Legislature

Legislature is a word that comes from the Latin language, meaning "those who write the laws." A legislature is therefore a group of people who introduce, debate and vote for and on new laws, for example in a state or country.

Each person in the legislature is usually either elected or appointed. The constitution of that state or country usually tells how a legislature is supposed to work.

In many countries, the legislature is called a Parliament, Congress, or National Assembly. Sometimes there are two groups of members in the legislature. This is called a "bicameral" legislature. A unicameral legislature has only one group of members.

A country, district, city, or other small area may also have something like a legislature. These are often called councils, and they make smaller laws for their areas. 

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 List of titles of legislatures 
 National 
 Parliament
 Congress
 Diet
 National Assembly
 Althing — Iceland
 Assembleia da República — Portugal
 Bundestag — Germany
 Riksdag — Sweden
 Cortes Generales — Spain
 Eduskunta — Finland
 Federal Assembly — Russia, Switzerland
 Folketing — Denmark
 Stortinget — Norway
 Knesset — Israel
 Assembly of Albania — Albania
 Legislative Yuan — Republic of China/Taiwan
 Islamic Consultative Assembly — Iran

 Sub-National 
 List of state legislatures of the United States — United States
 General Assembly / Assembly
 Great and General Court / General Court
 House of Delegates
 Landtag — Germany, Austria
 Canada
 Legislative Assembly — All provinces and territories except:
 National Assembly — Quebec
 House of Assembly — Nova Scotia and Newfoundland and Labrador
 Australia
 Legislative Assembly - All States and Territories except:
 House of Assembly - South Australia and Tasmania
 Legislative Council - All States except Queensland
 United Kingdom
 Scottish Parliament — Scotland
 Northern Ireland Assembly — Northern Ireland
 National Assembly for Wales — Wales
Houses of Parliament — United Kingdom overall.

Related pages
Separation of powers