Draft bill 236.

Summary.

The draft bill amends Article 1 of Law 54 of 2016, which created the National Beneficiaries Registry (Registro Nacional de Beneficiarios, RENAB). It proposes mandatory registration of everyone receiving social benefits granted by the State. Its express coverage includes cash transfers, subsidies, tangible goods, and related services. The amendment would therefore bring those different forms of social benefit within the registry’s scope.

A new Article 3-A would require every public institution and private entity that grants social benefits to register its beneficiaries in RENAB. The provision connects this duty with interoperability among entities and the prevention of duplicate benefit delivery.

Under a proposed Article 3-B, RENAB would hold detailed, current information about the specific conditions of beneficiaries with disabilities, autism spectrum disorders, and other special needs. Confidentiality and personal data protection protocols would govern that information. Authorized companies, organizations, and public and private entities could learn each beneficiary’s characteristics and requirements, including the type of disability, necessary accommodations, required technical or technological support, and specific work capabilities.

The same provision assigns that information a role in planning and carrying out workplace inclusion through reasonable adjustments to the working environment, specialized training, and adapted positions. It also addresses the design of social inclusion programs and services and cooperation among the public sector, private sector, and civil society. It relates that cooperation to the National Universal Accessibility Plan (Plan Nacional de Accesibilidad Universal) and Panama’s international commitments concerning the rights of persons with disabilities. It mentions the “Fami-Empresas” project of the National Disability Secretariat (SENADIS), which guides and trains people with disabilities and their families for productive participation. Only authorized entities could consult the information for specific employment and social inclusion purposes, subject to security and privacy measures.

Proposed Article 3-C requires technological mechanisms for interoperability among public institutions. It also provides for companies and authorized entities to consult pertinent information under confidentiality and personal data protection rules. Under Article 3-D, responsible institutions would periodically update beneficiary information and ensure that the data are true, correct, and verifiable. Article 3-E places access to and handling of RENAB information under the Personal Data Protection Law (Ley de Protección de Datos Personales), with privacy and security safeguards for beneficiaries. Article 3-F addresses the responsibilities and corresponding sanctions of institutions and individuals that fail to fulfill registration and updating duties. The bill would take effect on the day following its promulgation.

The provisions involve RENAB and SENADIS alongside public institutions that grant social benefits. They could also concern private benefit providers, authorized companies and organizations, employers, beneficiaries, people with disabilities, and their families.