Bill 42.

Summary.

The bill amends provisions of Cabinet Decree 224 of 1969, the organic decree governing the National Charity Lottery. It designates the Ministry of Economy and Finance as the channel of communication between the Lottery and the State. During the first 15 days of October each year, the General Directorate (Dirección General) would send the Ministry and the Office of the Comptroller General of the Republic (Contraloría General de la República) a detailed report on the institution’s business and operations during the preceding year. The Ministry would submit the report to the National Assembly (Asamblea Nacional) for its consideration.

The Board of Directors (Junta Directiva) would comprise the Ministers of Economy and Finance, Commerce and Industry, and Government; the Comptroller General of the Republic (Contralor de la República); 2 representatives of the Ticket Sellers’ Union (Sindicato de Billeteros); and 2 representatives of ticket buyers, appointed by the Executive Branch (Órgano Ejecutivo). The Comptroller General would have the right to speak. The Director General would serve as secretary to the Board of Directors, also with the right to speak. Each member would have an alternate appointed in the same manner as the principal member to cover temporary or incidental absences. Public officials would be replaced by the person who substitutes for them in their official position, except for the Minister of Economy and Finance, whose alternate would be the Director General of Revenue (Director General de Ingresos). That minister would chair the Board of Directors, and the Director General of Revenue would stand in for the minister during temporary or incidental absences.

The bill empowers the Board of Directors to create and abolish departments and positions, approve annual revenue and expenditure budgets and financial reports, decide on proposed regulations submitted by the Director General, and draft its own internal rules. It would also grant the Director General leave exceeding 30 days, authorize expenditures above 50,000 balboas (B/. 50,000.00), and approve, on the Director General’s proposal, administrative acts and operations that are not assigned to the Director General.

For ticket sales, the Board of Directors would ensure that sellers are Panamanian and receive the full benefit of the Sales Commission. It would set the commission for ticket sellers or contractors, with a minimum commission or discount of 20% of the face value of tickets sold. It would oversee the mandatory registration of resellers and the percentage allocated to them by the beneficiary of the “libreta.” It would also make decisions on rules, plans, programs, and activities; oversee and evaluate administration and operations; take measures to address implementation or operational problems; be able to request the Director General’s removal by the Executive Branch through a unanimous decision; and decide other matters submitted for its consideration.

The final provision lists articles of Cabinet Decree 224 of 1969 that are amended and provides for entry into force on the day after promulgation. The bill concerns the National Charity Lottery, the Ministry of Economy and Finance, the Office of the Comptroller General of the Republic, the National Assembly, and the Executive Branch, and could be of interest to ticket sellers, resellers, sales contractors, and ticket buyers.