date+the present perfect

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ostap77

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Can I use the present perfect to mean completion of an action in the future as follows?
"The bill will be formally effective from the date on which it has been signed into law." Or does it need to be "...the date on which it is passed into law."? Would either be correct?
 
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Matthew Wai

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The bill will take effect as soon as it has been enacted.
 

GoesStation

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Can I use the present perfect to mean completion of an action in the future as follows?
"The bill will be formally effective from the date on which it has been signed into law." Or does it need to be "..........the date on which it is passed into law."? Would either be correct?

The first is legally and grammatically correct. The second is grammatically but, in most if not all jurisdictions, not legally correct.

Use three dots for an ellipsis.
 

ostap77

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Just a random question. If I got to talking about legal stuff, would the past simple informally work here? "...the date on which it was signed into law."
 

GoesStation

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Just a random question. If I got to talking about legal stuff, would the past simple informally work here? "...the date on which it was signed into law."

If the whole sentence is The bill will be formally effective from the date on which it was signed into law, it's wrong. You need the simple present ...the date on which it is​ signed.
 
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