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+----- Thread: Act vs. act (/thread-8935.html)
Act vs. act - Purple Hyacinth - 11-16-2020
I'm sure you are all aware of the edits I am making to get the laws consistent. Anyway, here is one thing I would like to nail down because I haven't found a consensus yet:
Should we use "Act" or "act" in our laws, or a mixture of both? (feel free to use the poll above, as well as reply to this thread with your opinions)
Currently, some laws use "Act" and others use "act". You can clearly see the difference in subtitles, where every single law except the Charter says "An Act/act...". However, the "Act/act" is used throughout other parts of some laws too. I'd like for the capitalization to be changed to remain consistent across laws. This could mean everything is "Act", everything is "act", or subtitles all say "act" but using "Act" when referencing the act elsewhere in the law. Please provide your input on which one you would prefer.
Of course, just to clarify, I am only talking about when "Act/act" is used with the meaning "a law", not when used with the meaning "taking an action/to do something".
Do note that the poll above isn't binding, I'm just using it to gauge the Assembly's opinion.
Laws that use "act": Border Control Act, Criminal Code, Cultural Act, Elections Act, Judicial Act, Legislator Committee Act, Military Code, Regional Communications Act, Sunshine Act, Whistleblower Protection Act
Laws that use "Act": Law Standards Act, Legislative Procedure Act, Proscription Act, Times Act
Laws that use both: Political Parties Act, Regional Officers Act, Treaties Act
Here are the discussions already had:
In my most recent discretionary edits thread:
@Jebediah: Shouldn't "Act" have a capital?
@Purple Hyacinth: The majority of acts have it as lowercase, so that's what I went with. Can you explain why "Act" should be capitalized?
@Nat: I believe the standard use of the term Act is capitalised when it is used in reference to law. An example would be the best piece of legislation which has ever existed, the Meteorites Act 1973 (source):
https://tspforums.xyz/attachment.php?aid=238
@Purple Hyacinth: I see. In that case I'll remove that change (once I get to a computer) and later introduce a change to make "Act" in all of the laws capitalized.
@Jay Coop: If I had it my way, I'd rather have it lowercase.
In #legislators-lounge on Discord:
@Purple Hyacinth: Useless question but I still have to fix it: In subtitles (and elsewhere in laws), should the word "act" be capitalized ("Act") or all lowercase ("act")?
@Pronoun: both
@Pronoun: my personal opinion is that it should be capitalized when in a formal title, e.g. "Elections Act," or in a shortened title which is normally just "the Act" since our laws have short names
@Pronoun: but lowercase otherwise when not referring to a formal title such as in subtitles
[...]
@Amerion: I’ll check tonight but I believe all instances of Act where it is referred in the Assembly should be capitalised
@Rebeltopia: Capital A
@sandaoguo: I would favors keeping act uncapitalized in subheadings (“An act to do this and that...”)
Or we could adopt Congressional bill formatting: https://www.congress.gov/113/bills/s743/BILLS-113s743rfh.pdf
RE: Act vs. act - Seraph - 11-16-2020
I'm in favour of act being lowercase whether it is indefinite ('an act') or referred to on its own ('the act', 'this act'), but capitalised when specific and part of the title of an act when referenced in body text ('as per the Border Control Act').
RE: Act vs. act - Farengeto - 11-16-2020
(11-16-2020, 09:52 AM)Seraph Wrote: I'm in favour of act being lowercase whether it is indefinite ('an act') or referred to on its own ('the act', 'this act'), but capitalised when specific and part of the title of an act when referenced in body text ('as per the Border Control Act').
Yeah, I believe that is the grammatically correct usage.
RE: Act vs. act - Somyrion - 11-16-2020
Agree with Seraph.
RE: Act vs. act - Jebediah - 11-16-2020
Agree with Seraph here.