Official Information (Extension to Crown Solicitors) Amendment Bill

Official Information (Extension to Crown Solicitors) Amendment Bill

Member's Bill

Explanatory Note

This bill amends the Official Information Act 1982 to cover information held by Crown Solicitors. Crown Solicitors act as Crown Agents in the exercise of important prosecutorial functions, but have been placed outside the coverage of the Official Information Act due to a quirk of history. This bill remedies this anomaly by amending the definition of Official Information to cover information held by Crown Solicitors.

Official Information (Extension to Crown Solicitors) Amendment Bill

The Parliament of New Zealand enacts as follows:

1. Title
This Act is Official Information (Extension to Crown Solicitors) Amendment Act 2021.

2. Commencement
(1) This Act comes into force on a date appointed by the Governor-General by Order in Council.
(2) Any provision that has not earlier been brought into force comes into force on the day that is 18 months after the date on which this Act receives the Royal assent.

3. Principal Act Amended
This Act amends the Official Information Act 1982.

4. Section 2 Amended (Interpretation)
(1) In section 2, insert in its appropriate alphabetical order:

"Crown solicitor means a lawyer holding a warrant of appointment as a Crown solicitor from the Governor-General"

(2) In section 2, in the definition of official information:
(a) in paragraph (a)(iii) replace "and" with "or".
(b) after paragraph (a)(iii) insert:
"(iv) a Crown solicitor in their capacity as a Crown solicitor; and"

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