View source for Private member's bill

{{Short description|Legislation not proposed by the executive}}
{{distinguish|Private bill|Private law}}
{{Multiple issues|
{{globalize|article|UK|Commonwealth|2name=the United Kingdom|3name=other Commonwealth of Nations countries|date=March 2025}}
{{More citations needed|date=April 2010}}
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{{use dmy dates|date=October 2020}}

A '''private member's bill''' is a [[bill (proposed law)]] introduced into a [[legislature]] by a legislator who is not acting on behalf of the [[executive branch]]. The designation "private member's bill" is used in most [[Westminster system]] jurisdictions, in which a "private member" is any [[member of parliament]] (MP) who is not a member of the [[cabinet (government)|cabinet]] (executive). Other labels may be used for the concept in other parliamentary systems; for example, the label '''member's bill''' is used in the [[Scottish Parliament]] and the [[New Zealand Parliament]],<ref>{{cite book |chapter-url=https://www.parliament.scot/about/how-parliament-works/parliament-rules-and-guidance/guidance-on-public-bills/part-3 |chapter=Part 3: Stages of Bills – special cases (Members' Bills) |title=How Parliament Works – Guidance on Public Bills |publisher=The Scottish Parliament |access-date=2024-04-26}}</ref><ref>{{cite web  |date=2024-02-16 |title=Types of Bills |website=New Zealand Parliament – Features |url=https://www.parliament.nz/en/get-involved/features/types-of-bills/ |access-date=2024-04-26 <!-- orig doc cited at https://www.parliament.nz/en/visit-and-learn/how-parliament-works/how-laws-are-made/types-of-bills/ -->}}</ref> the term '''private senator's bill''' is used in the [[Australian Senate]],<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.aph.gov.au/About_Parliament/Parliamentary_Departments/Parliamentary_Library/FlagPost/2017/December/Private_Members_and_Senators_Bills|title=The passage of private members' and senators' bills through the Parliament|first=Damon|last=Muller|publisher=Parliament of Australia|date=6 December 2017|access-date=22 September 2020}}</ref> and the term '''public bill''' is used in the [[Senate of Canada]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://sencanada.ca/media/93509/spip-psep-full-complet-e.pdf |title=Senate Procedure in Practice |author=<!--Not stated--> |date=June 2015 |website=sencanada.ca |publisher=[[Senate of Canada]] |access-date=June 30, 2022 |quote="Senate public bills are legislative proposals not introduced on behalf of the government."}}</ref> In legislatures where the executive does not have the [[Right of initiative (legislative)|right of initiative]], such as the [[United States Congress]], the concept does not arise since bills are always introduced by legislators (or sometimes by [[popular initiative]]).

In the Westminster system, most bills are "[[Government bill (law)|government bill]]s" introduced by the executive, with private members' bills the exception; however, some time is set aside in the schedule for reading such bills. They may be introduced by non-ministerial MPs from government-supporting parties ([[backbencher]]s), by members of [[Opposition (parliamentary)|opposition]] parties ([[frontbencher]] or backbencher), or by [[independent (politician)|independent]]s or [[crossbencher]]s. The Israeli [[Knesset]] has a long history of enacting private members' bills: a slight majority of the laws passed by it originated as private members' bills, and thousands more are introduced without being passed.<ref>{{Cite report |title=Private Member's Bills - Comparative Analysis and Recommendations |id=Policy Paper No. 32 |last=Klein |first=Eran |publisher=The Israel Democracy Institute|date=2002 |url= https://en.idi.org.il/publications/8710}}</ref> In contrast, the [[Oireachtas]] (parliament) of the [[Republic of Ireland]] rarely passes private members' bills, with the overwhelming number of bills being passed being introduced by members of the cabinet.<ref name="aph.gov.au">{{Cite web|url=https://www.aph.gov.au/About_Parliament/House_of_Representatives/Powers_practice_and_procedure/Practice7/HTML/Chapter16/Private_Members%E2%80%99_business|title=Private Members' business|publisher=Parliament of Australia|access-date=17 June 2022}}</ref>

A private member's bill is not to be confused with a [[private bill]], which is a bill that only affects an individual citizen or group.

