Legislative Drafting Manual

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3. 
If the concerned government institution does not set the time table, it shall 
be set by the drafter.
4. 
The time tabling shall take into account the following
a. the steps that need to be followed for that particular drafting and the 
time needed to complete each of the steps;
b. activity [ex. extent to which consultation with stakeholders will be used];
c. The length and complexity of the legislation;
d. The level of controversy of the issue involved;
e. 
The scope of the law‟s potential impact; and
f. The urgency of the law.
5. 
Besides, the timetabling calls for periodic reconsideration of the timetable 
example, in the light of difficulties encountered.
2.2. Impact Assessment
A Drafter need to assess the probable implication of the coming law on:
1. Various social strata
2. Different valued interests like:

Human rights, 

Good governance,

Environmental protection, etc
3. National economy. Here,  
o the cost assessment can be done by or with the cooperation of 
concerned experts like economists. 
o When applicable, the cost assessment should be done at the initial 
stage of drafting or at a later stage before the draft is submitted to its 
concerned sponsor. 
o The law making organ may need to be supplied with information on 
expected budgetary cost for certain drafts. Hence, the cost analysis 
should indicate the financial impact of the law. Such information may 
be included either in the report or in the justification accompanying 
the draft or in a separate document. 
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2.3. Research
An overall research may be necessary before a drafter starts the actual task of 
drafting legislation. Such research may be conducted by:
1. The requesting Institution; or
2. Independent researchers employed by the requesting institution or the 
drafter‟s office; or
3. Research institutions, Universities, institutes, firms.
If the drafter is supplied with researches conducted by any of the above 
researchers and instructed to use those researches as a basis, the drafter need 
not involve in research activities in those researched areas. And s/he shall 
commence the drafting work. This does not, however, mean that the drafter will 
not conduct researches along with the drafting work. In fact, the drafter must, with 
the advancement of the drafting work, involve in research activities as every draft 
provision need to be backed by rationale. In this case, research work is an integral