# LDC-E5305 — Authorizing power not in force

## What it means

A power authorizes issuance only while it applies: the parent act must
have an applicable edition on the adoption date of the subordinate act.
When no parent edition applies at that moment — the parent was not yet
adopted, was already repealed, or the pinned editions skip the date —
the power was not in force, and issuance under it is ultra vires. The
checker stops at the adoption date and names the power that failed to
cover it.

Adopt under a power that applies at the adoption moment, or pin the
parent edition that was applicable then.

## Example

```run
{"argv": ["check-delegation", "$ROOT/sub.json", "$ROOT/parent.json", "--organ", "urn:org:fixture:ministry-health"], "files": {"sub.json": "{\"nodes\": [{\"kind\": \"source_work\", \"id\": \"urn:law:fixture:delegation:sub#ORDER\", \"package\": \"urn:law:fixture:delegation:sub\", \"sourceKind\": \"urn:law:fixture:delegation:sub#order\", \"regulates\": [\"urn:law:fixture:delegation:parent#ProcurementProcedure\"], \"basis\": [\"urn:law:fixture:delegation:parent#ApproveProcurementRules\"]}, {\"kind\": \"source_edition\", \"id\": \"urn:law:fixture:delegation:sub#ORDER_ED\", \"work\": \"urn:law:fixture:delegation:sub#ORDER\", \"package\": \"urn:law:fixture:delegation:sub\", \"lifecycle\": [{\"status\": \"adopted\", \"extent\": \"2030-05-01\"}, {\"status\": \"in_force\", \"extent\": \"2030-06-01\"}]}]}", "parent.json": "{\"nodes\": [{\"kind\": \"source_work\", \"id\": \"urn:law:fixture:delegation:parent#LAW\", \"package\": \"urn:law:fixture:delegation:parent\", \"sourceKind\": \"urn:law:fixture:delegation:parent#law\"}, {\"kind\": \"source_edition\", \"id\": \"urn:law:fixture:delegation:parent#LAW_ED\", \"work\": \"urn:law:fixture:delegation:parent#LAW\", \"package\": \"urn:law:fixture:delegation:parent\", \"lifecycle\": [{\"status\": \"in_force\", \"extent\": \"2020-01-01\"}, {\"status\": \"repealed\", \"extent\": \"2027-01-01\"}]}, {\"kind\": \"norm_template\", \"id\": \"urn:law:fixture:delegation:parent#ApproveProcurementRules\", \"package\": \"urn:law:fixture:delegation:parent\", \"modality\": \"power\", \"payload\": {\"kind\": \"power\", \"holder\": {\"kind\": \"entity_ref\", \"id\": \"urn:org:fixture:ministry-health\"}, \"exercise\": {\"kind\": \"call\", \"function\": \"urn:law:fixture:delegation:parent#approve_rules\", \"args\": [{\"kind\": \"entity_ref\", \"id\": \"urn:org:fixture:ministry-health\"}]}, \"effect\": {\"kind\": \"create\", \"after\": {\"kind\": \"literal\", \"polarity\": \"positive\", \"predicate\": \"urn:law:fixture:delegation:parent#rules_in_force\", \"args\": []}}, \"subject\": [\"urn:law:fixture:delegation:parent#ProcurementProcedure\"]}}]}"}, "expect": "LDC-E5305"}
```

## Fix

```run
{"argv": ["check-delegation", "$ROOT/sub.json", "$ROOT/parent.json", "--organ", "urn:org:fixture:ministry-health"], "files": {"sub.json": "{\"nodes\": [{\"kind\": \"source_work\", \"id\": \"urn:law:fixture:delegation:sub#ORDER\", \"package\": \"urn:law:fixture:delegation:sub\", \"sourceKind\": \"urn:law:fixture:delegation:sub#order\", \"regulates\": [\"urn:law:fixture:delegation:parent#ProcurementProcedure\"], \"basis\": [\"urn:law:fixture:delegation:parent#ApproveProcurementRules\"]}, {\"kind\": \"source_edition\", \"id\": \"urn:law:fixture:delegation:sub#ORDER_ED\", \"work\": \"urn:law:fixture:delegation:sub#ORDER\", \"package\": \"urn:law:fixture:delegation:sub\", \"lifecycle\": [{\"status\": \"adopted\", \"extent\": \"2026-05-01\"}, {\"status\": \"in_force\", \"extent\": \"2026-06-01\"}]}]}", "parent.json": "{\"nodes\": [{\"kind\": \"source_work\", \"id\": \"urn:law:fixture:delegation:parent#LAW\", \"package\": \"urn:law:fixture:delegation:parent\", \"sourceKind\": \"urn:law:fixture:delegation:parent#law\"}, {\"kind\": \"source_edition\", \"id\": \"urn:law:fixture:delegation:parent#LAW_ED\", \"work\": \"urn:law:fixture:delegation:parent#LAW\", \"package\": \"urn:law:fixture:delegation:parent\", \"lifecycle\": [{\"status\": \"in_force\", \"extent\": \"2020-01-01\"}, {\"status\": \"repealed\", \"extent\": \"2027-01-01\"}]}, {\"kind\": \"norm_template\", \"id\": \"urn:law:fixture:delegation:parent#ApproveProcurementRules\", \"package\": \"urn:law:fixture:delegation:parent\", \"modality\": \"power\", \"payload\": {\"kind\": \"power\", \"holder\": {\"kind\": \"entity_ref\", \"id\": \"urn:org:fixture:ministry-health\"}, \"exercise\": {\"kind\": \"call\", \"function\": \"urn:law:fixture:delegation:parent#approve_rules\", \"args\": [{\"kind\": \"entity_ref\", \"id\": \"urn:org:fixture:ministry-health\"}]}, \"effect\": {\"kind\": \"create\", \"after\": {\"kind\": \"literal\", \"polarity\": \"positive\", \"predicate\": \"urn:law:fixture:delegation:parent#rules_in_force\", \"args\": []}}, \"subject\": [\"urn:law:fixture:delegation:parent#ProcurementProcedure\"]}}]}"}, "expect": null}
```

## Engine message

The chain checker reports this in its own wording:

```text
LDC-E5305: act urn:law:fixture:delegation:sub#ORDER: on adoption date 2030-05-01 no edition of parent urn:law:fixture:delegation:parent#LAW applies (statuses §31) — power urn:law:fixture:delegation:parent#ApproveProcurementRules was not in force, issuance ultra vires
```

## Related

- [LDC-E5302](/diagnostics/LDC-E5302/) — the neighbouring delegation refusal.