The Chamber of Deputies, that is intent on passing the Penal Code in the final sessions of the present legislature, is holding the announced public hearing on the Penal Code received from the Senate this Monday, 15 July 2024. The bill has been described as one full of loopholes that benefit sectors in power, including government officials and legislators, themselves, the military, and the church. Likewise, the bill has been criticized for violating the rights of women and children.
The 419-article bill was fast-tracked in the Senate, and the president of the Chamber of Deputies kept the same methodology of exempting it from a first reading on the floor of the Chamber and instead sent it to committee revision. The members of the committee are Alexis Jiménez, Gustavo Sánchez, Fior Daliza Peguero, Rosa Hilda Genao, Isabel de la Cruz, Servia Iris Familia, Rafaela Alburquerque, Sadoky Duarte, Ramón Bueno, Soraya Suárez, Jesús Sánchez, Aníbal Díaz, Saury Mota, Pedro Martínez, Elías Wessin, Braulio Espinal, Máximo Castro Silverio, Rafael Castillo and Mélido Mercedes.
The present session of the Chamber of Deputies closes on 25 July 2024. The sessions resume on 16 August 2024.
Before the Penal Code was submitted by PRSC senator Ramon Rogelio Genao, the Abinader administration had announced a revised bill would be submitted by the Administration as part of a package of major reforms that are being proposed to the new legislature that starts on 16 August 2024. During the 2024 general election, the ruling PRM political party increased its majority in both houses of Congress to absolute majority. The PRM legislators now can pass any bill.
Read more in Spanish:
El Caribe
15 July 2024