Bill S-242 explained in plain English
An Act respecting national action for the prevention of intimate partner violence
Federal Parliament bill summary, status, timeline, sponsor, votes, and official sources.
At a glance
Official Parliament of Canada snapshot for 45th Parliament, 1st 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
Bill S-242 (Georgina's Law) requires the federal Minister for Women and Gender Equality to lead ongoing national efforts to prevent intimate partner violence and report to Parliament every two years on progress.
Georgina's Law establishes a requirement for the federal Minister for Women and Gender Equality to lead national action aimed at preventing and addressing intimate partner violence. The Minister must engage annually with other federal ministers, provincial women's ministers, Indigenous partners, victims, survivors, and stakeholders to discuss current programs and strategies, partnerships, costs, and legal or jurisdictional issues related to preventing intimate partner violence and protecting victims. These engagement discussions must start within one year of the law coming into effect. Additionally, the Minister must prepare and table a report to Parliament within two years of the Act receiving royal assent, and then every two years after that, summarizing progress on preventing and addressing intimate partner violence. The report must be posted on the department's website within 30 days of being tabled in Parliament. The law applies the term "intimate partner" to include current or former spouses, common-law partners, and dating partners.
- Establishes a requirement for the Minister for Women and Gender Equality to lead national action to prevent and address intimate partner violence
- Requires the Minister to engage annually with other federal ministers, provincial ministers responsible for women's status, Indigenous partners, victims, survivors, and stakeholders
- Mandates discussions about adequacy of current programs and strategies, partnerships, financial and other costs, and constitutional or legal implications of action on intimate partner violence
- Requires these engagements to begin within one year of royal assent
- Requires the Minister to prepare a report on progress on preventing and addressing intimate partner violence within two years of royal assent and every two years thereafter
- Requires the report to be tabled in both Houses of Parliament
- Requires the report to be posted on the departmental website within 30 days of being tabled
- The Minister for Women and Gender Equality (federal responsibility holder)
- Other federal ministers
- Provincial ministers responsible for the status of women
- Indigenous partners and organizations
- Victims and survivors of intimate partner violence
- Stakeholders involved in preventing intimate partner violence
- Parliament (receives reports)
- The public (reports are made available on the departmental website)
- The Minister must lead national action to prevent and address intimate partner violence
- The Minister must engage annually with specified partners and stakeholders starting within one year of royal assent
- The Minister must discuss adequacy of programs, partnerships, costs, and constitutional or jurisdictional implications in these engagements
- The Minister must prepare a report every two years starting within two years of royal assent
- The Minister must table the report in each House of Parliament
- The Minister must post the report on the departmental website within 30 days of tabling
- Engagements with federal and provincial ministers and stakeholders must begin within one year after royal assent
- First report must be prepared and tabled within two years after royal assent
- Subsequent reports must be prepared and tabled every two years after the first report
- Reports must be posted on the departmental website within 30 days of being tabled in Parliament
- The bill text does not specify what specific programs, strategies, or actions currently exist or should be created to prevent intimate partner violence
- The bill does not specify what level of funding or resources the Minister or other departments must allocate to intimate partner violence prevention
- The bill does not define what constitutes adequate 'national action' or what specific outcomes or metrics should be achieved
- The bill does not specify consequences or enforcement mechanisms if the Minister fails to carry out the required engagements or prepare reports
- The bill does not detail what content must be included in the biennial report beyond 'progress on action'
- It is unclear whether existing federal or provincial programs related to intimate partner violence will be affected or how they integrate with the requirements in this Act
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-242's Senate First Reading was completed on December 2, 2025, marking its formal introduction in the Senate before proceeding to the House of Commons.
