The legislature

Meaning of Legislature

Legislature is the organ or arm of government that is assigned the function of law making. The legislature is given different names in different countries like National or State Assembly in Nigeria, Parliament as in Britain, Congress as in United States etc. The legislature can also be one or two houses depending on the country.

Functions of the Legislature

The following are the functions of the legislature:

1. Law Making: Making of laws that direct and guide the affairs of the nation.
2. Amendment of the Constitution: It is also the duty of the legislature to amend the constitution of a country.
3. Approval of Appointments: Another function of the legislature is to approve the appointments made by president or prime minister of a country.
4. Removal of the President: The legislature has the power of impeaching the president of a country when acting outside the constitution
5. Probe Function: The legislature has the power of setting up panels to investigate the activities of any department of the government.
6. Approval of Budget: The legislature checks and approves the national budget prepared by the executives.
7. Executive control: The legislature has the power to check ad control the activities of the executive.
8. Ratification of Treaties: It ratifies all treaties made by the executive and also declares war and state of emergency.

EVALUATION

1. Define legislature.
2. Highlight five functions of the legislature.

Types of Legislature

Unicameral Legislature

Definition of Unicameral Legislature

This is where there is only one legislative house or chamber. Countries that operate it are Greece, The Gambia, Kenya, Israel and Bulgaria.

Merits of a Unicameral Legislature

1. It gives room for a faster process of law making
2. It is economical to run
3. The election into this chamber is simple.
4. It is suitable for adoption in a country or state with small territory.
5. It also suitable for unitary system of government.
6. It avoids all forms of duplication of legislative functions.
7. It is simple and easy to adopt and practice because the country depends only on one strong chamber of legislature.

Demerits of a Unicameral Legislature

1. It is very easy for the executive to influence the unicameral legislature
2. It does not allow bills to be properly debated before they are hastily passed.
3. It creates room for the emergence of a dictatorial head of state.
4. It does not make room for adequate representation in a large country.
5. It is unpopular because it is not widely practice due to it undemocratic nature and scope.

Bicameral Legislature

Definition of Bicameral Legislature

This refers to a legislature with two legislative houses or bodies. This type of legislature is adopted in countries like Britain with House of Common which is the Lower House and House of Lords which is the upper house. In USA and Nigeria, there are House of Representatives which is the Lower House and the House of Senate which is the Upper House.

Merits of Bicameral Legislature

1. The second chamber checks and prevents hasty and ill-considered passage of bills.
2. The tyranny of a single chamber is out of place in the system.
3. Equal representation of the component units is achieved with the presence of a second chamber
4. The task of law making is easier when it is shared between two houses.
5. The interest of the minority groups are properly protected by bicameral legislature.
6. It is democratic in nature and scope.
7. It ensures the protection and safe guarding of individual fundamental right.
8. It ensures proper division of labour and efficiency in the legislative arm.

Demerits of bicameral Legislature

1. It delays in making laws because each bill has to be passed by both houses.
2. Maintaining two chambers is a waste of funds
3. Having two legislature chambers encourage duplication of functions since they perform the same functions
4. Appointment rather than election of members of the upper house as is done in Britain is undemocratic.
5. It encourages conflict or disagreement between the two chambers.

EVALUATION

1. What is unicameral legislature?
2. What is bicameral legislature?

The Stages of Passing a Bill into Law

Meaning of Bill

A bill is a proposed law to be discussed in the parliament in order for it to become law. For a bill passed in the parliament to become a law, the President or Head of State has to give his assent that is sign the bill.

Types of Bills

1. Appropriation Bill:This bill emanates from the executive arm. It is the total estimates revenue and expenditure of government in a financial year.
2. Public Bill:This bill comes from the executive arm of government; it deals with matters affecting the country.
3. Private Member’s Bill: This is a bill introduced into the parliament by a member of such house or parliament.
4. Money Bills: This has to do with specific project involving expenditure coming from the executive.

Stages of Passing a Bill into Law in Parliament

The various stages of passing a bill into law are;

1. First Reading: This is when the draft of a bill is presented to the clerk of the house by a minister or a member of the parliament. The clerk has to notify the lawmakers about the bill. Then he reads out the title of the bill to them. This will then be printed out in leaflets and distributed to all the members of the parliament to study.
2. Second Reading:At this stage the person that brought the bill to the house will explain to the house the purpose of the bill. Members of the parliament will then debate or argue for or against the bill whether it should be read a second time. It will be put to vote and if more members vote for the bill, it will move to the next stage and if not, that will be the end of the bill. No amendment at this stage.
3. Committee Stage: At this stage, a bill that has passed the second reading is referred to a committee of the house. This committee will examine the bill page by page and amended is proposed and also voted for.
4. Report Stage: This is reporting back of all the different committees to the House. The reports and the amendments of the committees are made know to the House.
5. Third Reading: At this final stage, thorough look would be taken on the bill in order to correct certain errors connected with the drafting or amendment. If it’s voted for, it is then moved to the Upper House, where the same process as in the Lower House will be made.
6. Assent:The bill is then sent to the president for his signature before it becomes a law

Honesty and Integrity in the Legislature

Honesty in the Legislature

Meaning of Honesty

Honesty refers to the quality of saying the truth and acting truthfully in fairness and sincerity. Honesty does not involve cheating, deceit or telling lies, stealing or dealing in craftiness. It is a disposition of always communicating the truth with all sincerity, openness, equity, fairness in every situation whether in verbal and non-verbal communication.

Attributes or Qualities of Honesty

The attributes or qualities of honesty include the following:

1. Accountability: This is the act of giving detailed and satisfactory explanation about what has been done.
2. Trust-worthiness: This is the quality that the legislature must possess so that citizens can trust them and believe in whatever they say.
3. Truthfulness: This is the attitude of giving correct or true information about something.
4. Responsibility: The legislatures must be responsible to the citizens.
5. Transparency: The legislature of a country must be open in their dealings for others to see or know what they are doing.
6. Integrity: This is the attitude of being good in character, having good moral and always doing the right thing.
7. Fairness: This is the act of doing things according to the rule of law without cheating.

Benefits of Honesty

The benefits of honesty include the following:

1. It makes a man or a woman to be an honourable person in the society.
2. It attracts good people to a person. It makes people to want to do business with an individual and relate well with him.
3. It attracts respect and accord dignity to an individual.
4. It leads to promotion and awards.
5. It bestows peace and harmony to the society and country.

Integrity in the Legislature

Integrity is the quality of being honest and morally upright.  It is the ability to do what is right in spite of all odds.

Attributes of Integrity

The legislature must possess the following attributes:

1. Probity and Honesty: A man of integrity must be honest and accountable for whatever task that is given to him
2. Non-Compromise of Principle: A man of integrity would never compromise whatever stand he is taking no matter the situation or the people involved
3. Truthfulness: A man of integrity will always stand by the truth at all times.
4. Contentment: He must be contented with whatever he has or in any situation he finds himself
5. Fair play: He or she is always fair when dealing with other people.
6. A role model: Finally, a man of integrity should alsobe a role modelwhich other people in the society can emulate.

EVALUATION

1. What is a bill?
2. Highlight in details stages of passing a bill into a law in parliament?

GENERAL EVALUATION

1. State five functions of the legislature.
2. What is unicameral legislature?
3. What is bicameral legislature?
4. Explain the importance of honesty and integrity in the legislature.
5. List the stages involve in passing a bill into law.