Bill S-231 explained in plain English
An Act to amend the Criminal Code and to make consequential amendments to another Act (interim release and domestic violence recognizance orders)
Federal Parliament bill summary, status, timeline, sponsor, votes, and official sources.
At a glance
Official Parliament of Canada snapshot for 43rd Parliament, 2nd Session. MP vote breakdowns appear when the House of Commons publishes a recorded division export for that bill. Senate and House stage details include official debate/sitting links when LEGISinfo publishes them.
Our plain-language take, written for civic education.
Source: By PoliticalData.ca
This bill amends the Criminal Code to enhance protections for intimate partners by introducing new conditions for interim release, requiring consultation on safety needs, and establishing a new process for domestic violence recognizance orders, with consequential amendments to the Youth Criminal Justice Act.
Bill S-231, titled 'An Act to amend the Criminal Code and to make consequential amendments to another Act (interim release and domestic violence recognizance orders)', aims to strengthen measures related to interim release and domestic violence. It introduces new conditions for electronic monitoring, requires consultation with intimate partners regarding safety needs before certain release orders are made, and creates a new process for obtaining recognizance orders when there is a fear of domestic violence. The bill also makes consequential amendments to the Youth Criminal Justice Act.
- Amends the Criminal Code to allow for electronic monitoring as a condition of interim release.
- Requires a justice to consult with a prosecutor about an intimate partner's safety and security needs before making certain release orders for accused individuals charged with offences involving violence against their intimate partner.
- Adds new conditions that can be included in recognizance orders, such as attending treatment programs and wearing electronic monitoring devices.
- Introduces a new section to the Criminal Code (Section 810.03) that allows a person to obtain a recognizance order if they have reasonable grounds to fear that their intimate partner will commit an offence causing personal injury to them or their child.
- Allows recognizance orders for domestic violence fears to be for up to two years, or up to three years if the defendant has a prior conviction for violence against an intimate partner or their child.
- Allows for specific conditions to be added to recognizance orders, including attending treatment programs, geographical restrictions, abstaining from communication, refraining from social media use, abstaining from substance use, and providing bodily substance samples.
- Introduces provisions for the surrender and storage of firearms and related authorizations if a condition prohibiting possession is added to a recognizance.
- Modifies rules regarding the use, disclosure, and destruction of bodily substance samples collected for the purpose of monitoring compliance with recognizance conditions related to substance use.
- Amends forms within the Criminal Code related to conditions of recognizance orders.
- Includes a transitional provision to ensure that certain existing informations laid under section 810(1) of the Criminal Code are deemed to have been laid under the new section 810.03(1) if no final determination has been made.
- Makes consequential amendments to the Youth Criminal Justice Act, specifying the youth justice court's jurisdiction for making new types of recognizance orders and adjusting sanctions for breaches.
- Accused individuals charged with offences involving violence against their intimate partners.
- Intimate partners and children of accused individuals.
- Victims of domestic violence.
- Prosecutors.
- Justices of the peace and provincial court judges.
- Young persons subject to youth justice proceedings.
- Law enforcement and legal professionals.
- Individuals accused of offences involving violence against an intimate partner may be subject to conditions like electronic monitoring or mandatory treatment programs.
- Justices must inquire about consultation with intimate partners regarding safety before making certain release orders.
- Individuals fearing domestic violence can seek a recognizance order.
- Recognizance orders can include conditions related to treatment, geographical restrictions, communication, social media, substance use, and providing bodily samples.
- Intimate partners and victims have the right to request a copy of release orders.
- Youth justice courts have jurisdiction over new types of recognizance orders for young persons.
- The Act comes into force 180 days after receiving royal assent.
- Failure or refusal to enter into a recognizance order may result in imprisonment for up to two years.
- Breach of recognizance conditions can lead to prosecution for an offence under section 811 of the Criminal Code.
- The specific types of bodily substances that can be sampled, and the exact regulations for their analysis, storage, and destruction, will be prescribed by regulation.
