Member of the Legislative Assembly

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jump to: navigation, search

A Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA), or a Member of the Legislature (ML), is a representative elected by the voters of a constituency to the legislature or legislative assembly of a sub-national jurisdiction.


Members of the Legislative Assembly use the suffix MP in New South Wales[1] and Queensland.[2]

In Western Australia, Northern Territory, Australian Capital Territory and Norfolk Island, members are known as MLAs. However the suffix MP is also commonly used. South Australia and Tasmania have a House of Assembly and denote its members MHA.

In Victoria members can use either MP or MLA.[3]

In federal parliament, members of the House of Representatives are designated MP and not MHR.[4]


In Brazil, Members of all 26 Legislative Assemblies (Portuguese: Assembléias Legislativas) are called deputados estaduais (English: statewide deputies). The Federal District Legislative Assembly is actually called Legislative Chamber (Portuguese: Câmara Legislativa), and is composed by deputados distritais (English: district deputies). Unlike the federal legislative body, which is bicameral, Brazilian states legislatures are unicameral. Members of the Lower House are also called deputies, but they are deputados federais (English: federal deputies).


In Canada, members of legislative assemblies are members of the elected provincial legislatures and are called MLAs in all provinces and territories except:

Members of the Legislative Assembly in British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia (despite being a House of Assembly), Prince Edward Island and in the three territories (Yukon, NWT and Nunavut) are known as MLAs.

Falkland Islands[edit]

Members of the Legislative Assembly of the Falkland Islands use the suffix MLA. In 2009 the Legislative Council of the Falkland Islands (which had existed since the 1840s) was replaced with the new Legislative Assembly. As a result, Members of the Legislative Assembly are often still referred to as Councillors.

Hong Kong[edit]

Members of Hong Kong Legislative Council are referred to as Legco Councillors.


A Member of Legislative Assembly are elected on the basis of adult suffrage.The limit of the maximum number of members are in a state is 500 and the minimum number is 60. Some MLAs may have triple responsibilities: as an MLA, as a cabinet minister of a department and as a chief minister of that state.

Northern Ireland[edit]

Members of the Northern Ireland Assembly, the devolved legislature of Northern Ireland are known as MLAs (Members of the Legislative Assembly).

The Assembly was suspended on October 14, 2002 but the persons elected to it at the 2003 Assembly Election were called together on 15 May 2006 under the Northern Ireland Act 2006 [5] for the purpose of electing a First Minister and Deputy First Minister and choosing the members of an Executive (before 25 November 2006) as a preliminary to the restoration of devolved government in Northern Ireland. Another election was held on 7 March 2007 and powers were restored to the Assembly in May 2007.

United States of America[edit]

In the United States of America, legislator is the generic term referring to a member of the legislative body of any of the country's 50 states.

The formal name varies from state to state. In 24 states, the legislature is simply called the Legislature, or the State Legislature, while in 19 states, the legislature is called the General Assembly. In Massachusetts and New Hampshire, the legislature is called the General Court, while North Dakota and Oregon designate the legislature as the Legislative Assembly.

Just as a member of the United States House of Representatives is officially a member of Congress (abbreviated MC) despite being referred to as congressmen or representatives, a legislator in the lower chamber of state legislatures would be a member of the Legislature (abbreviated ML), member of the State Legislature (abbreviated MSL), member of the General Assembly (abbreviated MGA), member of the General Court (abbreviated MGC) or member of the Legislative Assembly (abbreviated MLA) even though they are commonly referred to as representatives or assemblymen.

Further confusion over the proper title of legislators comes when newspapers, using the Associated Press guidelines for journalists, refer to legislators as state representatives or state senators to avoid confusion with federal counterparts.


Members of the National Assembly for Wales, the devolved Assembly of Wales are usually known as AMs or Aelod y Cynulliad (ACs).[6]


  1. ^ "The Role of Members of Parliament". 2 February 2008. Retrieved 9 April 2011. 
  2. ^ Resolution of Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (Qld branch), 19 October 2000. Source: Queensland Parliamentary Library, 15 November 2005.
  3. ^ "Members' titles". 25 October 2010. Retrieved 9 April 2011. 
  4. ^ "House of Representatives Practice". 30 September 2005. Retrieved 9 April 2011. 
  5. ^ Northern Ireland Act 2006 (c. 17)
  6. ^ The National Assembly for Wales, Civil rights – In Wales, Advice guide, Citizens Advice Bureau. Retrieved 13 July 2006.