Bill S-242, titled 'An Act respecting national action for the prevention of intimate partner violence,' reached the Senate First Reading stage on December 2, 2025. This procedural step marked the formal introduction of the bill in the Senate, with no legal effect at this stage. The bill will now proceed to the House of Commons for its first reading. Key procedural dates include the second reading on December 11, 2025, and the third reading in the Senate on February 24, 2026. During the second reading, the bill's sponsor (Fabian Manning, Conservative) and an Independent Senators Group member (Kim Pate) delivered speeches. A similar bill, S-249 (Georgina’s Law), was previously introduced in the 44th Parliament and is referenced here for context.
The Senate debate on December 2, 2025, addressed constitutional amendments, Indigenous gaming legislation, and infrastructure policy reviews, with senators discussing procedural and substantive issues.
The Senate debate transcript from December 2, 2025, includes discussions on several bills and motions. Key topics include: 1. Bill S-218: A motion to amend the Constitution Act to remove the 'notwithstanding' clause, allowing provinces to override federal laws in certain areas. The debate focused on constitutional interpretation and federal-provincial relations. 2. Bill S-241: A proposal to amend the Criminal Code and Indian Act to address Indigenous gaming and economic reconciliation. Discussions highlighted the need for legislative clarity and consultation with Indigenous communities. 3. Review of the Building Canada Act: A joint committee review of the Act's implementation, with senators questioning the Governor in Council's powers and the effectiveness of infrastructure funding mechanisms. 4. Other motions: Senators raised procedural questions about the scheduling of debates and the use of parliamentary time. The debates reflect ongoing legislative priorities around constitutional reform, Indigenous rights, and infrastructure policy.
The Senate completed the second reading of Bill S-242 on December 11, 2025, advancing it to the House of Commons for its first reading.
This record documents the completion of the Senate's second reading for Bill S-242 on December 11, 2025. The bill, which aims to establish national action to prevent intimate partner violence, progressed through the Senate's second reading stage. Key procedural steps include the sponsor's speech by Conservative Senator Fabian Manning and a response speech by Independent Senators Group member Kim Pate. The bill is now awaiting its first reading in the House of Commons. A similar bill, S-249, was previously introduced in the 44th Parliament but is not directly related to this stage. No legal changes were enacted at this stage.
The Senate debated Bill S-242, which seeks to address intimate partner violence through national standards and systemic reforms, with emphasis on Indigenous women's experiences and non-criminal law solutions.
During the Senate's December 11, 2025 sitting, the second reading of Bill S-242 was debated. Senator Fabian Manning introduced the bill, which aims to address intimate partner violence in Canada by establishing national standards for prevention, response, and support services. The debate highlighted the need for systemic changes beyond criminal law, including addressing root causes like gender inequality and socioeconomic factors. Discussions referenced the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls, emphasizing the disproportionate impact on Indigenous communities. The bill was supported by survivors and advocates, with calls for comprehensive, culturally informed approaches. No final vote was taken at this stage, as the bill remains in the second reading phase.
The Senate debated Bill S-242's second reading, focusing on addressing intimate partner violence through non-criminal law strategies, with emphasis on Indigenous women's safety and systemic reform.
The Senate debated the second reading of Bill S-242, which aims to address intimate partner violence. Sponsor Fabian Manning explained the bill's purpose, noting it builds on previous legislative efforts. He emphasized the need for strategies beyond criminal law to address systemic issues, particularly impacting Indigenous women. The debate highlighted concerns about the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls findings, and the importance of comprehensive approaches to violence prevention. The bill is now awaiting its first reading in the House of Commons.
The Senate completed its third reading of Bill S-242 on February 24, 2026, advancing the bill to the House of Commons for its first reading.
This record documents the completion of the Senate's third reading for Bill S-242 on February 24, 2026. The bill, which aims to establish national action to prevent intimate partner violence, is now awaiting its first reading in the House of Commons. Key procedural dates include: second reading on December 11, 2025, and first reading on December 2, 2025. During the second reading, Conservative Senator Fabian Manning delivered the sponsor's speech, followed by a response from Independent Senators Group member Kim Pate. The third reading stage was completed without further debate or amendment. This record reflects procedural progress, not the full legal text of the bill.