==Private member's bill by region==

===Australia===

In Australia, a draft bill is prepared by the [[Parliamentary counsel|Parliamentary Counsel]], acting under instructions from the MP. After community consultation, the member introduces the bill into the Parliament.<ref>{{cite book |title=Bills—the parliamentary process |access-date=11 March 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241209030301/https://www.aph.gov.au/About_Parliament/House_of_Representatives/Powers_practice_and_procedure/Practice7/HTML/Chapter10/Bills%E2%80%94the_parliamentary_process |url=https://www.aph.gov.au/About_Parliament/House_of_Representatives/Powers_practice_and_procedure/Practice7/HTML/Chapter10/Bills%E2%80%94the_parliamentary_process |archive-date=9 December 2024 |url-status=live |series=[[House of Representatives Practice]] |chapter=Chapter 10 {{!}} Legislation |edition=Seventh |editor-first1=David R. |editor-last1=Elder |editor-last2=Fowler |editor-first2=P. E. |date=10 May 2018 |isbn=978-1-74366-656-2 |publisher=Department of the House of Representatives}}</ref>

Only 30 private members' bills or private senators' bills introduced into the [[Parliament of Australia|Australian Parliament]] since 1901 have been passed into law.<ref name="aph.gov.au"/> Of these, thirteen have been initiated by senators, ten by members and seven by the Speaker and Senate President. A larger number have passed one house but not the other. An even larger number did not pass the house in which they were introduced and thus lapsed at the dissolution of each parliament following the announcement of a federal election.

Among the most notable of the successful bills was the Commonwealth Electoral Bill 1924, which amended the [[Commonwealth Electoral Act 1918]] to introduce [[compulsory voting]] for federal elections. This was introduced by Senator for [[Tasmania]] [[Herbert Payne]] of the [[Nationalist Party (Australia)|Nationalist Party]] on 16 July 1924, passed by the Senate on 23 July, passed by the House of Representatives on 24 July – both times with little debate – and given [[royal assent]] on 31 July.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.foundingdocs.gov.au/item-did-18.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250307005023/https://www.foundingdocs.gov.au/item-did-18.html |archive-date=7 March 2025 |access-date=11 March 2025 |url-status=live |publisher=[[Museum of Australian Democracy]] |work=Documenting a Democracy |title=Commonwealth Electoral Act 1924 (Cth)}}</ref> Despite much public debate ever since on the issue of compulsory voting, the legislation has never been repealed.<ref>{{cite news |number=24 |work=Research Paper |publisher=Department of the Parliamentary Library |url=https://parlinfo.aph.gov.au/parlInfo/download/library/prspub/BJ820/upload_binary/BJ820.pdf;fileType=application/pdf#search=%22library/prspub/BJ820%22 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220525143847/https://parlinfo.aph.gov.au/parlInfo/download/library/prspub/BJ820/upload_binary/BJ820.pdf;fileType=application/pdf#search=%22library/prspub/BJ820%22 |access-date=11 March 2025 |archive-date=25 May 2022 |url-status=live |issn=1321-1579 |first=James |last=Warden |title=Compulsory Voting |date=5 April 1995}}{{better source needed|date=March 2025|reason=More recent information relevant to latest debate arguments preferred.}}</ref>

Another very notable private member's bill was the [[Euthanasia Laws Bill 1996]], which deprived the Northern Territory, Australian Capital Territory and Norfolk Island legislatures of the power to make laws permitting [[euthanasia]]. This was introduced by [[Kevin Andrews (politician)|Kevin Andrews]], Member for Menzies, after the [[Northern Territory Legislative Assembly]] had passed such a law, the [[Rights of the Terminally Ill Act 1995]]. Although Andrews was a member of the [[Liberal Party of Australia|Liberal Party]], members and senators were allowed a [[conscience vote]] on the issue, and each side of the debate was supported by members and senators from all political parties. These laws prohibiting assisted dying were later repealed by the Restoring Territory Rights Bill 2022, this too was a private member's bill, however this was introduced by Labor MPs.<ref>{{cite news |work=ABC News |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-12-01/parliament-lifts-ban-on-territory-euthanasia-laws/101692028 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250204083612/https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-12-01/parliament-lifts-ban-on-territory-euthanasia-laws/101692028 |url-status=live |archive-date=4 February 2025 |access-date=11 March 2025 |date=4 February 2025 |first=Markus |last=Mannheim |title=Federal parliament overturns 25-year-old ban on euthanasia laws in ACT and Northern Territory}}</ref>

