Committee greenlights bill aiming to amend AL’s organic law

[Photo: Renato Marques]

The Legislative Assembly (AL) Second Standing Committee finalized yesterday the analysis of the bill that aims to introduce changes to AL’s organic law.

According to a statement from the committee on the matter, the bill is now ready to be raised in plenary for final approval.

The committee noted that the amendments were needed to align the AL with Macau’s general public administration reform policy and further strengthen the AL Support Services’ technical support capacity.

The amendments were said to have been initiated by the House of Rules, which has been reviewing procedures and restructuring the organization for some time.

The final plan also relied on the opinions of the Commission of Audit and the Public Administration and Civil Service Bureau.

“In the committee’s view, the bill, which provides a clear contextual framework and well-defined objectives, contributes to proactive alignment with the government’s policy of ‘deepening public administration reform and enhancing the efficiency of Macau SAR governance’,” the statement reads.

The bill proposes reducing the number of Deputy Secretaries-General from two to one and simplifying the current structure, which includes two departments, five divisions, and one section, into a simplified model with just three divisions.

The committee also agreed with the organizational simplification, noting that “this solution will enable the achievement of the objectives of resource integration and operational coordination, as well as reduce redundant administrative and communication steps, streamlining procedures and, consequently, increasing administrative efficiency.”

The same bill also proposes to expressly codify into law the tasks that the Office of the AL President currently performs, with a view to strengthening its status and powers, as well as adding powers related to communication with the government, monitoring the work of the committees, and coordinating the Advisory Office.

In addition, the bill highlighted the Advisory Office’s functions in research and professional support for lawmakers, with the aim of better supporting and ensuring the proper exercise of the AL’s and its lawmakers’ functions and duties.

Changes were also made to the number and career paths of AL staff, including eliminating the special career track for bill drafters and reducing staffing from 84 to 64 positions.

The committee said that, according to clarifications provided by the bill promoter, the positions to be abolished are currently vacant, and this legislative amendment will not entail any reduction in staff, nor will it affect the employment status, rights, or benefits of existing staff; therefore, the transition will be smooth.

In terms of compensation changes, advisors and technical staff will see changes to salary criteria, with those for advisors to be equalized with those for staff of the Office of the Chief Executive and the Offices of the Secretaries.

This system replaces the fixed compensation system with a flexible one, which the committee said is positive, as it “strikes a balance between the current situation and future development needs, and contributes to improving results-based management and optimizing professional career paths.”

The bill will now be submitted to the president for scheduling and a vote in plenary. If approved, the new rules are proposed to take effect on October 1 of this year.