Lawmakers yesterday passed a set of amendments as part of their effort to reform the Legislative Yuan.
The amendments were designed to upgrade legislative efficiency and quality, boost the authority of legislative committees, improve the negotiation system and reinforce the self-discipline of the legislature.
The changes involved the Organic Law of the Legislative Yuan (
After the amendments, unless there are differences over a bill that require a resolution through inter-party negotiations, decisions made by the legislative committee reviewing the bill will be the main reference when the bill moves on to the second reading.
In case inter-party negotiations fail to come to a consensus on differences over a bill within four months, the bill will be submitted to the chamber of the Legislative Yuan.
A bill will now be put to a vote in the third reading even if lawmakers have already agreed on the bill.
The minimum number of mem-bers needed to form a legislative caucus has been raised from five to eight.
Political parties winning more than 5 percent of the vote in the legislative elections will not be subject to the restriction.
The seats of legislative committees will be allocated to caucuses according to their representation in the legislature.
To safeguard the dignity of the legislature, the amendments stip-ulate that lawmakers should abide by the Legislators' Conduct Act and avoid making insulting remarks and personal attacks when addressing the national affairs forum.
Another amendment passed yesterday clarified the scope and duration of punishments for law-makers suspended from duty for disciplinary violations.
The duration of suspension will start on the day the punishment is handed down, and the days when the legislature is in recess will not be counted as part of the suspension.
During the suspension, the concerned lawmaker will be prohibited from entering the meeting chambers of the legislature and legislative committees and will not be paid.
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