A private member's bill, the [[Marriage Amendment (Definition and Religious Freedoms) Act 2017]], legalised [[Same-sex marriage in Australia|same-sex marriage]] throughout Australia on 9 December 2017. It was introduced by [[Dean Smith (Australian politician)|Dean Smith]], Senator for Western Australia following the "Yes" result in the [[Australian Marriage Law Postal Survey|postal survey]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.aph.gov.au/About_Parliament/Parliamentary_departments/Parliamentary_Library/Research/Quick_Guides/2017-18/SSMarriageBills |access-date=11 March 2025 |archive-date=5 February 2025 |date=15 February 2018 |first=Deirdre |last=McKeown |work=Research paper Series 2017–18 |issn=2203-5249 |publisher=[[Department of Parliamentary Services]] |via=[[Parliamentary Library of Australia|Parliamentary Library]] |title=Chronology of same-sex marriage bills introduced into the federal parliament: a quick guide |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250205114717/https://www.aph.gov.au/About_Parliament/Parliamentary_departments/Parliamentary_Library/Research/Quick_Guides/2017-18/SSMarriageBills |url-status=live}}</ref>

Notable also was the private member's bill introduced in 2000 by [[Alan Corbett]] in the [[New South Wales Legislative Council]] to amend the [[Crimes Act 1900]]. The first successfully enacted (or indeed introduced) bill in over 100 years to address the protection of children from abuse and excessive physical chastisement. It received very wide support from [[New South Wales]] organisations related to [[Child protection|child health and welfare]] and was backed by several prominent members of the medical profession, particularly in the [[paediatric]] field, notably [[John Yu]], CEO of [[Royal Alexandra Hospital for Children]], [[Sydney]] (who had been honoured by the [[Australian Government]] with the prestigious [[Australian of the Year]] award in 1996). Its initial aims were to limit physical chastisement by banning the use of implements (belts, sticks, hairbrushes, etc.), ban the use of force above the shoulders (thus preventing neck, head, brain and facial injuries), and require that any physical force applied leave only trivial and short-lived signs such as redness (that is, no bruising, swelling, welts, cuts, grazes, internal injuries, emotional trauma, etc.); with the exception of the clause banning the use of implements (which was dropped to gain essential support from the [[New South Wales|state]] [[New South Wales Labor Party|Labor Government]] for the bill), it was passed intact and became law in 2001.<ref>{{cite report |url=https://www.utas.edu.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0005/283784/PhysPunFinalReport.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230206184300/https://www.utas.edu.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0005/283784/PhysPunFinalReport.pdf |archive-date=6 February 2023 |access-date=11 March 2025 |title=Physical Punishment of Children |number=4 |date=October 2003 |publisher=Tasmania Law Reform Institute |via=[[University of Tasmania]] |page=16}}</ref>

Notably, in New South Wales the [[Electoral district of Sydney|Sydney]] MP [[Alex Greenwich]] has had three successful private members' bills, those being the [[Abortion Law Reform Act 2019 (New South Wales)|Abortion Law Reform Act 2019]],<ref>{{cite news |work=[[SBS World News|SBS News]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250226113754/https://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/abortion-has-been-decriminalised-in-nsw-and-heres-what-will-actually-change/6f253sisq |archive-date=26 February 2025 |url-status=live |date=30 September 2019 |first=Maani |last=Truu |access-date=26 February 2025 |title=Abortion has been decriminalised in NSW, and here's what will actually change |url=https://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/abortion-has-been-decriminalised-in-nsw-and-heres-what-will-actually-change/6f253sisq}}</ref> the Voluntary Assisted Dying Act 2021,<ref>{{cite news |work=ABC News |first1=Ashleigh |last1=Raper |last2=Bowden |first2=Phoebe |first3=Heath |last3=Parkes-Upton |date=19 May 2022 |title=NSW's voluntary assisted dying laws pass after marathon debate in parliament |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-05-19/voluntary-assisted-dying-laws-pass/101079940 |archive-date=12 February 2025 |access-date=11 March 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250212103720/https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-05-19/voluntary-assisted-dying-laws-pass/101079940 |url-status=live}}</ref> and the Equality Legislation Amendment (LGBTIQA+) Bill 2023.<ref>{{cite news |work=[[ABC News (Australia)|ABC News]] |title=NSW parliament passes equality bill, allowing transgender people to change their birth certificates without surgery |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-10-18/nsw-parliament-equality-bill-passes-transgender-greenwich/104487170 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250226112435/https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-10-18/nsw-parliament-equality-bill-passes-transgender-greenwich/104487170 |url-status=live |date=18 October 2024 |first=Nick |last=Dole |archive-date=26 February 2025 |access-date=26 February 2025}}</ref>

