Bill 4.

Summary.

The bill amends Article 173 of the Organic Rules of Procedure of the National Assembly (Asamblea Nacional), which governs interventions during debate. On each matter, every member who wishes to speak may do so for a maximum of one hour. Members must stay on the matter under discussion and seek to maintain order and respect toward their colleagues. A member who has spoken under this rule may intervene a second time, for a maximum of thirty minutes.

If the debate so requires, any member may request extraordinary speaking time of no more than fifteen minutes for the speaker. The presiding officer must submit that request to the Plenary for consideration without debate on the request itself. The proposed article also provides for interventions to clarify a bill under discussion. At the discretion of the Board, the presiding officer or the committee rapporteur may intervene when clarification is needed. These provisions govern ordinary speaking turns, requests for additional time and clarifications made during debate.

The text assigns a consequence to absence when a member’s turn to speak arrives. If a member is absent from the sitting at that time, the member is deemed to have waived the right to speak. An exception applies when the member is serving on a committee authorized to meet at the same time as the Plenary. The rule thus distinguishes absence from the sitting from participation in a committee meeting concurrently with the Plenary under authorization.

The proposed article directs members to refrain from making personal references to a colleague. If a member makes such a reference, the colleague concerned has a right of reply immediately after the first member’s intervention ends. The reply may last no more than five minutes. A specific rule applies during the third reading of a bill: each member may intervene only once, for a maximum of ten minutes.

Article 2 expressly states that the bill modifies Article 173 of the Organic Rules of Procedure of the National Assembly. Article 3 provides that the proposed law would take effect upon its promulgation. The bill therefore concerns the National Assembly, its Board, the Plenary and its committees. It could affect members who take part in debate and interest those who follow the consideration and discussion of bills in the Assembly.