Nine of 16 planned gov’t bills pending

Nine bills the government was to submit to the parliament this year are still pending.

The government had planned to submit 16 bills to the parliament this year. Only seven have been submitted so far, with two having been made into laws. These included a law governing specific personnel at Education and Youth Development Bureau (DSEDJ), as well as a law governing ID cards for local residents. Both were passed on June 20.

The parliament is now studying the other five submitted.  They are the amendment bill for the Code of Civil Registration, the Motor Vehicle Registration System bill, the Macao Polytechnic University Legal System bill, the Macao Institute for Tourism Studies Legal System bill and the Civil Aviation Activities bill.

Among the nine unsubmitted bills, several were within the timetable set out in this year’s Policy Address. However, only one document was listed for the third quarter, which is the Insurance Intermediary Business bill.

In addition, four bills are set to kick off in the fourth quarter, including the amendment bills for the Macao SAR Legislative Assembly Electoral System Law, for the E-governance Law, as well as the Public Procurement bill.

The Radio Communications System bill is only set to be submitted within the second half of the year. Another bill about e-governance – the Digitization of Real Property and Business Registrations and Notary bill – is expected within the second half of the year, along with the e-governance bill that the government has set for the fourth quarter.

There is no indication as to when the Combatting Illegal Gambling bill will be submitted to the parliament, although the government said in May the bill is in the this year’s legislative plan. It promised to follow its own timetable.

The government has said the current Illegal Gambling Law does not fit the current scale of the industry today. It is thought that an overhaul to the law is required to be “in compliance with the new round of casino license issuance.”

The Road Transport Law, promulgated in 2007, will also be overhauled. Its amendment bill will be submitted to the parliament “in due course” and the amendment is within this year’s legislation plan, the Transport Bureau has told lawmakers.

A structural bill for the Commission Against Corruption (CCAC) will also be on the table.