Member's Bill

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Second Session, Thirty-Ninth Parliament

59 Elizabeth II, 2010
Legislative Assembly of British Columbia
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BILL M 2**

RECALL AND INITIATIVE AMENDMENT ACT, 2010

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Ms. James

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 Explanatory Note

This Bill amends the Recall and Initiative Act to change the requirement for when
an initiative vote must be held once the Select Standing Committee on Legislative
Iniatitives has referred the initiative petition and draft Bill to the chief electoral officer.
This Bill requires that an initiative vote be held within six (6) months of the
initiative petition and draft Bill being referred.
This Bill addresses the concern that the time period between an expression of the
will of the people being made through a successful initiative petition and the actual
initiative vote is too long. It also addresses the concern that such a time delay on a matter
of significant public policy may create uncertainty with respect to the province’s
economy.
 Ms. James

BILL M 2**

RECALL AND INITIATIVE AMENDMENT ACT, 2010

HER MAJESTY, by and with the advice and consent of the Legislative Assembly of the
Province of British Columbia, enacts as follows:

Section 14 of the Recall and Initiative Act, R.S.B.C. 1996, c. 398, is amended by
repealing subsection (1) and replacing it with:

14 (1) If required, initiative votes must be held within six (6) months from the date of the
initiative petition and draft Bill being referred to the chief electoral officer.