First Legislative Council (1998 - 2000)
The House Committee may allocate bills, except the Appropriation Bills and bills not referred to the House Committee by the Council, to Bills Committees for detailed scrutiny. All Members, other than the President, may join any Bills Committee. The Chairman of each Bills Committee is elected from among members. Government officials and members of the public may be invited to attend its meetings.
A Bills Committee will consider the principles and merits of the bill concerned as well as its detailed provisions, and may propose amendments relevant to the bill. It may also appoint subcommittees for the purposing of assisting in the performance of its functions. After a Bills Committee has completed scrutiny of a bill, it will notify the House Committee and advise the committee in writing of its deliberations. The Bills Committee will be dissolved on the enactment of the bill concerned or as decided by the House Committee.
The maximum number of active Bills Committees is limited to 15 at any one time. When more than 15 Bills Committees are formed, a queuing system will automatically be activated.
Position reports on Bills Committees
