The Enactment of a Bill

Electronic Books Bill

For secondary
schools or above

First Reading
Role
Script
PRESIDENT OF : Bill: First Reading.
THE
LEGISLATIVE
COUNCIL

CLERK TO THE : (Stand up)

Electronic Books Bill.
LEGISLATIVE
(Sit down)
COUNCIL

Second Reading (Debate resumed)

Role
Script
PRESIDENT OF : Bill: Second Reading.
Secretary for Education
THE
LEGISLATIVE
COUNCIL

SECRETARY
FOR
EDUCATION

: (Stand up)
President, I move the Second Reading of the Electronic Books
Bill. The Bill seeks to require all primary and secondary
school students to bring electronic books to schools, so that the
weight of their school bags can be reduced considerably. In
addition, paper consumption in terms of weight can be cut
down significantly by tons, which will definitely contribute to
the environment (The Secretary may come up with more
points of his/her own) Therefore, I urge Members to support
the Bill.
(Sit down)

Role
Script
PRESIDENT OF : We will debate on the Electronic Books Bill.
Does any Member wish to speak?
THE
LEGISLATIVE
COUNCIL
(Student acting as LegCo Member 1 Geographical
Constituencies raises his/her hand)
Hon
(Name of student acting as LegCo Member 1
Geographical Constituencies)

HON
(LegCo : (Stand up)
Thank you, President. I speak in support of the Electronic
Member
1

Books Bill. We all understand that the production of textbooks

Geographical
requires a large amount of paper, and paper manufacturers
Constituencies)
have to cut down tons of trees in the forest to produce paper,
disturbing seriously the ecological balance of the Earth and
intensifying the global warming crisis.
Moreover, the
abandoned textbooks will certainly add to the burden on the
territory's landfills(Student may express more views freely,
or express the views collected from other students in his/her
sub-group.)
(Sit down)
(Student acting as LegCo Member 2 Medical Functional
Constituency raises his/her hand)
(Name of student acting as LegCo Member 2
PRESIDENT OF : Hon
Medical Functional Constituency)
THE
LEGISLATIVE
COUNCIL

HON
(LegCo : (Stand up)
Thank you, President. I oppose the Electronic Books Bill. Even
Member
2

though the weight of students school bags can be reduced

Medical
considerably, the use of electronic books will cause other
Functional
health problems to students. If students always have to use
Constituency)
2

Role

Script
computers or electronic books for reading or doing
assignments in classes or at home for a long time, their eyes
will feel very tired. Long-term use of electronic books will
cause visual impairment to students and post a threat to their
health(Student may express more views freely, or express
the views collected from other students in his/her sub-group.)
(Sit down)
(Student acting as LegCo Member 3 Information Technology
Functional Constituency raises his/her hand)

(Name of student acting as LegCo Member 3

PRESIDENT OF : Hon
Information Technology Functional Constituency)
THE
LEGISLATIVE
COUNCIL

HON
(LegCo : (Stand up)
Thank you, President. I speak in support of the Electronic
Member
3

Books Bill. In fact, to the children and teenagers in Hong

Information
Kong, the use of information technology (such as computers
Technology
and electronic books) has become a part of their daily lives.
Functional
Using electronic books for studies can help students enhance
Constituency)
their skills in applying information technology. In addition to
books and classes, surfing the Internet or using the multi-media
learning aids installed in their electronic books are also
efficient means by which students can acquire more up-to-date
information(Student may express more views freely, or
express the views collected from other students in his/her
sub-group.)
(Sit down)
(Student acting as LegCo Member 4 Commercial Functional
Constituency raises his/her hand)

Role
Script
(Name of student acting as LegCo Member 4
PRESIDENT OF : Hon
Commercial Functional Constituency)
THE
LEGISLATIVE
COUNCIL
HON
(LegCo : (Stand up)
Thank you, President. I oppose the Electronic Books Bill. If
Member
4

all primary and secondary schools in Hong Kong do not use

Commercial
traditional textbooks, it will seriously affect the livelihood of
Functional
local textbook publishers. I am afraid that many book
Constituency)
publishers in Hong Kong will have to close down, thus
rendering their employees jobless. As a result, the local
unemployment rate will be pushed up sharply, creating another
financial burden for the Hong Kong Government......
(Student may express more views freely, or express the views
collected from other students in his/her sub-group.)
(Sit down)
(Student acting as LegCo Member 5 Education Functional
Constituency raises his/her hand)
(Name of student acting as LegCo Member 5
PRESIDENT OF : Hon
Education Functional Constituency)
THE
LEGISLATIVE
COUNCIL
HON
(LegCo : (Stand up)
Thank you, President. I oppose the Electronic Books Bill. I am
Member
5

concerned that rather than taking any notes during lessons,

Education
students will just rely on their teachers to send the notes to
Functional
them via email after classes. As such, some students may not
Constituency)
focus on the lessons given by their teachers. An even worse
scenario is that some students may surf other websites on the
Internet, play on-line games or use on-line chat rooms during
lessons, thereby making it very difficult for teachers to give
lessons effectively...(Student may express more views freely,
or express the views collected from other students in his/her
sub-group.)
(Sit down)
4

Role

Script

PRESIDENT OF : Does any other Member wish to speak?

