This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding reliable references. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (May 2007)

Legislation (or "statutory law") is law which has been promulgated (or "enacted") by a legislature or other governing body or the process of making it. (Another source of law is judge-made law or case law.) Before an item of legislation becomes law it may be known as a bill and may be broadly referred to as "legislation" while it remains under consideration to distinguish it from other business. Legislation can have many purposes: to regulate to authorize to proscribe to provide (funds) to sanction to grant to declare or to restrict.

Under the Westminster system an item of primary legislation is known as an Act of Parliament after enactment.

Legislation is usually proposed by a member of the legislature (e.g. a member of Congress or Parliament) or by the executive whereupon it is debated by members of the legislature and is often amended before passage. Most large legislatures enact only a small fraction of the bills proposed in a given session.1 Whether a given bill will be proposed and enter into force is generally a matter of the legislative priorities of government.

Legislation is regarded as one of the three main functions of government which are often distinguished under the doctrine of the separation of powers. Those who have the formal power to create legislation are known as legislators; a judicial branch of government will have the formal power to interpret legislation (see statutory interpretation); the executive branch of government can act only within the powers and limits set by the law. Contents 1 Alternate means of law-making 2 References 3 External links 3.1 Legislation available on the web 3.2 Legislation available in XML on the web Alternate means of law-making

The function and procedures are primarily the responsibility of the legislature. However there are situations where legislation is made by other bodies or means such as when constitutional law or secondary legislation is enacted. Such other forms of law-making include referendums constitutional conventions orders-in-council or regulations. The term legislation is sometimes used to include these situations or the term primary legislation may be used to exclude these other forms. References

see: mansoornejhad legislation in Islamic government javanpooya publication. Senate.gov External links This article's use of external links may not follow Wikipedia's policies or guidelines. Please improve this article by removing excessive and inappropriate external links. (September 2010) Legislative information from the Library of Congress Rsum of United States Congressional Activity Legislation available on the web Parliament of Canada Legislative Assembly of Alberta Legislative Assembly of British Columbia Legislative Assembly of Manitoba Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick Newfoundland and Labrador House of Assembly Northwest Territory Department of Justice Nova Scotia House of Assembly Nunavut Department of Justice Legislative Assembly of Ontario Legislative Assembly of Prince Edward Island Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan Publications du Qubec diteur official (Quebec National Assembly) (French) and (English) Yukon Department of Justice United States Congress United Kingdom Legislation available in XML on the web Parliament of Canada United States Congress Thomas.loc.gov (20052007) Thomas.loc.gov (20072009) Thomas.loc.gov (20092010) v d eLaw Core subjects Administrative law  Case law  Constitutional law  Contract  Criminal law  Evidence  Law of obligations  Property law  Public international law  Public law  Restitution  Statutory law  Tort  Trust law Other subjects Admiralty law  Aviation law  Banking law  Bankruptcy  Commercial law  Competition law  Conflict of laws  Consumer protection  Corporate law  Energy law  Entertainment law  Environmental law  Family law  Financial regulation  Human rights  Immigration law  Intellectual property  International criminal law  Labour law  Military law  Music law  Procedure (Civil  Criminal)  Product liability  Space law  Sports law  Tax law  Unjust enrichment  Wills Legal systems Canon law  Civil law  Common law  Comparative law  Halakha  Roman law  Sharia  Socialist law  Statutory law  Xeer Legal theory Critical legal studies  Economic analysis  History  International legal theory  Philosophy  Sociology Legal institutions Bureaucracy  Civil society  Election management body  Executive  Judiciary  Legal profession  Legislature  Military  Police Category  Portal