Public bill

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In the legislative process, a public bill is a bill which proposes a law of general application throughout the jurisdiction in which it is proposed, and which if enacted will hence become a public law or public act.

The term "public bill" differentiates such a bill from a private bill, which is a legislative bill affecting only a single person, group, or area, such as a bill granting a named person citizenship or, previously, granting named persons a legislative divorce.

In practice, some technically-public acts can have the effect of private acts by the addition of such restrictions such as limiting their effect only to areas falling within a certain population bracket or otherwise-specific restriction.