THE
LEGISLATIVE
COUNCIL
(The rest of the students acting as LegCo Members may raise
their hands to indicate their wish to speak. Students should
wait until the President calls his/her name to stand up and
speak.)
Hon

(Name of student acting as LegCo Member)

(One by one, the President calls upon the students who have
raised their hands to indicate their wish to speak to stand up
and speak.)

HON
Member)

(LegCo : (Stand up)

(Student to express his/her opinion)
(Sit down)

PRESIDENT OF : (All students who have raised their hands to indicate their wish
to speak have finished delivering their speeches)
THE
LEGISLATIVE
COUNCIL
Does any other Member wish to speak? (If no Member
indicates a wish to speak.)
I now put the question to you and that is: That the Electronic
Books Bill be read the Second time.
Will those in favour please raise their hands?
(The Clerk counts the votes, Members may claim a division)
Those against please raise their hands.
(The Clerk counts the votes, Members may claim a division)
5

(If half or less than half of the Members

present vote
in favour of the Bill)
: I think the question is
PRESIDENT
not agreed by a
OF
THE
majority
of
the
LEGISLATIVE
Members present.
COUNCIL
I declare the motion
negatived.

(If over half of the Members present

vote in favour of the Bill)
: I think the question is
PRESIDENT
agreed by a majority
OF
THE
of the Members
LEGISLATIVE
present.
COUNCIL
I declare the motion
passed.
CLERK
TO : (Stand up)
Electronic
THE
Bill.
LEGISLATIVE
(Sit down)
COUNCIL

Books

Committee Stage
Role
CHAIRMAN

Script
: Committee Stage. Council is now in Committee. I now
propose the question to you and that is: That the following
clause stands part of the Electronic Books Bill.

CLERK

: (Stand up)
Clause 3
(Sit down)

CHAIRMAN

: Hon

HON
Member)

(Name of student acting as LegCo Member)

(LegCo : Chairman, I now move a Committee Stage amendment to

clause 3 of the Bill, which seeks to cap the number of hours
per day a student may spend on using electronic books...... The
rationale behind my proposed amendment is that, I hope
colleagues will support my proposed amendment.
(Student may develop his/her own content for the clause, such
as capping the number of hours per day a student may spend
on electronic textbooks.)
6

Role

Script

CHAIRMAN

: Does any Member wish to speak?

(The rest of the students acting as LegCo Members may raise
their hands to indicate their wish to speak, they may speak for
or against the amendment.)
Hon

(Name of student acting as LegCo Member)

(One by one, the President calls upon the students who have
raised their hands to indicate their wish to speak to stand up
and speak.)

HON
Member)

(LegCo : (Stand up)

(Student to express his/her opinion)
(Sit down)

CHAIRMAN

: (All students who have raised their hands to indicate their wish
to speak have finished delivering their speeches)
Secretary for Education.

SECRETARY
FOR
EDUCATION

: (Stand up)
(Student who acts as the Secretary for Education expresses
his/her opinion, and responds to the views raised during the
Committee Stage)
(Sit down)

CHAIRMAN

: I now put the question to you and that is: (depends on whether
the proposed amendment is passed) That the amendment
moved by the Honourable (LegCo Member) be passed / clause
3 stands part of the Bill. Will those in favour please raise their
hands?
(The Clerk counts the votes, Members may claim a division)
Those against please raise their hands.
(The Clerk counts the votes, Members may claim a division)
7

Role

Script
I think the question is / is not* agreed by a majority of the
Members present.
(* Please select as appropriate.)
I declare the motion passed / negatived *.
(* Please select as appropriate.)

Third Reading
Role
Script
PRESIDENT OF : Council now resumes.
Third Reading - Electronic Books Bill.
THE
Secretary for Education.
LEGISLATIVE
COUNCIL
SECRETARY
FOR
EDUCATION

: (Stand up)
President. The Electronic Books Bill has passed through
Committee with/without amendment (depends on whether the
amendment has been passed or not). I move that this bill be
read the third time.
(Sit down)

PRESIDENT OF : I now propose the question to you and that is: That the
Electronic Books Bill be read the third time.
THE
LEGISLATIVE
COUNCIL
I now put the question to you as stated. Will those in favour
please raise their hands?
(The Clerk counts the votes, Members may claim a division)
Those against please raise their hands.
(The Clerk counts the votes, Members may claim a division)

(If half or less than half of the Members

present vote
in favour of the Bill)
: I think the question is
PRESIDENT
not agreed by a
OF
THE
majority
of
the
LEGISLATIVE
Members present.
COUNCIL
I declare the motion
negatived.

(If over half of the Members present

vote in favour of the Bill)
: I think the question is
PRESIDENT
agreed by a majority
OF
THE
of the Members
LEGISLATIVE
present.
COUNCIL
I declare the motion
passed.
CLERK
TO : (Stand up)
Electronic
THE
Bill.
LEGISLATIVE
(Sit down)
COUNCIL

Books

End