Repeals abolish laws due to changing social norms or agitation from society. Express repeal is a new law to repeal a previous law, while implicit repeal is a new law that conflicts with an old law. Outdated laws are sometimes removed, and harmful laws repealed to promote equality. The process for repealing laws varies by country.
A repeal is an abolition, sometimes also called a repeal, of a law. Repeals most often occur because changing social norms make a law seem unreasonable or objectionable. Sometimes they occur in response to agitation from members of society lobbying for the repeal of a law they deem unreasonable, and in other cases, lawmakers may decide on a repeal for themselves. Legislative bodies actually repeal laws on a regular basis without attracting much public attention.
In an express repeal, a law is passed to specifically repeal a previous law. An example of this is the 21st amendment to the US Constitution, which repealed the infamous 18th amendment. Conversely, in an implicit repeal, a new law is passed that conflicts with an old law, and the new law takes precedence, effectively nullifying the old law even though it may remain on the books.
In some countries, people have mobilized for the removal of outdated laws that are either not enforced or have been replaced by other laws with implied repeals. Many people are surprised to learn that there are a number of particular laws on the books in their area, banning all sorts of activities from walking with snakes on Sundays to wearing pants while female. Some of these strange laws are compiled into compendia for general amusement, but are never actually enforced, and the repeals argue that while they are historical curiosities, they should still be struck from the legal books.
In other cases, people who want to repeal laws want to do so because they believe a law has very real and harmful effects. Many nations have repealed laws institutionalizing racism, for example, as social norms have changed and there has been a greater push for equal rights. Similarly, the repeals have focused their efforts on laws that discriminate against other groups, such as women, gays and lesbians, and religious minorities, with the goal of making society freer and more equal.
The process for repealing a law varies by country. In some areas, citizens can use the initiative and referendum system to hold a vote calling for repeal. In others, citizens must press lawmakers to sponsor a repeal, and once a repeal reaches a legislative body, they can press other lawmakers to support it. Lawmakers tend to be especially amendable to suggestions in election years, when they are actively working to preserve voter votes.
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