==={{Anchor|canada}}Canada===
In Canada, a private member's bill ({{langx|fr|projet de loi émanant d'un député}}) is a bill introduced in the [[House of Commons of Canada|House of Commons]] by a member of parliament who is neither a cabinet minister nor a parliamentary secretary. A private member's bill follows the same legislative process as a government bill, but the time allocated for its consideration is restricted. Private members' bills may be considered only during one of the daily Private Members' Hours. Under rules established in 1986, 20 items of private members' business are selected at random to receive priority in debate. Six of these items are chosen by a committee to be votable and must come to a vote in the House. Prior to the 1986 rules, private members' bills and motions could be "talked out", meaning that all the time allocated to private members' bills could be used up introducing or debating bills without them ever being voted on, as each bill must be voted on after the second hour of debate. (The ramifications of the 1986 rules were discussed in the ''[[Canadian Parliamentary Review]]'', 1988, Vol 11, No. 3.<ref name="Lever">{{cite journal |last= Lever |first= Nora |title=Private Members' Business: What's Happened Under the New Rules? |journal=[[Canadian Parliamentary Review]] |volume= 11|issue=3 |url=http://www.revparl.ca/english/issue.asp?param=126&art=779 |date= 14 September 2020 |access-date=2024-04-26}}</ref>) Even under the new rules, very few private members' bills become law, but passage is more likely in [[Minority governments in Canada|minority government]] situations.<ref name="The Toronto Star">{{cite news |title=Liberal MP introduces war resisters bill |url=https://www.thestar.com/news/canada/article/697332 |publisher=[[The Toronto Star]] |date=September 17, 2009 |access-date=19 September 2009}}</ref> The vast majority of private members' bills that actually do become law are for the purpose of changing the name of the [[Riding (division)#Canada|riding]] represented by the MP introducing the bill.

When an election is called, all bills that have not been passed die on the order paper (that is, they are removed from the agenda of Parliament, and must be re-introduced in the new session of Parliament after an election). In the House of Commons (but not in the Senate), private members' bills remain on the order paper when Parliament is [[Prorogation in Canada|prorogued]].

Notable private members bills have been the following:

====Passed====
In the 98 years from 4 May 1910 to 7 September 2008, 229 private members' bills passed.<ref name="Parliament of Canada">{{cite web |title=Private Members' Public Bills Passed by Parliament: 1910 to Date |url=http://www2.parl.gc.ca/Parlinfo/Compilations/HouseOfCommons/legislation/privatememberspublicbills.aspx |date=January 30, 2009 |publisher=Parliament of Canada |access-date=23 September 2009 |archive-date=15 December 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151215232530/http://www.parl.gc.ca/ParlInfo/Compilations/HouseOfCommons/legislation/privatememberspublicbills.aspx |url-status=dead }}</ref>

=====Before the 1986 rules=====
* One of the bills passed under the old (pre-1986) rules was a 1964 private member's bill to rename "[[Trans-Canada Airlines]]" to "[[Air Canada]]", introduced by then-rookie MP [[Jean Chrétien]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.mapleleafweb.com/features/legacy-former-prime-minister-jean-chr-tien|title=Legacy of Former Prime Minister Jean Chrétien &#124; Mapleleafweb.com|website=www.mapleleafweb.com|date=June 2006}}</ref> Chrétien got his bill voted on by convincing the other MPs scheduled to speak during Private Member's Hour to skip their speech and instead request an immediate vote on the bill.<ref>See Jean Chrétien, ''Straight From the Heart'' (1990).</ref>

