Sign Language Bill
The Committee for Communities is currently consulting on the Sign Language Bill and would like to hear your views.
You can complete an online survey or submit your views in Sign Language using the WhatsApp service.
The closing date for submissions Friday 9th May 2025.
Have your say!
The Sign Language Bill was introduced to the Assembly by the Minister for Communities, Gordon Lyons, on Monday 10 February 2025.
Coverage of the Bill as it makes its way through the legislative process will be accompanied by simultaneous interpretation with BSL and ISL. This includes debates in the Assembly chamber and evidence sessions undertaken by the Committee for Communities in its scrutiny role during the Committee Stage of the Bill.
From this page you can watch recordings of:
- the debates of the Bill in the Assembly Chamber
- Committee for Communities evidence sessions in relation to its scrutiny of the Bill
- key points from an Assembly Research Paper on the Bill
- a pre-Committee Stage evidence session with the Department for Communities
Each recording is accompanied with BSL and/or ISL and will help you keep up with the progress of the Bill as it works its way through the legislative process.
You may also find these links to related information helpful:
- View explanations of Assembly related terms in BSL and ISL
- Read the Bill and view its progress
- Learn more about lawmaking in the Assembly and the different stages of a Bill
- Learn more about Minister Gordon Lyons (the Minister who introduced the Bill to the Assembly)
- Learn more about the Department for Communities (the Department bringing the Bill forward)
- Learn more about the Committee for Communities (the Assembly Committee scrutinising the Bill and its contents)
Watch the Bill work its way through the Assembly
Bill Stage debates in the Chamber
The Sign Language Bill was introduced to the Assembly on Monday 10 February 2025 and completed its Second Stage on Tuesday 18 February 2025. Following the Second Stage, the Bill was referred to the Committee for Communities to begin its scrutiny.
When the Committee completes its scrutiny of the Bill, it will then progress to Consideration Stage when the Bill will undergo further scrutiny from MLAs in the Assembly chamber.
The Consideration Stage, as well as subsequent stages of the Bill, will also be made available here.
Committee Stage evidence sessions
The Sign Language Bill is currently in the Committee Stage of the legislative process.
The Bill was referred to the Committee for Communities for scrutiny and consideration on Tuesday 18 February 2025 following the completion of the Bill’s second stage.
Evidence sessions held by the Committee as part of its scrutiny of the Bill will be recorded with BSL and ISL interpretation and published here when available.
Assembly Research Paper
As part of its scrutiny of the Bill, the Committee for Communities requested that the Assembly’s Research and Information Service (RaISe) produce a research paper on the Bill and its implications.
The Committee then held an evidence session with Assembly Researchers to discuss the paper and ask questions. That evidence session took place on 27 February 2025 and you can watch it back to see what was discussed.
You can also read the Sign Language Bill research paper.
In the videos below, you can also watch BSL and ISL interpreters sign the key points from the research paper. You can find these key points in pages 3-5 of the paper.
If you prefer, you can also read a written transcript of the research paper key points videos.
Pre-Committee Stage evidence sessions
Before the Sign Language Bill was referred to the Committee for Communities, the Committee received a briefing from the Department for Communities on Thursday 6 February 2025.
The aim of this briefing session was to receive an update from the Department on the progress of the Bill to date. This session was recorded with BSL and ISL and can be watched below:
