Wednesday, 24 July 2024 is the crucial day for the Chamber of Deputies to decide whether to incorporate amendments and send the bill to the Senate for review on Thursday, 25 July, or let the bill go until the new legislature on 16 August 2024.
Alexis Jimenez, who presides over the special committee to review the Penal Code, spoke of how the special committee on Monday, 22 July 2024 had listened for seven hours to citizens make proposals to improve the Penal Code. He understands that the legislators did just what President Luis Abinader had recommended in his La Semanal press conference – it gave time to harmonize the controversial bill.
The ruling Modern Revolutionary Party (PRM) majority Chamber of Deputies had originally given its blessing to the bill received from the Senate but then was barraged by more than 150 proposals for changes that restrained advocates in their intent of ramming the Senate bill during the last month of the legislature. The president of the Chamber of Deputies, Alfredo Pacheco (PRM-National District) strongly defended the passing of the bill received from the Senate in time for the present legislature. He argued it had already been harmonized after years of reviews. Media, industry and government official pressures delayed the passing of the bill as received from the Senate.
Hoy reports that the Special Committee studying the Penal Code draft in the Chamber Deputies has made at least 16 modifications to the centuries-old code (dating back 1884). The amendments are said to eliminate controversial provisions such as forced deportation, sanctions against churches, the criminalization of military actions, and corporal punishment for children.
The presidency of the Chamber of Deputies has given its Penal Code special committee to Wednesday, 24 July to present its final report for amendments in order to give time to present the bill to the floor for passing and then sending back to the Senate. The idea is that the Senate pass the bill on Thursday, 25 July and then send to the Presidency for enactment.
President Luis Abinader has said that the number of recommendations made to the bill merit more study and reaching of consensus. The President understands the bill should be studied by the next legislature that starts on 16 August 2024. The President has said he would not order an extension of the present legislature.
If the Penal Code draft is not approved in this legislature, it will not expire. Rather, it will return to the Chamber of Deputies where it will still require two readings. It would then pass to the Senate for passing and sending to the President for enactment.
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Alicia Ortega on the bill
DR1 News
24 July 2024