News

Public Views Sought on Proposed New Law

The Privileges and Procedures Committee, which is responsible for how the States Assembly operates, is looking for views on proposed changes to how laws are made available to the public.

The Legislative Drafting Office drafts and arranges the publication of all legislation. The proposed changes would introduce legal requirements to do so to a standard that brings Jersey into line with other leading Commonwealth jurisdictions, including Canada, Australia and New Zealand.

Lucy Marsh-Smith, Head of the Legislative Drafting Office, explains "We want to make the law more accessible to Islanders by ensuring that official up-to-date rules governing the Island are available at the click of a button. If we expect people to obey the law they must be able to find out easily what it says."

The proposed changes would:

1. Mean that 'up-to-date' versions of all legislation prepared by the Legislative Drafting Office are able to be used officially in court proceedings.
2. Bring all rules that govern legislation together in one place.
3. Make the Legislative Drafting Office a formal independent body.
   

More information is available in the consultation paper here, and comments are invited by emailing the Legislative Drafting Office LDO@gov.je before 5pm on 2 October 2020.