

Steps

1. Identify the bill. Find the bill's official title and number, such as "SB. 102: Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill, 2024". The number tells you the bill's sequence in that legislative year.
2. Find the sponsor. Look at the first page of the bill text. The sponsor is the lawmaker or executive body that introduced the bill. Note their name and constituency.
3. Read the long title and objectives. The long title, usually after the bill number, states the bill's broad purpose. The objectives section lists what the bill aims to achieve.
4. Track the bill's stage. Check the legislative order paper to see if the bill is listed for first reading, second reading, or committee stage. The first reading is a formal introduction. The second reading is for general debate. The committee stage is for detailed review.
5. Read the Hansard for the second reading. Find the Hansard for the day the bill was debated. Read the arguments for and against the bill. Note which lawmakers spoke and what concerns they raised.
6. Study the committee's call for memoranda. When a bill goes to committee, the committee often invites written submissions from the public. Look for this announcement on the assembly's website or in newspapers.
7. Compare the original bill with the committee's report. After the committee finishes its work, it publishes a report. This report may recommend amendments. Place the original bill text beside the committee's report. Mark every change the committee proposes.
8. Follow the third reading and passage. The amended bill returns to the full house for a third reading and a vote. Check the order paper and the Hansard for this final debate and the vote tally.
9. Note the concurrence process. If the bill originates in one chamber (Senate or House of Representatives), it must go to the other chamber for the same process. Repeat steps 4 through 8 for the other chamber.
10. Check for harmonisation. If both chambers pass different versions, a conference committee harmonises them. Find the harmonised version, which is the final bill sent for assent.

What to do if it goes wrong

Sometimes you cannot find a document or a stage happens without clear public record. Here is what to do.

• The bill text is not online. Visit the assembly's document registry in person. Ask the registry officer for a copy of the bill. Write down the officer's name and the date of your request.
• The Hansard is not published for the debate you need. Contact the office of the Clerk to the National Assembly or State Assembly. Ask when the Hansard for that sitting day will be available. Follow up by phone every two weeks.
• The committee does not call for public memoranda. Write your submission anyway. Address it to the Chairman of the relevant committee. Send it by registered post and keep the posting receipt.
• The vote tally is not recorded. Check the official gazette for that legislative day. If the gazette does not list the votes, your next step is to write to the Clerk's office, asking for the voting record as a matter of public record.

What you should end with

After following these steps, you should have a folder containing the bill's text, your marked-up copy showing amendments, your notes from the Hansard debates, a copy of any submission you sent to the committee, and the final harmonised version of the bill. This folder is your complete record of the bill's journey through the legislature.

What WATAG does with this

The WATAG Policy Advocacy programme trains women to read bills and track legislative processes. Participants in the programme practise finding bill texts, comparing versions, and preparing written questions for committee clerks. This skill forms part of the programme's work on understanding how laws are made.