=====After the 1986 rules=====
The new rules took effect in 1986. In the 24 years between 5 November 1984 and 7 September 2008, 81 private members' bills passed.<ref name="Parliament of Canada"/> Passage was (and is) more likely during the periods of [[minority governments in Canada]].<ref name="The Toronto Star"/> The ramifications of the 1986 rules and new probability of success of private members bills were discussed in the ''[[Canadian Parliamentary Review]]'', 1988, Vol 11, No. 3.<ref name="Lever"/>
* [[New Democratic Party|NDP]] MP [[Lynn McDonald]] succeeded in getting her private member's bill, the "Non-smokers' Health Act" (aka Bill C-204), passed in 1986, (given [[royal assent]] on 28 June 1988) restricting smoking in federally regulated workplaces and on airplanes, trains and ships.<ref>[http://www1.worldbank.org/tobacco/pdf/2850-Ch04.pdfD. Sweanor and K. Kyle, ''Legislation and Applied Economics in the Pursuit of Public Health: Canada''], p. 79.</ref> The bill was passed in a [[free vote]] of the House of Commons despite being voted against by all members of the federal cabinet, including the Minister of Health.<ref name="Lever"/>

===Hong Kong===
Article 74 of the [[Hong Kong Basic Law]] prohibits private members' bills that relate to public expenditure, political structure or the operation of the [[Government of Hong Kong|Government]]. Private members' bills that involve government policies must be agreed by the [[Chief Executive of Hong Kong|Chief Executive]].<ref>{{cite act |date=4 April 1990 |at=art. 74 |legislature=[[National People's Congress]] |title=Basic Law of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China |title-link=Hong Kong Basic Law}}</ref>{{primary source inline |date=April 2024}} Whether the bill involves such issues are to be determined by the [[President of the Legislative Council of Hong Kong|Legislative Council President]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Information note on presentation of bills by Members of the Legislative Council |url=https://www.legco.gov.hk/general/english/bills/mem-bill_2225.pdf |website=[[Legislative Council of Hong Kong]] |access-date=1 June 2023 |pages=2–3}}</ref> For private members' bills proposed for the particular interest or benefit of any individual, association or body corporate, a fee of HK$33,500 for amendment bills, and HK$67,000 for principal bills must also be paid to the Director of Accounting Services.<ref>{{Cite Hong Kong ordinance|69|name=Private Bills Ordinance|3}} and schedule.</ref>

===India===
Of the 300 or so private members' bills introduced in the 14th [[Lok Sabha]], barely 4% were discussed; 96% lapsed without even a single debate in the House. To date,{{update inline|?=yes|date=July 2020}} Parliament has passed a total of 14 private members' bills.

Following are the 14 Private Members' Bills which were passed:-

#The Muslim Wakfs Bill introduced by Syed Md. Ahmed Kasmi in Lok Sabha
#The Code of Criminal Procedure (Amendment) Bill introduced by [[Raghunath Singh (politician)|Raghunath Singh]] in Lok Sabha
#The Indian Registration (Amendment) Bill introduced by [[Satish Chandra Samanta|SC Samanta]] in Lok Sabha
#The Proceedings of Legislature (Protection of Publication) Bill introduced by Feroze Gandhi in Lok Sabha
#The Women's and Children's Institutions (Licensing) Bill introduced by Rajmata Kamlendu in Lok Sabha
#Historical Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains (Declaration of National Importance) Bill introduced by Raghubir Sinh in [[Rajya Sabha]]
#The Hindu Marriage (Amendment) Bill introduced by Seeta Parmanand in Rajya Sabha
#The Code of Criminal Procedure (Amendment) Bill introduced by Subhadra Joshi in Lok Sabha
#The Orphanages and other Charitable Homes (Supervision and Control) Bill introduced by Kailash Bihari Lal in Rajya Sabha
#The Marine Insurance Bill introduced by MP Bhargava in Rajya Sabha
#The Hindu Marriage (Amendment) Bill introduced by Diwan Chand Sharma in Lok Sabha
#The Salaries and Allowances of MP (Amendment) Bill introduced by Raghunath Singh in Lok Sabha
#Indian Penal Code (Amendment) Bill introduced by Diwan Chand Lal in Rajya Sabha
#The SC (enlargement of Criminal Appellate Jurisdiction) Bill introduced by Anand Narain in Lok Sabha

Five of these were passed in 1956 alone and after 47 years of passing the last bill, the Supreme Court (Enlargement of Criminal Appellate Jurisdiction) Bill, 1968 that became an Act on 9 August 1970; Rajya Sabha has passed the [[Rights of Transgender Persons Bill, 2014]] on April 24, 2015, which was introduced in the lower house, Lok Sabha on 26 February 2016.<ref name="Transgender-NDTV">{{cite news|title=Lok Sabha Takes Up Bill To End Transgender Discrimination|url=http://www.ndtv.com/india-news/lok-sabha-takes-up-bill-to-end-transgender-discrimination-1281768|access-date=8 March 2016|work=[[NDTV]]|date=27 February 2016}}</ref>

