Commentary on Sections Part 2 – Publication Etc. of Welsh Legislation Section 37K – Official prints and certified copies of Acts of Senedd Cymru
78.The process of publishing and promulgating a piece of legislation begins with the production of the text that is to be published. This must be an authoritative record of the legislation. The authoritative record of an Act of the Senedd is the “official print” that is created currently under section 115(5C) of the 2006 Act, but in future will be done so under section 37K, which also incorporates the requirements currently set out in sections 115(5D) and (5E) of the 2006 Act.
79.As a result the official print of an Act of the Senedd contains not just the text of the Bill that was passed by the Senedd and received Royal Assent, but also the date on and year in which such Assent was notified to the Clerk of the Senedd, the “asc” prefix and number. The Clerk makes a copy of the official print of the Act and certifies it as a true copy (which then becomes known as the “certified copy of the official print”). The official print is sent to the National Library of Wales, see below, and the certified copy is sent to the King’s Printer for Wales.