Bill 2.

Summary.

The bill amends the National Assembly’s Organic Rules of Internal Procedure. It requires the members of the Assembly’s Board to be elected separately and limits the time allowed for each nomination and explanation of a vote. It provides that the President of the Republic’s annual report use plain language and cover, among other matters, public policies, finances, security, health, and the environment; reports from the Central Government and autonomous and semi-autonomous entities would be submitted during January. It regulates attire at sittings and recognizes the right of those representing the indigenous regions to wear traditional clothing.

It defines the composition and functions of the Board, including advance notice to parliamentary caucus coordinators. It reorganizes the powers of the President of the National Assembly (Asamblea Nacional) concerning debates, personnel, expenditures, documents, and security. It gives the President 5 working days to request reports sought by members or committees; it provides for a reprimand, removal from the chamber, or a fine of up to 500 balboas (B/.500.00) for disruptions of order, with an appeal to the Board. It also requires an activity report upon leaving office.

It sets requirements for the Secretary General and Deputy Secretary General and grounds for removal by an absolute majority. It details the duties of the General Secretariat concerning attendance, minutes, voting, the processing of bills, and publication of a report at the end of each legislative term. Regarding documents, it provides for digital records, weekly publication, responses to authorities within 30 days, and handling of public information requests. It adds reports for members on expenditures, personnel, and travel. On administration, it assigns the General Secretariat coordination of services, security, and technical units, and a maximum of 15 calendar days to respond to members’ administrative requests. It specifies the records in its custody.

The Board would determine the staffing structure and submit the institution’s budget to the Executive Branch (Órgano Ejecutivo); any change to that proposal would require a reasoned communication. Personnel actions of the National Assembly and the Office of the Comptroller General of the Republic (Contraloría General de la República) would be communicated to the Ministry of Economy and Finance (Ministerio de Economía y Finanzas). The payroll would be sent to the Office of the Comptroller General for oversight and countersignature. Unexcused staff absences would result in salary deductions. The bill sets committee terms, prevents changes to their membership once approved, and establishes an alternative election procedure if there are no agreed slates.

It reorganizes the standing committees and their responsibilities. It regulates their boards, requires annual reports from their chairs, and allows them to summon public officials and require private individuals to appear for inquiries, including compulsory attendance after 2 unanswered summonses. It assigns constitutional and human rights matters to the Committee on Government, Justice and Constitutional Affairs (Comisión de Gobierno, Justicia y Asuntos Constitucionales); the public budget and that of the Panama Canal Authority (Autoridad del Canal de Panamá) to the Budget Committee (Comisión de Presupuesto); and tax, commercial, industrial, and financial matters to the relevant committee. It assigns public works, housing, and Panama Canal matters to the infrastructure committee; labor and social security to the labor committee; and creates provisions for public health, public security, and technology. It also addresses agricultural activities and the rights of Indigenous peoples.

Committees would meet publicly each week, with access to case files and publication of documents. Failure to call a meeting when matters are pending would result in a fine for the committee chair. Meetings would be announced at least 12 hours in advance; those proposing initiatives, including citizen initiatives, would be summoned and have the right to speak during the specified proceedings. Requests for documents would go through the President of the National Assembly. For the plenary, it establishes schedules, deductions for absences without leave, and sanctions against the Secretary General for failing to apply them. It regulates the length of sittings, the grounds for adjourning them, nationwide broadcasts with sign language interpretation, quorum, minutes, and advance publication of the agenda.

Citizen initiatives and initiatives from the Youth Assembly (Asamblea Juvenil) would undergo a technical and legal review; a finding that an initiative is not viable could be challenged through a request for reconsideration before the National Directorate of Citizen Participation (Dirección Nacional de Participación Ciudadana). The General Secretariat would distribute bills electronically when they are introduced. The bill allows the reading of a text to be waived only if the text has been provided beforehand and a majority of those present vote in favor; it requires 3 debates on separate days, with at least 12 hours between them, except under the special procedure for amending the Political Constitution. Finally, it lists those who would have the right to speak in debates, including representatives of the Supreme Court of Justice (Corte Suprema de Justicia), the Electoral Tribunal (Tribunal Electoral), and the Provincial Councils (Consejos Provinciales). These provisions would affect public administration; the agricultural, commercial, financial, health, technology, and infrastructure sectors; and organizations that participate in the legislative process.