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enabling act

British  

noun

  1. a legislative act conferring certain specified powers on a person or organization

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Example Sentences

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In 1889, President Grover Cleveland signed an enabling act paving the way for the Dakotas, Montana and Washington to become states.

From Washington Times • Feb. 22, 2021

In 1862, President Abraham Lincoln signed an enabling act paving the way for Virginia’s western counties to become the state of West Virginia, which took place in June 1863.

From Washington Times • Dec. 31, 2020

Each adopted a proposed constitution without waiting for an enabling act, Hawaii in 1950 and Alaska in 1956.

From Textbooks • Jan. 1, 2016

If and when Congress chooses, it passes an enabling act, an act directing the people of the territory to frame a proposed State constitution.

From Textbooks • Jan. 1, 2016

It is no answer to these suggestions that an enabling act was passed authorizing the people of Colorado to take action on this subject.

From A Compilation of the Messages and Papers of the Presidents Volume 6, part 2: Andrew Johnson by Richardson, James D. (James Daniel)