The constitution and laws of Belize
POWERS, PROCEDURES AND PRIVILEGES
62. The National Assembly may make laws for the peace, order and good
government of Belize.
63. The National Assembly shall not have the power to amend the Constitution
until after the first general election following independence (save for minor
amendments on which there is unanimous agreement in the National Assembly).
64. Thereafter the powers of the National Assembly to amend the Constitution
shall be as follows:
a. No amendment shall be made to the Constitution except by a Bill approved by
a final vote in the House of Representatives of no less than two-thirds of the
membership; and
b. in regard to the provisions relating to Human Rights and Fundamental
Freedoms, the House of Representatives, the Judiciary, the Belize Advisory
Council, the Public Services Commission, and the provisions concerning
amendment of the Constitution, no amendment shall be made unless ninety days
have elapsed between the presentation of a Bill and its second reading in the
House of Representatives and the Bill is approved in the House of
Representatives by a final vote of no less than three-quarters of the
membership.
65. A Minister shall be permitted to address the House of which he is not a
member, but shall not have a vote in that House.
66. No civil or criminal proceedings may be instituted against any member of
either House for words spoken before, or written in a report to, either House
or a committee of both Houses, or for any matter brought by him in the form of
a petition, bill, resolution, motion or otherwise.
67. Except as otherwise provide in the Constitution, all questions proposed for
decision in either House shall be determined by a majority of the votes of the
members present and voting.
68. A Speaker elected from among members of the House of Representatives (or in
the case of the Senate, the President) shall have an original vote, but not a
casting vote. A Speaker elected from outside the House of Representatives (or
in the case of the Senate, the President) shall have no vote.
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