The local model returned a partial structured draft. This summary requires human review before publication.
The local model returned a partial structured draft. This summary requires human review before publication.
This record outlines the procedural progression of Bill S-242 through the House of Commons, noting its completion of first reading and current status at second reading, alongside related Senate actions and a similar previous bill.
This artifact describes the procedural steps for Bill S-242, An Act respecting national action for the prevention of intimate partner violence, within the House of Commons. It indicates that the bill has completed its first reading. The record also notes its current status as being at second reading in the House of Commons and shows its progression through various stages, including first and second readings, and third reading, with specific dates for these events. It also mentions related Senate activity, including speeches by senators during the bill's consideration in the Senate. Additionally, it references a similar bill, S-249, from a previous Parliament.
The House of Commons recorded the first reading of Bill S-242 concerning national action for the prevention of intimate partner violence, amidst a sitting that covered a wide array of other parliamentary business.
The House of Commons had its first reading debate for Bill S-242, An Act respecting national action for the prevention of intimate partner violence. The artifact provided is a record of a House of Commons sitting, not the full text of the bill. This particular artifact details various statements made by members, oral questions on a range of topics including finance, the economy, and public safety, and procedural matters like the reading of bills and petitions. The specific act of 'first reading' for Bill S-242 is noted as occurring, but the artifact does not contain the debate or any specific procedural actions related to that bill beyond its introduction.
Bill S-242, concerning national action for the prevention of intimate partner violence, was placed in the Order of Precedence for second reading in the House of Commons on May 27, 2026.
This artifact describes the procedural status of Bill S-242, An Act respecting national action for the prevention of intimate partner violence, as it relates to its progress in the House of Commons. On May 27, 2026, the bill was placed in the Order of Precedence for second reading. The artifact notes previous stages, including first reading on December 2, 2025, and second reading on December 11, 2025, with a reference to Sitting 45. It also mentions third reading on February 24, 2026, and a first reading on May 27, 2026. The artifact also lists sponsor and response speeches in the Senate on December 11, 2025, by Fabian Manning and Kim Pate, respectively. It also references a similar bill, S-249, from a previous Parliament.
Bill S-242, concerning national action for the prevention of intimate partner violence, has not yet reached the committee stage in the House of Commons, having completed its Second Reading.
The provided text describes the procedural status of Bill S-242 in the House of Commons. It indicates that the bill has not yet reached the 'Consideration in committee' stage. The text outlines the bill's progress through various readings and actions, including its First and Second Reading in the House of Commons, and its progression through the Senate. It also notes a similar bill, S-249, from a previous Parliament.
Bill S-242, concerning national action for the prevention of intimate partner violence, has not yet reached the report stage in the House of Commons, with its latest procedural activity being its placement in the Order of Precedence on May 27, 2026.
This artifact concerns Bill S-242, an Act respecting national action for the prevention of intimate partner violence. It indicates that the bill has not yet reached the report stage in the House of Commons. The latest procedural activity noted is its placement in the Order of Precedence on May 27, 2026. The artifact also provides historical information about the bill's first and second readings in the House of Commons, as well as its progress in the Senate, including speeches by Senators Fabian Manning and Kim Pate during second reading.
Bill S-242, an act concerning national action for the prevention of intimate partner violence, has not yet undergone Third Reading in the House of Commons, with its latest procedural step being its placement in the Order of Precedence on May 27, 2026.
This artifact describes the procedural status of Bill S-242, An Act respecting national action for the prevention of intimate partner violence, in the House of Commons. The bill has not yet reached the Third Reading stage in the House of Commons. Its latest activity noted was being placed in the Order of Precedence on May 27, 2026. The bill previously had its First Reading on December 2, 2025, and Second Reading on December 11, 2025, in the House of Commons. Third Reading in the House of Commons is scheduled for February 24, 2026. The artifact also notes related Senate activity, including a sponsor's speech and a response speech on December 11, 2025. It also references a similar bill from a previous Parliament, S-249.
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