Introduced on Feb 17. The Bill implements housing rental policy announced by the govt in Nov 2019. Amongst other things removes the use of no cause terminations to end a periodic tenancy agreement, prohibits the solicitation of rental bids by landlords and limit rent increases to once every 12 months. First reading on Feb 20 with National and ACT opposed. Referred to the Social Services and Community Committee, to be reported by 22 June 2020. Report back extended to July 13. Reported back on July 7 with a number of changes. Second reading, committee stage and third reading completed under Urgency on Aug 5 with the govt introducing a number of changes including around notice periods in specific circumstances. Opposed by National and ACT. Residential Tenancies Amendment Bill

Introduced on May 23. The Bill amends the Residential Tenancies Act to address issues related to liability for damage to rental premises caused by a tenant, methamphetamine contamination in rental premises, and tenancies over rental premises that are unlawful for residential use. Completed first reading on July 4 and sent to the Local Govt and Environment Committee for consideration. Just the Greens were opposed saying the Bill undermined tenants rights. Reported back from committee on April 16. Second reading completed on Nov 8 with all parties in agreement. Committee stage completed on July 23 and third reading on July 24 with all parties in support. Residential Tenancies Amendment Bill (No 2)

Introduced on November 26, 2015, the 180-page  Bill comprised 40 changes to six Acts contained in 235 clauses and eight schedules. Only major change to the principles of the RMA is the inclusion of natural hazards. Changes allow for greater use of national planning templates, faster and more flexible consent processes with a reduction in the need for consultation. Maori Party support for the bill was dependent on giving iwi greater input into planning processes. First reading completed on December 3 with Labour joining National and the Maori Party in support. The Greens, ACT and United Future opposed with NZ First abstaining. The bill was sent to the Local Govt and Environment Committee for consideration, submissions closed on March 14. The select committee was due to report back by June 3, however this has now been pushed back to September 6. During the submission process it became clear many groups had raised genuine concerns.  Those on either end of the conservation v development spectrum raised similar objections about the curtailment of consultation rights, ministerial powers and the limitation of appeals. The delay will also give time for National to build political support for changes. On August 23, Parliament’s Business Committee agreed the report deadline be pushed back again to November 7. The Bill was discharged from the Select Committee on November 7 and on November 10 the Government sent it back to the committee with the support of the Maori Party. This followed National and the Maori Party announcing a deal to pass the Bill with a number of amendments taking many of the edges off the more criticised parts of the Bill and formalising iwi consultation processes. The Select Committee and officials are now working on redrafting the Bill. Reported back on March 6 with a wide number of changes, many as signalled by Environment Minister Nick Smith. National Planning Templates remain, but with a new name “National Planning Standards”, which can prescribe local policy statements and plans.  There will also be a single process for preparing National Environmental Standards and National Directions (formerly called National Policy Statements). Iwi participation arrangements are now called “Mana Whakahono a Rohe” and enable iwi to initiate negotiations. Some streamlined plan making procedures are retained though there are some increases to the scope of public submissions and appeal rights, though it still allows for limited notification for certain plan changes and variations, particularly around housing sub-divisions. The changes have scaled back ministerial powers to issue regulations imposing specific planning rules by limiting them to prohibiting rules duplicating other legislation. However this last point remains a delicate political matter with the Maori Party still determined to allow local authorities to ban the release of genetically modified organisms. The Bill completed its second reading on March 14 with just the Maori Party and National backing its progress. The Maori Party underlined its future support was still dependent on ongoing negotiations to make further amendments in the coming committee stage. The Maori Party then announced a deal had been reached to pass the Bill through its remaining stages. Committee stage completed on April 5 with changes inserted to ensure the Maori Party’s support. This included excluding genetically modified crops from ministerial powers to override local council by-laws. Third reading completed on April 6 with just National and Maori Party in favour. Amongst the objecting parties NZ First stated repeal of the Bill would be a requirement if it was to help form the next government.  Resource Legislation Amendment Bill

