From Simple English Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
An
amendment
is a formal or official change made to a
law
,
contract
,
constitution
, or other
legal document
. It is based on the
verb
to amend
, which means to change. Amendments can add, remove, or update parts of these agreements. They are often used when it is better to change the document than to write a new one.
Contracts are often amended when the market changes. For example, a contract to deliver something to a customer once a month can be amended if the customer wants it delivered once a week. Usually, everyone involved in the contract must agree to the amendment before it goes into effect. Most contracts are written with rules about amendments, like if they are allowed, who must agree to them, and when they go into effect.
Constitutions are often amended when people change their minds about what the government should do. Some of the most famous constitutional amendments are the
First Amendment
to the
United States Constitution
which added the
freedom of speech
,
religion
,
press
, and
protest
, and the Third Amendment to the
Constitution of Ireland
, which let
Ireland
join the
European Union
. Constitutional amendments usually must be approved by both the
parliament
or
legislature
and a
referendum
- a vote by all citizens in a country.
In
parliamentary procedure
, the way that many meetings are run, an amendment is a type of
motion
- a proposal or formal suggestion to do something. Amendments can remove words, add words, or change words from motions. Usually, any motion can be amended, even other amendments. However, an amendment to an amendment of an amendment is often not allowed.