The Annual Review Of State Laws, 2021 Report:
A report titled ”The Annual Review of State Laws, 2021” was released by PRS Legislative Research.
- As per the report, Kerala got first place in 2021, with its House sitting for 61 days, the highest for any State.
- Kerala had also promulgated 144 ordinances, the highest in the country last year.
Highlights of the Report:
- States such as Manipur, Odisha, Punjab and Uttar Pradesh have laid down a minimum number of sitting days through the Rules of Procedure, varying from 40 days in Punjab to 90 days in Uttar Pradesh.
- In 2005, Karnataka even came out with a law — the Karnataka Conduct of Government Business in the State Legislature Act — with the stipulation of a minimum of 60 days
- Ordinance:Andhra Pradesh with 20 ordinances and Maharashtra with 15 followed Kerala, wherein Bills replacing 33 ordinances became Acts.
- Andhra Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh also promulgated ordinances to give effect to budget proposals.
Passage of Bill:
- 44% of the Bills adopted by 28 State Assemblies were passed within a day of their introduction.
- Gujarat, West Bengal, Punjab and Bihar were among the eight States which passed all Bills on the day of introduction.
- Karnataka, Kerala, Meghalaya, Odisha and Rajasthan took more than five days to pass a majority of their Bills.
- In Kerala, 94% of the Bills were passed after at least five days of their introduction in the legislature.
- In respect of Meghalaya, it was 80% and in the case of Karnataka, 70%.
- Education was the top priority with 21% of all laws passed in 2021 related to this subject.
- After Education, Taxation and Urban Governance accounted for the largest share of state laws passed in 2021.
- Several of the other sectors saw crucial legislations, including ones relating to online gaming, reservation of jobs for local candidates from the state, and the safety of women and children
