BILL NO. 75

(as introduced)

3rd Session, 63rd General Assembly
Nova Scotia
70 Elizabeth II, 2021

 

Private Member's Bill

 

An Act to Eliminate Political-Party Whips

 

Alana Paon
Cape Breton–Richmond

First Reading: March 31, 2021

(Explanatory Notes)

Second Reading:

Third Reading:

Explanatory Notes

Clause 1 amends the House of Assembly Act to prohibit threatening the party status of a member or making promises in respect of the party status of a member in an attempt to influence the member's vote.

Clause 2 amends the House of Assembly Management Commission Act to prohibit the payment of an additional amount to the whips of recognized parties.

An Act to Eliminate
Political-Party Whips

WHEREAS eliminating political-party whips will encourage free expression, debate, action in the greater public interest and consensus-building by party leaders;

THEREFORE be it enacted by the Governor and Assembly as follows:

HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY ACT

1 Chapter 1 (1992 Supplement) of the Revised Statutes, 1989, the House of Assembly Act, is amended by adding immediately after Section 26 the following Section:

26A (1) No person, including a member of the House, shall attempt to influence the vote of a member of the House on any matter by threatening

(a) the member's expulsion from the membership of a recognized party or the caucus of a recognized party;

(b) that the member's recognized party may refuse to endorse the member in a future election; or

(c) to withhold a future position or benefit in respect of the member's recognized party.

(2) No person, including a member of the House, shall attempt to influence the vote of a member of the House on any matter by promising

(a) membership in a recognized party or the caucus of a recognized party;

(b) that the member's recognized party would endorse the member in a future election; or

(c) to grant a future position or benefit in respect of the member's recognized party.

HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY MANAGEMENT COMMISSION ACT

2 Section 11 of Chapter 5 of the Acts of 2010, the House of Assembly Management Commission Act, as amended by Chapter 17 of the Acts of 2014, is further amended by adding immediately after subsection (1) the following subsection:

(1A) Notwithstanding subsection (1), no allowance, reimbursement or payment may be made by the House of Assembly to a member of the House of Assembly in respect of that member's role as the whip of a recognized political party.

 

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