The Government has introduced a bill to remove the partial defence of provocation in homicide cases from the statute books.
The bill, which amends the provisions of the Crimes Act was signed off by the Cabinet on Monday.
It follows two reports by the Law Commission in recent years, in 2001 and 2007, both of which recommended that the defence be abolished.
Justice Minister Simon Power says he hopes the bill would be passed by the end of the year
The Labour Party has signalled that it will support the bill.
The Government bill supersedes a similar Labour Party bill, which was drawn from the Members Ballot last week.
Labour MP Charles Chauvel says the party has no intention of playing politics with the issue.
