Short title

        1. This Act may be cited as the Internal Economy Commission Act .

RSN1970 c181 s1

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Definitions

        2. In this Act

             (a)  "clerk" means the Clerk of the House of Assembly;

             (b)  "commission" means the Commission of Internal Economy;

             (c)  "minister" means the minister appointed under the Executive Council Act to administer this Act; and

             (d)  "speaker" means the Speaker of the House of Assembly.

RSN1990 cI-14 s2; 2006 c40 s21

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Speaker's term of office

        3. For the purpose of this Act, the speaker in office following the dissolution of the House of Assembly is considered to be speaker until a new speaker is chosen by the new House of Assembly.

RSN1970 c181 s2

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Officers

        4. The Lieutenant-Governor in Council may, by Commission under the Great Seal, appoint the following officers:

             (a)  the Clerk of the House of Assembly;

             (b)  the Assistant Clerk of the House of Assembly; and

             (c)  the Sergeant-at-Arms of the House of Assembly.

RSN1970 c181 s3

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Commission of Internal Economy

        5. (1) There shall be a Commission of Internal Economy of the House of Assembly, over which the speaker shall preside.

             (2)  The commission shall act on all matters of financial and administrative policy affecting the House of Assembly, its offices and its staff.

             (3)  The commission shall consist of

             (a)  the Speaker of the House of Assembly;

             (b)  the Deputy Speaker of the House of Assembly;

             (c)  2 members of the House of Assembly who are members of the Executive Council appointed by the Lieutenant-Governor in Council;

             (d)  the Government House Leader in the House of Assembly;

             (e)  the Official Opposition House Leader in the House of Assembly; and

              (f)  1 member of the House of Assembly who sits in opposition to the government to be designated by the members of the House of Assembly who sit in opposition to the government.

             (4)  In the 2nd week of every session of the House of Assembly and as the need arises, the speaker shall inform the House of Assembly of the appointments made to the commission.

             (5)  Four members of the commission, of whom the speaker shall be 1, constitute a quorum.

             (6)  In the event of the death, disability or absence of the speaker, 4 members of the commission, of whom the deputy speaker shall be 1, constitute a quorum, and the deputy speaker shall preside over the commission.

             (7)  The clerk, or in the absence of the clerk, the clerk assistant, shall be the secretary of the commission.

             (8)  All decisions of the commission shall be a matter of public record and those decisions shall be tabled by the speaker no later than 6 months after the end of the fiscal year if the House of Assembly is sitting, or, if the House of Assembly is not sitting, then not later than 30 days after the House of Assembly next sits.

1988 c7 s1; 1994 c9 s1; 1999 c14 s1

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Estimates

        6. (1) An estimate of the amounts required to be provided by the Legislature for the payment of the member's salaries and other expenses of the House of Assembly during the year beginning on April 1 in each year shall be prepared annually by the clerk.

             (2)  The estimates prepared by the clerk shall be submitted to the commission for its approval and may be altered by the commission.

             (3)  The estimates as approved or altered by the commission shall be submitted to the minister and shall be laid before the House of Assembly with the other estimates for the year.

RSN1970 c181 s6; 2000 c17 s1

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Payment

        7. All amounts of money voted by the Legislature with respect to the estimates submitted under section 6 shall be paid out of the Consolidated Revenue Fund on the order of the commission to defray the expenses of the House of Assembly.

2000 c17 s2

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Commission may make policies

        8. (1) Notwithstanding subsection 25(4) of the Financial Administration Act , the commission may establish policies respecting the documents to be supplied to the comptroller general where an application is made for an issue of public money to defray the expenses of the House of Assembly.

             (2)  Where the commission establishes policies under subsection (1), documents supplied to the comptroller general that conform to those policies shall be considered to fulfil all of the requirements of the Financial Administration Act respecting the provision of documents in support of an issue of public money.

2000 c17 s2

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Audit

        9. Notwithstanding another Act, the accounts of the House of Assembly shall, under the direction and control of the commission, be audited annually by an auditor appointed by the commission.

2000 c17 s2

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Application of Transparency and Accountability Act

      9.1 The Transparency and Accountability Act shall apply to the House of Assembly, including the offices of the House of Assembly, with the following changes and exceptions:

             (a)  an authority or responsibility given to a minister under that Act shall be exercised by the speaker;

             (b)  an authority or responsibility given to the Lieutenant-Governor in Council under that Act shall be exercised by the commission;

             (c)  sections 10, 11, 12, 13, subsections 14(2), 19(1), (2), (3) and (4), and section 24 of that Act do not apply;

             (d)  where the Transparency and Accountability Act refers to a "governing body" it shall be read as a reference to the commission;

             (e)  where the Transparency and Accountability Act refers to a "government entity" it shall be read as a reference to an office of the House of Assembly;

              (f)  where the Transparency and Accountability Act refers to a "public body" it shall be read as a reference to an office of the House of Assembly;

             (g)  where in sections 5, 6, and 7 of the Transparency and Accountability Act reference is made to the "strategic direction of the government" it shall be read as a reference to the strategic direction of the House of Assembly; and

             (h)  where in section 21 of the Transparency and Accountability Act a reference is made to a "deputy minister" it shall be read as a reference to an officer of the House of Assembly.

2004 c41 s1

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Subordinate officers

      10. The commission may appoint those employees that it considers necessary for the conduct of the business of the House of Assembly.

RSN1970 c181 s10

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Reporting of proceedings

      11. The commission may make arrangements for the reporting and publishing of the proceedings of the House of Assembly.

RSN1970 c181 s11

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Suspension of employees

      12. (1) The speaker may inquire into the conduct or fitness of a person employed by the House of Assembly upon a complaint made to the speaker of misconduct or unfitness of that person.

             (2)  Where it appears to the speaker following an inquiry under subsection (1) that an employee has been guilty of misconduct or is unfit to continue his or her employment, the speaker may suspend the employee and shall report the suspension

             (a)  to the Lieutenant-Governor in Council in the case of a person appointed by the Crown; or

             (b)  to the commission where the person has not been appointed by the Crown.

RSN1970 c181 s12

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Inquiry re salaries, etc.

      13. (1) The House of Assembly may by resolution appoint, upon those terms and conditions that are set out in the resolution, an independent commission of not more than 3 persons to conduct an inquiry and prepare a report respecting the indemnities, allowances and salaries to be paid to members of the House of Assembly.

             (2)  The persons appointed under subsection (1) shall have all and may exercise all the powers, privileges and immunities of persons appointed as commissioners under thePublic Inquiries Act .

             (3)  The persons appointed under subsection (1) shall complete their inquiry and deliver their report containing recommendations to the speaker within 90 days of the commission's appointment.

             (4)  The speaker, upon receipt of the report containing the recommendations of the persons appointed under subsection (1), shall refer the recommendations to the commission as soon as possible following the receipt of them and the commission shall implement the recommendations with or without the changes the commission considers appropriate.

             (5)  [Rep. by 1999 c14 s2]

1988 c7 s2; 1993 c26 s1; 1999 c14 s2

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Rules

      14. The commission may make rules respecting indemnities, allowances and salaries to be paid to members and staff of the House of Assembly.

1999 c14 s3

©Earl G. Tucker, Queen's Printer