NA to consider 23 laws next year

The National Assembly (NA) plans to consider 10 new laws and amend 13 existing laws next year as parliament steps up efforts to ensure Laos is goverrned by the rule of law.
According to the Assembly’s work plan for 2020, which lawmakers approved at the close of the 8th session of the 8th Legislature earlier this month, the next session, which is scheduled to take place in the middle of 2020, will consider three new laws and amend 10 existing laws.
In the second session of 2020, which will take place in November, Assembly members will consider seven new laws and amend three existing laws. The total number of legal documents the NA plans to consider during the two sessions is 23.
The National Assembly holds an ordinary session twice a year to consider and approve laws and debate other issues of importance, to ensure that all legislation is in line with the Constitution.
According to the resolution on the NA’s work plan, which parliament’s Secretariat Head, Mrs Suansavanh Viyaket, presented for approval at the just-ended session, some of the key new laws to be considered concern state compensation, youth, and an environment tax.
Laws on vehicles, national boundary demarcation, and advanced technologies are also on the list for debate by Assembly members in 2020.
Among the existing laws to be amended in 2020 are those relating to government, local administration, and the election of members of the National Assembly and provincial assemblies, according to the NA resolution.
Mrs Suansavanh said that in 2019 the Assembly considered and approved 18 laws, six of which were new laws. Ten of the laws related to economics and finance, seven concerned socio-cultural issues, and one was related to justice and administration.
Also this year, the NA endorsed reports by the government and State Auditing Organisation as well as the appointment of government officials. The Assembly also issued 33 resolutions and the NA Standing Committee passed 50 resolutions. These resolutions aim to support the work of the executive and judiciary branches.
Mrs Suansavanh noted that this year the Assembly monitored the implementation of legislation in relation to revenue collection, job creation, skill development, and land concessions. The NA also inspected the work of the judiciary body concerning enforcement of the Law on Investigation. In addition, Assembly members reviewed

By Ekaphone Phouthonesy
(Latest Update December 17, 2019)