Laws laws and more laws. But when will anyone obey the law?

NATIONAL PARLIAMENT

SERVIÇO DE APOIO AO PLENÁRIO (SAPLEN)
(PLENARY SUPPORT SERVICE)

LEGISLATIVE INITIATIVES FOR RESOLUTION, DELIBERATION, AND POLITICAL MONITORING PENDING FROM THE FIRST LEGISLATIVE SESSION

BRIEF INFORMATION NOTE FOR MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT IN GENERAL*

DATE: 17 SEPTEMBER 2008


1. Draft-law on Authorisation to Legislate on Criminal Matters (accepted, ready for discussion and voting; will not be submitted to the relevant Commission for previous examination; will follow special process)

2. Parliamentary consideration of Decree Law No. 22/2008 of 16 July on the establishment of the Economic Stabilisation Fund (the consideration having been requested and accepted by the Chair, this semi-political and legislative control mechanism will follow a special process and it shall not undergo prior examination at the relevant Commission)

3. Draft Resolution on the National Parliament’s Budget (to be presented)

4. Draft Basic Education Law (ready for discussion and general voting, once the initial consideration phase is over and after the report and opinion of the competent Commission are presented)

5. Draft-law on Organisation and Functioning of Parliamentary Administration (with the relevant Commission for initial consideration)

6. Draft-law on Weapons (at the Plenary, for specific debate)

7. Draft Resolutions on the Ratification of ILO Conventions Nos. 29 and 182 (with the relevant Commission for consideration)

8. Government interpellation over the Execution of the State Budget for the 2007 Transitional Period (requested by FRETILIN Parliamentary Bench; matter submitted to the Parliamentary Leaders Conference in due time; SAPLEN prepared debate guide proposal and it is now for the interpellants to decide whether the initiative remains valid or not)

9. Draft Resolution on the Arrangement on Traditional Border Crossing and Regulated Markets between Timor-Leste and Indonesia (with the relevant Commission for consideration)

10. Draft-law on Protection of Witnesses (with the relevant Commission for initial consideration)

11. Draft-law amending the Civil Service Law (with the relevant Commission for initial consideration)

12. Draft Deliberation on the Indicative Calendar of the Meetings of the Commissions (presented and scheduled for debate, which has never been finalised; to be scheduled again should there be an interest. Some Members of Parliament have suggested during plenary meetings and Leaders Conferences to consider the possible reduction of the number of standing specialised commissions)

13. Draft-law on the remuneration of Members of the National Electoral Commission (prepared by an adviser and submitted to the Chair; awaiting decision on the initiative to be presented; it is obviously open for subscription by interested Members of Parliament)

Other legislations not included in the list but nevertheless expected to be discussed include:

· Military Service draft-law (currently under debate in the Council of Ministers)
· National Security draft-law (currently being revised; to be submitted to the Council of Ministers soon)
· A bill amending the law on pensions for former MPs and former office holders (proposed by PSD MP Fernando Gusmão, amongst others)
· CAVR Resolution (proposed by PUN MPs amongst others)

* Information note prepared by the Serviço de Apoio ao Plenário (Plenary Support Service) in accordance with the order of priorities for scheduling matters as fixed, on an indicative basis, by the Conference of the Representatives of the Parliamentary Benches on their meeting of 15 September 2008.