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In the Westminster system (and, colloquially, in the United States), a money bill or supply bill is a bill that solely concerns taxation or government spending (also known as appropriation of money), as opposed to changes in public law.

Conventions

It is often a constitutional convention that the upper house may not block supply. There is often another requirement that non-money bill type clauses may not be attached to a money bill.

Loss of supply in the lower house is conventionally considered to be an expression of the house's loss of confidence in the government resulting in the government's fall.

Examples by country

Australia

In Australia, the Senate may not originate or amend a supply bill, though it may refuse to pass it (which leads to a deadlock as happened in 1975). It is important to note that not all 'money bills' are necessarily supply bills, which have been defined as 'bills which are required by the Government to carry on its day-to-day business' ^[1]

India

Procedure for a Money Bill:

1. Money Bills can be introduced only in Lok Sabha (the directly elected 'people's house' of the Indian Parliament).
2. Money bills passed by the Lok Sabha are sent to the Rajya Sabha (the upper house of parliament, elected by the state and territorial legislatures or appointed by the president). The Rajya Sabha may not amend money bills but can recommend amendments. A money bill must be returned to the Lok Sabha within 14 days or the bill is deemed to have passed both houses in the form it was originally passed by the Lok Sabha.
3. When a Money Bill is returned to the Lok Sabha with the recommended amendments of the Rajya Sabha it is open to Lok Sabha to accept or reject any or all of the recommendations.
4. A money bill is deemed to have passed both houses with any recommended amendments the Lok Sabha chooses to accept, (and without any that it chooses to decline).

Republic of Ireland

In the Republic of Ireland, the Senate may not delay a money bill more than 21 days. The President of Ireland may not refuse to sign a money bill and may not refer such a bill to the Supreme Court to test its constitutionality.

United Kingdom

In the United Kingdom, the Parliament Acts provides that the House of Lords may not delay a money bill more than a month. It is the at the discretion of The Speaker of the British House of Commons to certify which bills are money bills, and his decision is final and is not subject to challenge.

Similar Requirements in Non-Westminster Systems

United States

While the United States of America is not a parliamentary democracy, Article I, Section 7 of the U.S. Constitution requires that all bills raising revenue originate in the House of Representatives, consistent with British constitutional practice; by convention, appropriation bills (bills that spend money) also originate in the House. Unlike in most Westminster systems, there are no limits on the Senate's ability to amend revenue bills or any requirement for the Senate to approve such bills within a certain timeframe. Both appropriations and revenue bills are often referred to as money bills to contrast them with authorization bills.

References

1. ^ Browning A. R. (ed) House of Representatives Practice (Melbourne 1989) page 72.

See also

• Appropriation bill

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