===Israel===
In Israel, a private member's bill ({{langx|he|הצעת חוק פרטית}}) is a bill introduced in the [[Knesset]] by an MK who is neither a cabinet minister nor a deputy minister. The number of private members' bills an individual MK can submit is restricted, and their introduction requires approval by the Knesset Presidium (composed of the [[Speaker of the Knesset]] and their deputies), who are allowed to reject bills which are racist in their essence or reject the Jewish character of the state.

Unlike government bills, which can be withdrawn at any point before their [[third reading]], a private member's bill cannot be withdrawn after its committee stage, which occurs between first and second readings. In addition, private members' bills must undergo a [[Reading (legislature)#Preliminary reading|preliminary reading]], while government bills go to first reading directly when they are introduced.

Compared to other [[Westminster system]] parliaments, the number of private members' bills introduced in the Knesset is very large: Between 2000 and 2016, the number of private members' bills introduced before the Knesset was 22,949, a world record.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://hashiloach.org.il/עוצרים-את-טירוף-החקקת/|title=עוצרים את טירוף החקקת|trans-title=Stopping the legislative madness|first=Yair|last=Lapid|date=15 March 2017|website=השילוח}}</ref>

The number of laws passed by the Knesset which were introduced as private member's bills is also much larger than other Westminster system parliaments, but similar to those of Continental European parliaments.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://en.idi.org.il/articles/30989|title=Private Member Bills: A Review and Recommendations|date=11 March 2020|website=en.idi.org.il}}</ref> However, this is a relatively recent phenomenon – while only 6% of laws passed by the [[Third Knesset]] where introduced as private members' bills, the equivalent share for the [[Fifteenth Knesset]] is 53%, a slight majority.

===Malaysia===
As of September 2021, no private member's bill was passed in the [[Parliament of Malaysia|Malaysian parliament]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2021/09/07/encourage-private-members-bills-says-constitutional-expert/|title=Encourage Private Member's Bills, says constitutional expert|work=Free Malaysia Today|date=7 September 2021|access-date=8 September 2021|author=Jason Thomas|archive-date=7 September 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210907233138/https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2021/09/07/encourage-private-members-bills-says-constitutional-expert/|url-status=dead}}</ref>

===New Zealand===
[[File:Members bill biscuit tin, NZ Parliament.jpg|thumb|The biscuit tin and numbered counters used to select new member's bill in New Zealand]]
In [[New Zealand]], a '''member's bill''' (often misattributed as private member's bill) is one that is introduced by a member of Parliament who is not a minister. There can be a maximum of eight members' bills on the Order Paper awaiting their first reading at any one time. When a slot opens up, a ballot is held to select a new members' bill for introduction; each MP can submit only one member's bill at a time to the ballot. Every second Wednesday is reserved for debating members' bills, although this rule is overridden when certain government business is before the House, such as the Budget. Even when a Wednesday is devoted to members' bills, any private or local bills on the Order Paper are considered first.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.parliament.nz/en/visit-and-learn/how-parliament-works/fact-sheets/lucky-dip-leads-to-ground-breaking-law-changes/|title=Lucky dip leads to ground-breaking law changes|publisher=New Zealand Parliament|date= 7 June 2017|access-date=8 June 2017}}</ref>

The ballot to select new members' bills is conducted by drawing numbered counters out of a [[biscuit tin]], purchased in the 1980s from now-defunct department store chain [[DEKA (New Zealand)|DEKA]]. As a result, the member's bill process is nicknamed "biscuit tin democracy".<ref>{{Cite news|last=Graham-McLay|first=Charlotte|date=2019-12-17|title=Biscuit tin democracy: the humble start of New Zealand's most progressive laws|language=en-GB|work=The Guardian|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/dec/17/biscuit-tin-democracy-the-humble-start-of-new-zealands-most-progressive-laws|access-date=2020-07-23|issn=0261-3077}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|date=2018-09-05|title=The House: Biscuit tin gamble|url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/national/programmes/the-house/audio/2018661248/biscuit-tin-gamble|access-date=2020-07-23|website=[[RNZ]] |language=en-nz}}</ref>

