Bill blunder - Environmental levy bill withdrawn, replaced after certification cock-up

Debate on a bill titled ‘The Environmental Levy Act 2026’ had to be suspended on Friday in the Senate and the proposed statute withdrawn and replaced as the document that was first before the Upper House was not a money bill.

This cock-up triggered a stern warning from acting leader of opposition business, Professor Floyd Morris, who described the error as unfortunate.

Lengthy presentations were made on the bill and the senators had taken lunch break to resume deliberations.

However, during the break, The Gleaner has been reliably informed, an opposition lawmaker detected that the proposed statute that was debated was not certified as a money bill.

On resumption, acting leader of government business in the Senate, Dr Dana Morris Dixon, admitted that the version of the bill that was circulated was incorrect.

She subsequently withdrew the bill that “was erroneously tabled earlier” and sought leave to table the correct version.

Morris Dixon pointed out that the “certificate” on the front page of the bill that certifies it as a money bill was not in place.

‘SERIOUS ERROR’

Morris later suggested that the debate be suspended and the bill withdrawn.

However, he said it was “a serious and egregious error” for the bill to be tabled without the appropriate certification.

He indicated that errors like this occur and go undetected up to the point of debate because some bills are tabled and passed in a rush and lawmakers on both sides of the political divide do not get an opportunity to scrutinise them before deliberations begin.

The acting leader of opposition business said he hoped such an error does not recur as it represented an “egregious breach”.

In a quick response, Morris Dixon said: “This kind of administrative error is a big deal and should never have happened.”

The bill seeks to implement an environmental protection levy on imported and locally manufactured goods.

The objects and reasons of the bill states that the environmental protection levy is aimed at mitigating the negative impact on the environment arising from the consumption, use and disposal of imported and locally manufactured goods.

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