Hong Kong Ordinances

RULES OF PROCEDURE OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL OF THE HONG KONG SPECIAL ADMINISTRATIVE REGION - RULE 50

Form of Bills

(Past version on 03/07/1998).

PART K

PROCEDURE ON BILLS

(1) A bill for presentation to the Council shall conform with the requirements
laid down in this Rule.

(2) The bill shall be given a short title corresponding with the title by
which it is to be cited if it becomes law, and that short title shall remain
unchanged throughout the passage of the bill.

(3) The bill shall be given a long title setting out the purposes of the bill
in general terms.

(4) Subject to a direction given under section 4(3) of the Official 
Languages Ordinance ( Cap 5) by the Chief Executive in Council, bills shall be
presented in the Chinese and English languages.

(5) The clauses of the bill shall be preceded by the enacting formula.

(6) The bill shall be divided into clauses numbered consecutively and having a
descriptive section heading above each clause.

(7) An explanatory memorandum stating the contents and objects of the bill in
non-technical language shall be attached to the bill.

(8) In the case of a bill which is a "private bill" as defined in the
Private Bills Ordinance ( Cap 69), there shall be included in the bill the
following clause: "Saving

Nothing in this Ordinance shall affect or be deemed to affect the rights of
the Central Authorities or the Government of the Hong Kong Special
Administrative Region under the Basic Law and other laws, or the rights of any
body politic or corporate or of any other person except such as are mentioned
in this Ordinance and those claiming by, from or under them.". (L.N. 176 of
2001)