Bagbin details why Anti-LGBTQ+ bill should be reconsidered

Speaker of Parliament Alban Bagbin has explained why he is pursuing a reconsideration of the Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill, 2025, also known as Anti-LGBTQ+ bill.

According to him, he anticipated that lawmakers would only begin the consideration stage of the bill before the House adjourned, making the eventual passage of the legislation a surprise to him.

Bagbin made the remarks on Thursday, June 11 2026, during a courtesy call by the Supreme Court’s 150th Anniversary Planning Committee, amid ongoing national debate over the bill, popularly referred to as the Anti-LGBTQ+ Bill.

His comments come at a time when questions continue to be raised about his decision to call for a reconsideration of the bill after Parliament had already passed it.

Speaker Alban Bagbin Calls for Review of Anti-LGBTQ Bill Passage

Explaining his position, the Speaker stressed that Parliament still retains the authority to revisit legislation before it is transmitted to the President for assent.

“The recent debate where some lawyers came out strongly to say that by the Constitution, once a law is passed on the floor, Parliament is functus officio. It’s not the law. Because we have what we call a passage process before you send it to the President for assent. And that process gives the opportunity for Parliament to reflect on what it has passed. And that is why in the Constitution, there is no time limit given to Parliament after passage to submit to the President for assent,” he stated.

“… on many occasions, we usually identify some inconsistencies or errors. And then we go back to the House, where they refer to us as the second reconsideration stage. We use the process for recession, a motion of recession to rescind the decision of having read the bill a third time. And then use that to do it. So it’s really not the law that once the Speaker says the bill is read a third time and passed, Parliament is functus officio,” he added.

Bagbin also indicated that the emotionally charged public conversations surrounding the bill require broader engagement and careful reflection before any final step is taken.

The Speaker had earlier directed the Majority and Minority leadership to hold further consultations on the bill in an effort to build consensus among lawmakers and stakeholders.

NA/VPO