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Public Bills in the Hands of Private Members

An MLA who is not a member of Cabinet​ may, on their own initiative, introduce bills relating to matters of interest to the general public. These types of bills are called public bills in the hands of Private Members, also known as Private Members' bills. Private Members' bills may be adopted by the Legislative Assembly and made into law or they may motivate government to respond to the primary issue raised by the bill.

A recent example of a Private Members' bill that encouraged a government response is Bill M233, the Workers Compensation Amendment Act, 2017​. This bill was introduced by opposition MLA Andrew Weaver and would have prevented employers from requiring that employees wear high heeled shoes at work. While the bill never had a second reading, the issue gained considerable public support, and the government soon made a ​regulation that similarly prevented employers from requiring employees to wear high heels.

MLA Michael Lee introduces a Private Member's bill, 2019