NA set to approve 96 laws by 2025

Some 96 laws will be enacted and amended over the next five years as Laos moves closer to becoming a state governed by the rule of law.
Thirty-eight of the laws are new and will be debated before being approved, while the other 58 are laws that will be amended in response to changes in the country’s development circumstances.
Of the total 96 laws, 36 relate to the economy, 28 concern socio-cultural matters, and 23 are in the area of governance and justice, according to a report from the National Assembly unveiled recently.
However, NA members have queried the law enactment process, urging the bodies concerned to broaden the canvass of public opinion before submitting the laws to the Assembly’s next session for debate.
Members of parliament say that greater participation and more input from all sectors will make the laws more comprehensive and relevant in the long term.
During the inaugural session of the NA’s newly elected 9th legislature which took place from March 22-26, members highlighted the need to further disseminate laws throughout the country to ensure that all communities understand them and join forces in curbing illegal activities.
NA Secretary General Mrs Pingkham Lasasimma said the Assembly’s Standing Committee will need to collaborate more closely with the sectors concerned to formulate the content of laws before they are submitted to the National Assembly for debate.
One of the main problems in recent years has been that some of the laws that were enacted needed to be amended a few years later because some of the content did not reflect the reality of the nation’s circumstances.
As a result, some laws have not been sufficiently enforced, resulting in large numbers of complaints from members of the public. Therefore the law enforcement sector needs to work harder to bring proper justice to people.
Over the past five years (2016-2020), the National Assembly has approved 90 laws (38 new laws and 52 amended laws), bringing the total number of laws in existence to 156.
President of the Assembly’s Law Committee, Mr Chaleun Yiapaoher, said the law was an important instrument to adjust and regulate society, facilitate socio-economic development, and protect the rights and interests of ethnic people.
Mr Chaleun called for all relevant sectors to play a more active role and shoulder more responsibility in studying the content of laws to ensure their quality and comprehensiveness in the years to come.
The National Assembly represents the rights, powers and interests of the multi-ethnic people. As the country’s legislative body, it has the right to make decisions on fundamental issues and to oversee the work of the government, the people’s courts, and the Office of the Public Prosecutor.

By Times Reporters
(Latest Update March 31, 2021)