Royal Assent Act

An Act respecting royal assent to bills passed by the Houses of Parliament Preamble WHEREAS royal assent is the constitutional culmination of the legislative process; WHEREAS the customary ceremony of royal assent, which assembles the three constituent entities of Parliament, is an important legislative tradition to be preserved; AND WHEREAS it is desirable to facilitate the work of Parliament and the process of enactment by enabling royal assent to be signified by written declaration; NOW, THEREFORE, Her Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate and House of Commons of Canada, enacts as follows: Short title This Act may be cited as the Royal Assent Act. Form and manner of royal assent Royal assent to a bill passed by the Houses of Parliament may be signified, during the session in which both Houses pass the bill, in Parliament assembled; or by written declaration. Use of customary form and manner Royal assent shall be signified in Parliament assembled at least twice in each calendar year. Minimum requirement Royal assent shall be signified in Parliament assembled in the case of the first bill of the session appropriating sums for the public service of Canada based upon main or supplementary estimates. Witness of assent The signification of royal assent by written declaration may be witnessed by more than one member from each House of Parliament. Notification in Parliament Each House of Parliament shall be notified of a written declaration of royal assent by the Speaker of that House or by the person acting as Speaker. Date of assent Where royal assent is signified by written declaration, the Act is deemed to be assented to on the day on which the two Houses of Parliament have been notified of the declaration. Declaration not a statutory instrument A written declaration of royal assent is not a statutory instrument for the purposes of the Statutory Instruments Act. Saving No royal assent is invalid only because section 3 is not complied with.