The Speaker of the National Assembly, as Chairperson, presented the Second Report of the Rules Committee of the National Assembly, dated 14 August 2002, as follows:

The Rules Committee of the National Assembly having on 14 August 2002 considered proposals for the amendment of the Rules of the National Assembly recommends the following amendments to the Rules:

(1) Replace Rules 25 and 26 with the following rules:

Quorum

25. (1) The Assembly may proceed with its business irrespective of the number of members present, but may vote on a Bill or decide on any question only if a quorum is present in terms of subrule (2).

(2) Except where the Constitution provides otherwise-

(a) a majority of the members of the National Assembly must be present before a vote may be taken on a Bill or an amendment to a Bill;

(b) at least one third of the members must be present before a vote may be taken on any other question before the Assembly.


Absence of quorum

26. If the attention of the presiding officer is called to the absence of the prescribed quorum when a question is put for decision and if after an interval of five minutes, during which time the bells must be rung, there is still no quorum, the presiding officer may suspend the proceedings or postpone the decision of the question.


(2) Delete Rule 27.


(3) Amend Rule 243 by inserting the following subrules after Rule 243(1):

(1A) A bill introduced by a Cabinet Member or Deputy Minister must be certified by the Chief State Law Adviser or a state law adviser designated by him/her as being-

(a) consistent with the Constitution; and

(b) properly drafted in the form and style which conforms to legislative practice.

(1B) If a Bill is not certified as contemplated in subrule (1A), the Bill must be accompanied by a report or legal opinion by a state law adviser mentioned in subrule (1A) on why it has not been so certified.

Report to be considered.

F N GINWALA, MP
CHAIRPERSON OF THE RULES COMMITTEE
SPEAKER OF THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY