Section Four: Passage of Laws
Article 202: The law is an act enacted by the National Assembly
in legislative session. Laws that contain a systematic set of norms
regulating a particular field may also be referred to as codes.
Article 203: Organic Laws are those designated as such by this
Constitution, those enacted to organize public powers or developing
constitutional rights, and those which serve as a normative framework
for other laws.
Any bill for the enactment of an organic law, except in the case of those defined as such in the Constitution itself, must first be accepted by the National Assembly, by a two thirds vote of the members present, before the beginning of debate on the bill. This qualifying vote shall also apply to the process of amending organic acts.
Laws defined by the National Assembly as organic acts shall be sent, prior to promulgation, to the Constitutional Division of the Supreme Tribunal of Justice for a ruling on the constitutionality of their organic status. The Constitutional Division shall reach a decision within ten days of receipt of the communication. If the Constitutional Division rules that the law is not organic, such the law shall lose the organic status.
Enabling laws are those enacted by a three fifths vote of the members of the National Assembly to establish the guidelines, purposes and framework for matters that are being delegated to the President of the Republic, with the rank and force of a law. Enabling law is to set the period for the exercising thereof.
The initiative for introducing legislation belongs to:
- (1) The National Executive Power.
- (2) The Delegated Committee and the Standing Committees.
- (3) Members of the National Assembly, at least three in number.
- (4) The Supreme Tribunal of Justice, in the case of laws relating to judicial procedures and organization.
- 5) Citizen Power, in the case of laws relating to the organs comprising the same.