Starting with the [[53rd New Zealand Parliament|53rd Parliament]] (2020–23), a member's bill can be introduced directly if it has the support of at least 61 non-executive members of Parliament. This allows members' bills with broad support to avoid the ballot process, while excluding executive members prevents the member's bill process being an alternative way of progressing Government business.<ref>{{Cite web|date=July 2020|title=Review of Standing Orders 2020 – New Zealand Parliament|url=https://www.parliament.nz/resource/en-NZ/SCR_99753/b30fe8b13213d753d48e0e3a0074056a7af787a5|access-date=2020-10-14|website=www.parliament.nz|pages=34–35|language=en}}</ref>

Notable legislation passed as a result of a member's bill includes:
*[[Adult Adoption Information Act 1985]] – allowed adult adoptees to access information about their birth parents
*[[Homosexual Law Reform Act 1986]] – decriminalised homosexual acts between men
*[[Prostitution Reform Act 2003]] – decriminalised prostitution
*[[Crimes (Substituted Section 59) Amendment Act 2007]] – removed "reasonable force" legal defence for assault of children by parents
*[[Marriage (Definition of Marriage) Amendment Act 2013]] – legalised same-sex marriage
*[[End of Life Choice Act 2019]] – provided for a [[2020 New Zealand euthanasia referendum|binding referendum]] to give people with a terminal illness the option of requesting [[Assisted suicide|assisted dying]]

===Norway===
In the [[Parliament of Norway]], any member may submit a private member's bill, called a representative's bill ({{langx|no|representantforslag lovvedtak}}).<ref name="stortingetPQR">
{{cite web|url=http://www.stortinget.no/en/In-English/Supportmenu1/Dictionary/?diid=PQR|title=PQR|work=Dictionary|publisher=Stortinget|access-date=13 March 2012}}</ref><ref name="Representantforslag">
{{cite web |url=http://www.stortinget.no/no/Stortinget-og-demokratiet/Arbeidet/Om-publikasjonene/Representantforslag/ |language=no |title=Representantforslag|publisher=Stortinget|access-date=13 March 2012}}
</ref> The other method of initiating legislation is by a "Proposition to the ''Storting''" from the [[Cabinet of Norway|Government]].<ref name="stortingetPQR" /><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.stortinget.no/no/Stortinget-og-demokratiet/Arbeidet/Lovarbeidet/ |title=Lovarbeidet |work=Stortinget og demokratiet|language=no|publisher=Stortinget|access-date=13 March 2012}}</ref>

===United Kingdom===
{{Main|Private Members' Bills in the Parliament of the United Kingdom}}
<!-- Deleted image removed: [[Image:Portrait-philipdavies.jpg|thumb|right|The Conservative Party politician [[Philip Davies]] has gained a reputation for filibustering Private Members' Bills during Parliament's Friday sittings.<ref name=independent-20141214>{{cite news |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/philip-davies-the-master-of-filibuster-and-friend-to-rogue-landlords-9924580.html |title=Philip Davies, the master of filibuster and friend to rogue landlords |author=Oliver Wright |newspaper=The Independent |date=14 December 2014 |access-date=27 January 2015}}</ref>]] -->

In the United Kingdom [[British House of Commons|House of Commons]], there are several routes to introducing private members' bills. In each session, twenty backbench MPs are selected by [[ballot]] to introduce a bill. These bills are given priority for debate and generally offer the best chance of success. Additional bills may be introduced via the [[Ten Minute Rule]], although this is usually used just to raise an issue rather than legislate on it, or through presentation without debate under Standing Order 57. Neither Ten Minute Rule or presentation bills are likely to get time to be debated, so only non-controversial bills have any chance of success. Private members' bills from the Lords may also be adopted by an MP to complete their journey through Parliament.

Private members' bills can sometimes become the cause for much anxiety and shenanigans, as outside individuals or organisations seek to influence members who have been selected in the ballot.

There are two principal routes for influencing UK law:
* [[Lobbying]] a government department or minister.
* Lobbying a member of parliament who has a private member's bill coming up.

