The president of the Chamber of Deputies, Alfredo Pacheco (PRM-National District) received sufficient votes for his plan to create a new bill for the abortion articles that are now included in the Penal Code under review in the Chamber. The legislators voted in favor of the separation of the abortion bills from other articles in the Penal Code.
The country needs the legislature to approve the penal code that has been debated for over 20 years in Congress. It is seen as crucial to combat crime.
Former President Danilo Medina had vetoed on two occasions the bill that was sent maintaining the present absolute ban on abortion. President Medina called for incorporating the three exceptions – rape, incest, and danger to the mother or child’s survival
The Dominican Liberation Party (PLD) was majority in previous years and was not able to pass the bill. Now the Modern Revolutionary Party (PRM) is majority. Rubén Maldonado, voice for the opposition People’s Force (FP) political party asked for the new separate abortion bill with the three exceptions to be placed on the Chamber of Deputies agenda. This motion was rejected by the vote of 68 in favor of 158 deputies present. If the separate bill is not passed, the present legislation that bans abortion in any way would continue to be law.
The penal code is one of several bills being sent to commission. The Chamber of Deputies has said several bills have decades in Congress that they want to expedite, so they are approved in the coming 100 days.
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Listin Diario
19 August 2020