Summary.
The bill provides that nonfinancial public sector entities offering direct public service from leased premises must provide free parking spaces for taxpayer citizens while they complete administrative procedures. Its scope includes ministries, autonomous, semi-autonomous and decentralized entities, state enterprises, community boards and municipalities. Parking spaces at those leased offices are reserved exclusively for those citizens during their in-person visits.
Free parking becomes a mandatory condition in leases for those offices. The requirement applies to new leases and renewals. Exceptionally, when suitable premises with free parking are unavailable within the service area, the entity must place a technical justification in the procurement file. It must send that justification to the General Directorate of Public Procurement (Dirección General de Contrataciones Públicas) and publish it on the Panamá Compra portal.
Leases executed under the proposed provisions must expressly state whether the premises have free parking, the number of spaces allocated and the hours when users may access them. The General Directorate of Public Procurement, the Office of the Comptroller General of the Republic (Contraloría General de la República) and the relevant internal audit offices must verify compliance in leasing procedures. Each public entity must include a section on accessibility compliance in its annual report, including information on parking availability for the public.
The bill directs the Executive Branch to issue implementing regulations within sixty (60) days of promulgation, through the Ministry of Economy and Finance (Ministerio de Economía y Finanzas) and in coordination with the General Directorate of Public Procurement. It also makes its provisions mandatory criteria in public procurement procedures governed by Law 22 of 2006 (Ley 22 de 2006), as amended. The General Directorate of Public Procurement must incorporate them as verifiable requirements in public office leasing procedures. Article 13 sets commencement at six (6) months after promulgation in the Official Gazette (Gaceta Oficial) and requires entities to adapt ongoing contractual procedures during that period. A further clause then sets commencement upon promulgation in the Official Gazette and again requires those procedures to be adapted.
In Panama (Panamá), the proposal concerns the General Directorate of Public Procurement, the Office of the Comptroller General of the Republic, the Ministry of Economy and Finance, internal audit offices and public entities leasing offices for in-person service. It also reaches taxpayer citizens completing procedures and may affect the real estate sector that leases office premises to the State.
What it proposes.
- Free parking for in-person procedures at leased public offices.
- Lease conditions for public offices.
- Disclosure, verification and reporting of parking availability.
Who it would affect.
- Nonfinancial public sector entities serving the public from leased premises.
- Taxpayer citizens visiting offices to complete procedures.
- Lessors of premises used as public offices.
Key points.
- The bill covers nonfinancial public sector entities providing direct public service from leased premises.Arts. 1-2
- Leased offices must provide free parking reserved exclusively for taxpayer citizens while they complete their procedures.Art. 3
- Free parking must be a mandatory condition of new leases and lease renewals.Art. 4
- An exceptional lack of suitable premises with free parking requires a technical justification in the procurement file, submission to the General Directorate of Public Procurement and publication on Panamá Compra.Art. 5
- Leases must state whether free parking is available, the number of allocated spaces and the hours of use.Art. 6
- The General Directorate of Public Procurement, the Office of the Comptroller General of the Republic and internal audit offices verify compliance; entities report annually on accessibility and parking.Arts. 7-8
- The Executive Branch must issue regulations within sixty (60) days, and the provisions become mandatory criteria and verifiable requirements in procurement and leasing procedures governed by Law 22 of 2006.Arts. 9-12
- Article 13 sets commencement at six (6) months after promulgation and requires ongoing contractual procedures to be adapted; a subsequent clause sets commencement upon promulgation.Art. 13