Only a small proportion of private members' bills are enacted. This is generally because of lack of time – a controversial private member's bill can be [[filibuster|"talked out"]]. In some cases, measures that a government does not want to take responsibility for may be introduced by backbenchers, with the government secretly or openly backing the measure and ensuring its passage. They are sometimes known as "handouts" or "whips' bills". The [[Abortion Act 1967]] was enacted in the [[United Kingdom]] through this means: with the Bill itself being introduced by a [[Liberal Party (UK)|Liberal Party]] Member of Parliament, [[David Steel]]; through the support from Labour [[Home Secretary]] [[Roy Jenkins]] the Bill was given enough government time to allow a full debate.

Other private members' bills to have been enacted include the Adoption Act 1964, the [[Murder (Abolition of Death Penalty) Act 1965]], the [[Charter trustees#Charter Trustees Act 1985|Charter Trustees Act 1985]], the [[Law Reform (Year and a Day Rule) Act 1996]], the [[Knife legislation#Knives Act 1997|Knives Act 1997]], the [[British nationality law and Hong Kong#British Nationality (Hong Kong) Act, 1997: British citizenship for British Nationals (Overseas) without Chinese ancestry|British Nationality (Hong Kong) Act 1997]], the Mental Health (Discrimination) Act 2003 the [[Female Genital Mutilation Act 2003]], the [[Gangmasters (Licensing) Act 2004]], the [[Sustainable Communities Act|Sustainable Communities Act 2007]].

====House of Commons procedure====

In principle, private members' bills follow much the same [[Act of Parliament#Procedure|parliamentary stages]] as any other bill. In practice, the procedural barriers to passage are much greater.

Time is allocated for private members' bills on 13 Fridays a year in the [[British House of Commons|House of Commons]]. Five hours of time are available each day, and several private members' bills are scheduled for each session.

Unlike Government bills, debates are not timetabled and there is no guarantee that the debate will finish within the time available. MPs opposed to a private member's bill, including Government [[Minister (government)|ministers]] and [[Whip (politics)|whips]], will routinely attempt to [[talked out|talk out]] the bill, stopping further progress by preventing a vote. The bill's proponent can force a vote only with the support of at least a hundred members (and a majority of those voting).<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200506/cmstords/416/41603.htm#a40|title=House of Commons - Standing Orders of the House of Commons - Public Business 2005|website=publications.parliament.uk}}</ref> As many MPs return to their constituencies on Thursday night, this has the practical effect of blocking all private members' bills without solid support.

It is quite possible for the first bill to take up all five hours, preventing any other bill on the agenda from being debated. Any bill not debated may receive second reading without debate at the end of the session, but a single shout of "object!" will delay consideration to a future date; Government and opposition whips routinely block contentious private members' bills in this way. Another date for second reading will also be set for bills which have been talked out. This is a formality; the bill will be put to the bottom of the [[order paper]], will likely be objected to on each future occasion and has no practical chance of success.

Even if second reading is passed, a bill is likely to need the support of the government to become law. The bill will be referred to [[public bill committee]], which may make amendments. The amended version of the bill will then return to the Commons. To become law, it must also successfully negotiate report stage and third reading, as well as the [[House of Lords]]. Contentious bills are likely to run out of parliamentary time unless the government allocates some; any pending private members' bills lapse at the end of each parliamentary session.

Private members' bills may also originate in the House of Lords. To become law, these bills must be adopted by an MP and passed in the same way as a bill originated in the Commons.

==See also==
* [[Bill (proposed law)]]
* [[Motion (parliamentary procedure)]]
* [[Private bill]]
* [[Right of initiative (legislative)]]
* [[Table (parliamentary procedure)]], which has a different meaning in the US compared to the other countries mentioned in this article.

==References==
{{Reflist|2}}

== External links ==
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20040223062920/http://www.parliament.uk/works/newproc.cfm UK Parliament website: Bill Procedure]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20040430202700/http://www.parliament.uk/faq/ballot_faq_page.cfm UK Parliament website: The result of the Private Members' Bill ballot for the current session]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20040224225856/http://www.parliament.uk/DOCUMENTS/UPLOAD/L02.PDF House of Commons Factsheet: Private Members' Bills Procedure]
* [http://www.parliament.uk/documents/commons-information-office/l03.pdf House of Commons Factsheet: Success of Private Members' Bills]

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[[Category:Westminster system]]
[[Category:Proposed laws of the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Parliament of India]]
[[Category:Parliament of Canada]]
[[Category:Parliamentary procedure]]