BILL 86

An Act Respecting Floor Crossing

Her Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick, enacts as follows:

Elections Act

1 Section 51 of the Elections Act, chapter E-3 of the Revised Statutes, 1973, is amended by adding after subsection (4) the following:

51( 4.1) The nomination papers of a candidate of a registered political party shall include a statement that if the candidate leaves the caucus of the political party for which he or she is elected, the candidate will either sit as an independent member of the Legislative Assembly or resign his or her seat.

Legislative Assembly Act

2 The Legislative Assembly Act, chapter L-3 of the Revised Statutes, 1973, is amended by adding after section 23 the following:

Members who change political affiliation

23.1( 1) A member of the Legislative Assembly who is a representative of a registered political party and who ceases to belong to the caucus of that registered political party during the term for which he or she was elected shall either sit as an independent member of the Legislative Assembly or resign his or her seat in accordance with section 23.

23.1( 2) The member referred to in subsection (1) who does not resign his or her seat shall be treated during the remainder of the member’s term as an independent member of the Legislative Assembly with respect to the proceedings in the Legislative Assembly and for all other purposes.