Legal Definitions - parliamentary intent

Parliamentary intent, also known as legislative intent, refers to the design or plan that the legislature had when enacting a statute. It is the intention of the lawmakers behind the law.

For example, if a law is passed to increase the minimum wage, the parliamentary intent behind it would be to improve the standard of living for low-income workers.

It is important to understand parliamentary intent when interpreting laws because it helps to determine the purpose and scope of the law. This can be done by examining the language of the law, as well as the context in which it was passed.

However, it is important to note that determining parliamentary intent can be difficult, as it is not always clear what the lawmakers intended. In such cases, the court must rely on the language of the law and any relevant legislative history to determine the intent behind the law.