- The bill does not specify financial costs associated with electronic monitoring or treatment programs, though it mentions programs approved by the province.
- The bill does not detail the specific procedures or requirements for the 'consultation' with intimate partners regarding safety needs beyond asking the prosecutor if it occurred.
Adds electronic monitoring as a possible condition for interim release.
Source: Subsection 501(3)
Requires a justice to inquire about the consultation of an intimate partner's safety and security needs before making certain release orders.
Source: Section 515
Adds electronic monitoring and attendance at treatment programs as potential conditions for release orders.
Source: Subsection 515(4)
Updates the conditions under which an accused may be detained in custody, specifically relating to offences against intimate partners.
Source: Paragraph 515(6)(b.1)
Requires that copies of release orders be provided to intimate partners and victims upon request and requires the justice to inform parties of their right to request a copy.
Source: Subsections 515(14) and 515(14.1)
Establishes a new process for obtaining recognizance orders based on a fear of domestic violence, with specific conditions and durations.
Source: Section 810.03
Modifies provisions related to designations and specifications for bodily substance samples used in monitoring recognizance conditions.
Source: Section 810.3
Clarifies and adds to the prohibitions on the use or disclosure of bodily substance analysis results, with exceptions for statistical research or proceedings for an offence under section 811.
Source: Section 810.4
Ensures that a certificate from an analyst regarding bodily substance analysis is admissible in prosecutions for breach of a recognizance condition related to substance use.
Source: Section 811.1
Updates references in Form 32 to include new sections related to domestic violence recognizance orders and various conditions.
Source: Form 32 in Part XXVIII
Updates references in Form 51 related to the provision of bodily substance samples.
Source: Form 51 in Part XXVIII
Includes the new domestic violence recognizance order (section 810.03) within the exclusive jurisdiction of the youth justice court and modifies potential sanctions for breaches.
Source: Subsection 14(2)
Includes references to the new domestic violence recognizance order (section 810.03) and related breach of recognizance offence (section 811) in provisions concerning summary conviction offence proceedings.
Source: Paragraph 142(1)(a)
Generated using AI from official bill text. Not legal advice. It is written by PoliticalData.ca for civic education, automatically checked and spot-reviewed before publishing.
Official textParliamentary Process
Bill S-231, concerning interim release and domestic violence recognizance orders, completed its first reading in the Senate on March 30, 2021.
This artifact describes the first reading of Bill S-231 in the Senate on March 30, 2021. This procedural step marks the formal introduction of the bill. The bill's full title is "An Act to amend the Criminal Code and to make consequential amendments to another Act (interim release and domestic violence recognizance orders)". The artifact also notes that the bill was at second reading in the Senate as of the date of the summary and that the latest activity was debate at second reading on May 4, 2021. It also references a similar bill, C-293, in the House of Commons.
Bill S-231, concerning interim release and domestic violence recognizance orders, was introduced in the Senate for its first reading on March 30, 2021.
On March 30, 2021, the Senate of Canada held its first reading for Bill S-231, an Act to amend the Criminal Code and to make consequential amendments to another Act concerning interim release and domestic violence recognizance orders. This means the bill was formally introduced in the Senate and is now available for debate and potential amendment. The sitting also included various other proceedings such as tabling of Auditor General reports, committee reports, notices of motions, and debates on other bills and inquiries. There was also a question period where senators discussed issues like the COVID-19 vaccine rollout, mandatory minimum penalties, and Canada-China relations. No debate or discussion specifically about Bill S-231 was recorded in this artifact, as it was only introduced at this stage.
Bill S-231 was undergoing debate at the second reading stage in the Senate on May 4, 2021, but this stage was not completed.
This record indicates that Bill S-231, concerning amendments to the Criminal Code related to interim release and domestic violence recognizance orders, was at the second reading stage in the Senate on May 4, 2021. The stage was not completed. The record also notes that a similar bill, C-293, has a different status in the House of Commons.