Introduced on Oct 19, the Bill amends the RMA with the intent to accelerate housing supply to set more permissive land use regulations by bringing forward and amending the National Policy Statement on Urban Development. The Bill introduces medium density residential standards allowing at least 3 dwellings of up to 3 storeys per site across more urban areas. The Bill received its first reading on Oct 26 with just ACT opposed. It was sent to the Environment Committee and reported back on Dec 2 with a wide range of mainly technical amendments around the rules on the design and construction of the residences allowed under the housing intensification rules. Also gives more clarification about what areas could be classified as exempt from the rules. Second reading on Nov 7 with just Act opposed. Committee stage completed on Nov 9. Third reading on Dec 14 with Act opposed. Resource Management (Enabling Housing Supply and Other Matters) Amendment Bill

Introduced under Urgency on Dec 19. The bill repeals the Natural and Built Environment Act and the Spatial Planning Act. It retains the current fast-track consenting process with the govt saying it was working on a new version of this. The bill also pushes back when new freshwater planning instruments must be notified by three years to Dec 31 2027. The govt indicated it was working on changes to the current national standards concerning freshwater.

Resource Management (Natural and Built Environment and Spatial Planning Repeal and Interim Fast-track Consenting) Bill

Bill in the name of ACT MP Mark Cameron, drawn from the ballot and introduced on July 1. The Bill proposes devolving certain agriculture regulation powers from central government to regional councils. First reading Sept 22 voted down by Labour, Greens and Maori Party

Resource Management (Regional Responsibility for Certain Agricultural Matters) Amendment Bill

Introduced on Sept 23, the Bill reverses a number of changes made by the last govt in 2017 around notifications and ministerial powers. It also introduces a new process using freshwater commissioners to fast track council’s implementation of new freshwater plans, similar to the process used to speed up the Auckland Unitary Plan. First reading on Sept 26 with National and ACT opposed saying many of the changes would make the law even more complex and increases costs and delays. Sent to the Environment Committee. Reported back on March 30 with a large number of mainly technical change. National put in a minority report opposing the Bill particularly around the inclusion of climate change as an issue councils should take into account under the RMA. Second reading completed on June 3 with National and ACT continuing to oppose. Committee stage June 24 with a number of changes made including making farm environment reports to be mandatory and audited, and giving powers to collect information on nitrogen fertilisers. Third reading on June 24 with National and ACT opposed.

Resource Management Amendment Bill

Introduced Oct 11, the Bill gives the Commerce Commission powers to regulate a new retail payment services regime in line with a government promise to regulate merchant service fees charged to retailers to bring them into line with overseas fees. First reading on Oct 26, opposed by National and Act referred to the Economic Development, Science and Innovation Committee. Reported back on March 8 with a wide number of changes mostly of a technical nature with Act filing a minority report in opposition. Second reading on April 12 with Act opposed. Committee stage completed on May 10 with no major changes.  Third reading completed on May 11 with just Act opposed. Retail Payment System Bill

Introduced and passed through all stages under Urgency on Feb 22. The bill follows a court judgment which cast doubt on the legality of some powers conferred under the Returning Offenders (Management and Information) Act 2015. The bill amends that law with the intention of putting all returning offenders in roughly the same position they would have been in had they offended in NZ. Accordingly, the Police will be able to collect information from returnees to establish their identity and support future investigations, and parole-like conditions will be available if a returnee has been deported after a prison sentence. Opposed by the Greens and Te Paati Māori.

Returning Offenders (Management and Information) Amendment Bill

Introduced on Feb 29, the bill provides for light electric and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles to pay road user charges from April 1 2024. First reading on March 5 and sent to the transport and infrastructure committee with the support of National, Labour, Act and NZ First. Reported back on March 14 with amendments including the RUC rate for hybrid EVs. Second reading on March 19, committee stage on March 27 and third reading on March 28 with Greens and Te Pāti Māori opposed.

Road User Charges (Light Electric RUC Vehicles) Amendment Bill