Bill 64 2012

An Act to require the costing of all public bills

Her Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Ontario, enacts as follows:

Costing analysis

   1.  (1)  The Minister of Finance shall ensure that a detailed and comprehensive costing analysis is done with respect to all public bills that receive first reading.

Preparation of report

   (2)  The Minister of Finance shall ensure that a report is prepared that provides,

  (a)  an estimate of the financial cost to the Government of any proposal in the bill; and

  (b)  a detailed description of the methodology that was used in the costing analysis.

Tabling report in Assembly

   (3)  The Minister of Finance shall ensure that the report is tabled in the Assembly as soon as possible after the bill receives first reading.

Second reading debate

   (4)  A bill shall not be called for second reading until the report has been tabled in the Assembly.

Commencement

   2.  This Act comes into force on the day it receives Royal Assent.

Short title

   3.  The short title of this Act is the Costing of Public Bills Act, 2012.

EXPLANATORY NOTE

The Bill requires the Minister of Finance to ensure that a detailed and comprehensive costing analysis is done on all public bills that receive first reading.  The Minister must ensure that a report is prepared that provides an estimate of the financial cost to the Government of any proposal in the bill and the methodology used in the costing analysis.  The report must be tabled as soon as possible after the bill receives first reading.  Second reading debate of the bill cannot occur until the report is tabled in the Assembly.