This Senate sitting on May 4, 2021, involved procedural business and ongoing debates on various legislative items, including Bill S-231 concerning domestic violence recognizance orders and Bill C-3 related to judicial training.
This artifact is a record of a Senate sitting that occurred on May 4, 2021. The sitting included various procedural activities such as the presentation of committee reports, the tabling of documents, and debates on different bills and inquiries. Notably, there was debate on Bill S-231, an Act to amend the Criminal Code regarding interim release and domestic violence recognizance orders, and Bill C-3, an Act to amend the Judges Act and the Criminal Code. The Senate also continued debates on other matters including the Speech from the Throne, climate change, and the future of workers. The sitting concluded with the adjournment of several debates and the adoption of committee reports.
The Senate Third Reading stage for Bill S-231 has not yet been reached, as the bill is currently at Second Reading in the Senate.
This artifact describes the 'Senate Third reading' stage for Bill S-231. However, the current status indicates the bill is only 'At second reading in the Senate' and this stage has 'Not reached'. The latest activity noted was debate at second reading on Tuesday, May 4, 2021. The bill was first read in the Senate on Tuesday, March 30, 2021. The artifact also mentions a similar bill, C-293, which is at second reading in the House of Commons.
Bill S-231 has been identified as having reached its First Reading stage in the House of Commons, though this stage has not yet been reached, and the bill is currently at second reading in the Senate.
This record indicates that Bill S-231 has reached its First Reading stage in the House of Commons. However, the stage state is marked as 'Not reached', meaning this procedural step has not yet occurred or been completed. The bill's current overall status is that it is at the second reading in the Senate.
Bill S-231 has reached first reading in the House of Commons but has not yet proceeded to second reading, while a similar bill, C-293, is currently undergoing second reading in the same chamber.
The House of Commons has not yet reached the second reading stage for Bill S-231. This bill, which aims to amend the Criminal Code regarding interim release and domestic violence recognizance orders, has had its first reading in the House of Commons. A similar bill, C-293, is currently at the second reading stage in the House of Commons.
Bill S-231 is at the 'House of Commons Consideration in committee' stage, which has not yet been reached, while its current status is second reading in the Senate.
The provided text indicates that Bill S-231 has reached the 'House of Commons Consideration in committee' stage, but this stage has not yet been reached. The bill is currently at second reading in the Senate. The latest activity recorded was a debate at second reading in the Senate on May 4, 2021. The bill had its first reading on March 30, 2021.
The Report stage for Bill S-231 in the House of Commons has not yet been reached, and the bill is currently at second reading in the Senate.
This artifact describes the 'Report stage' for Bill S-231 in the House of Commons. However, the 'Stage state' is listed as 'Not reached', meaning this procedural step has not yet occurred for this bill in the House of Commons. The information provided shows the bill's current status is 'At second reading in the Senate', and its latest activity was a debate at second reading in the Senate on May 4, 2021.
The artifact shows that the 'House of Commons Third reading' stage for Bill S-231 has not yet occurred, while the bill is currently at second reading in the Senate.
The artifact indicates that "House of Commons Third reading" for Bill S-231 has not yet been reached. The current status of Bill S-231 is at second reading in the Senate. The latest activity noted was debate at second reading in the Senate on Tuesday, May 4, 2021. First reading occurred on Tuesday, March 30, 2021. The artifact also notes a similar bill, C-293, which is at second reading in the House of Commons. This artifact does not describe any legislative changes or actions taken.
Debate and sitting links point to official parliamentary sources when LEGISinfo publishes them. Any plain-language discussion summaries should be generated from those official texts and reviewed before public display.
Vote Summary
This bill is still active. We only show vote counts after the legislature publishes a recorded division.
No published representative vote breakdown
This bill is still moving through the process. When a recorded division is published, representative positions can be listed here.
Official sources
Status, sponsor, votes, and timeline on this page are drawn from these official legislative sources and public records. Each summary above is attributed to its own source.
How this data is sourced