BILL 5 – 2008
MINISTERIAL ACCOUNTABILITY BASES ACT, 2007-2008

HER MAJESTY, by and with the advice and consent of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of British Columbia, enacts as follows:

Definitions

1  In this Act:

"make public" has the same meaning as in section 18 of the Budget Transparency and Accountability Act;

"Minister of Advanced Education's original estimated amount" means the amounts appropriated for those operating expenses that, in the main estimates for the 2007-2008 fiscal year, are identified as being the responsibility of the Minister of Advanced Education and Minister Responsible for Research and Technology;

"Minister of Environment's original estimated amount" means the amounts appropriated for those operating expenses that, in the main estimates for the 2007-2008 fiscal year, are identified as being the responsibility of the Minister of Environment and Minister Responsible for Water Stewardship and Sustainable Communities;

"Minister of Finance's original estimated amount" means the amounts appropriated for those operating expenses that, in the main estimates for the 2007-2008 fiscal year, are identified as being the responsibility of the Minister of Finance;

"Minister of Forests and Range's original estimated amount" means the amounts appropriated for those operating expenses that, in the main estimates for the 2007-2008 fiscal year, are identified as being the responsibility of the Minister of Forests and Range and Minister Responsible for Housing;

"Minister of Health's original estimated amount" means the amounts appropriated for those operating expenses that, in the main estimates for the 2007-2008 fiscal year, are identified as being the responsibility of the Minister of Health;

"Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General's original estimated amount" means the amounts appropriated for those operating expenses that, in the main estimates for the 2007-2008 fiscal year, are identified as being the responsibility of the Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General;

"Minister of Tourism, Sport and the Arts' original estimated amount" means the amounts appropriated for those operating expenses that, in the main estimates for the 2007-2008 fiscal year, are identified as being the responsibility of the Minister of Tourism, Sport and the Arts;

"operating expenses" has the same meaning as in the Balanced Budget and Ministerial Accountability Act.

Estimated amounts increased

2  (1) For the purposes of sections 5 (1) and 6 (1) of the Balanced Budget and Ministerial Accountability Act,

(a) the estimated amount referred to in those sections in relation to the Minister of Advanced Education and Minister Responsible for Research and Technology for the 2007-2008 fiscal year is deemed to be the total of

(i) the Minister of Advanced Education's original estimated amount, and

(ii) the amount appropriated under section 1 of the Supply Act, 2007-2008 (Supplementary Estimates) for the operating expenses for which that minister is responsible in the supplementary estimates referred to in the preamble to that Act,

(b) the estimated amount referred to in those sections in relation to the Minister of Environment and Minister Responsible for Water Stewardship and Sustainable Communities for the 2007-2008 fiscal year is deemed to be the total of

(i) the Minister of Environment's original estimated amount, and

(ii) the amount appropriated under section 1 of the Supply Act, 2007-2008 (Supplementary Estimates) for the operating expenses for which that minister is responsible in the supplementary estimates referred to in the preamble to that Act,

(c) the estimated amount referred to in those sections in relation to the Minister of Finance for the 2007-2008 fiscal year is deemed to be the total of

(i) the Minister of Finance's original estimated amount, and

(ii) the amount appropriated under section 1 of the Supply Act, 2007-2008 (Supplementary Estimates) for the operating expenses for which that minister is responsible in the supplementary estimates referred to in the preamble to that Act,

(d) the estimated amount referred to in those sections in relation to the Minister of Health for the 2007-2008 fiscal year is deemed to be the total of

(i) the Minister of Health's original estimated amount, and

(ii) the amount appropriated under section 1 of the Supply Act, 2007-2008 (Supplementary Estimates) for the operating expenses for which that minister is responsible in the supplementary estimates referred to in the preamble to that Act,

(e) the estimated amount referred to in those sections in relation to the Minister of Tourism, Sport and the Arts for the 2007-2008 fiscal year is deemed to be the total of

(i) the Minister of Tourism, Sport and the Arts' original estimated amount, and

(ii) the amount appropriated under section 1 of the Supply Act, 2007-2008 (Supplementary Estimates) for the operating expenses for which that minister is responsible in the supplementary estimates referred to in the preamble to that Act,

(f) the estimated amount referred to in those sections in relation to the Minister of Forests and Range and Minister Responsible for Housing for the 2007-2008 fiscal year is deemed to be the total of

(i) the Minister of Forests and Range's original estimated amount, and

(ii) the amount of any expenses incurred by that minister for that fiscal year under the authority of section 65 [appropriation for fire control] of the Wildfire Act, and

(g) the estimated amount referred to in those sections in relation to the Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General for the 2007-2008 fiscal year is deemed to be the total of

(i) the Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General's original estimated amount, and

(ii) the amount of any expenses incurred by that minister for that fiscal year under the authority of section 16 [appropriation for emergency plan or emergency measures] of the Emergency Program Act.

(2) Nothing in subsection (1) of this section prevents the estimated amounts referred to in that subsection from being further revised under section 6 (1.1) of the Balanced Budget and Ministerial Accountability Act.

Public statement

3  (1) In this section, "published information" means the information for the 2007-2008 fiscal year that was made public under section 6 (1) (a) of the Balanced Budget and Ministerial Accountability Act.

(2) On or before May 31, 2008, the Minister of Finance must

(a) revise the published information to

(i) reflect the increase, effected under paragraph (a) of section 2 (1) of this Act, in the estimated amount referred to in the opening words of that paragraph,

(ii) reflect the increase, effected under paragraph (b) of section 2 (1), in the estimated amount referred to in the opening words of that paragraph,

(iii) reflect the increase, effected under paragraph (c) of section 2 (1), in the estimated amount referred to in the opening words of that paragraph,

(iv) reflect the increase, effected under paragraph (d) of section 2 (1), in the estimated amount referred to in the opening words of that paragraph,

(v) reflect the increase, effected under paragraph (e) of section 2 (1), in the estimated amount referred to in the opening words of that paragraph,

(vi) reflect the increase, effected under paragraph (f) of section 2 (1), in the estimated amount referred to in the opening words of that paragraph, and

(vii) reflect the increase, effected under paragraph (g) of section 2 (1), in the estimated amount referred to in the opening words of that paragraph, and

(b) make public a statement of that revised information.

Commencement

4  This Act comes into force on the date of Royal Assent.