Legislators yesterday passed the third reading of amendments to Article 49 of the Electricity Act (電業法), which stipulate that at least half of the electricity price evaluation committee should be made up of civilian representatives, and a resolution to invite President William Lai (賴清德) to present a state of the nation address at the Legislative Yuan.
They also passed a motion proposed by the Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) and Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) that the government remove restrictions on group tours to China.
On the last day of this year’s first legislative session, the legislators attempted to deal with dozens of bills through negotiations or voting.
Photo: Lin Che-yuan, Taipei Times
The TPP’s version of amendments to Article 49 of the Electricity Act passed the third reading.
The amendments state that civilian representatives, which include experts and civic group members, should make up at least half of the members of an electricity price evaluation committee.
The committee’s evaluation method would be decided by the Ministry of Economic Affairs, based on the principle of fairness, justice and transparency, they say.
Photo: Liao Chen-huei, Taipei Times
The KMT first proposed the amendment, saying that power price hikes must be approved by the legislature.
Legislators also passed the TPP’s and the KMT’s joint proposal to observe the newly amended Act Governing the Legislative Yuan’s Power (立法院職權行使法) and invite the president to present a state of the nation address at the legislature.
The president would be obliged to respond to legislators’ questions, while issues such as how long the questions should be, how many legislators would be allowed to ask questions, the order of priority and the ratio of legislators from different political parties, would be discussed and agreed upon through cross-caucus negotiations.
The TPP’s and the KMT’s proposal demanding that the government remove restrictions on group tours to China, and prioritize Chinese tourists and tour groups wanting to visit Kinmen, Penghu and Lienchiang counties also passed.
The Ministry of Transportation and Communications had previously banned Taiwanese tour groups from visiting China from June 1.
Lawmakers also passed a proposal to ensure that each point under the National Health Insurance (NHI) program’s point system would be equivalent to NT$0.95 or NT$1 by June 30 next year to ensure the program remains solvent.
It was a rare instance in which a measure is to be implemented without amending a law.
Parties agreed during cross-party negotiations not to pass a draft statute for reconstruction after the April 3 earthquake, but to directly approve a resolution to subsidize reconstruction and promote local development.
The magnitude 7.2 earthquake resulted in 17 deaths and 1,146 injuries, and more than 1,247 buildings nationwide were listed as “dangerous.” It also caused nearly NT$100 billion (US$3.07 billion) in damage to agricultural produce.
Amendments to Article 286 of the Criminal Code unanimously passed a third reading.
The amendments increase the punishment by half of the original sentence for people found guilty of abusing children under the age of seven or those who are physically or mentally challenged.
Amendments to the National Communications Commission Organization Act (國家通訊傳播委員會組織法) also passed, restricting all commission members to a maximum of two terms and removing all clauses regarding extensions or reappointments.
The amendments also state that if the committee cannot find seven members as mandated, the premier is obligated to nominate people to fill the positions within three months.
FIREPOWER: On top of the torpedoes, the military would procure Kestrel II anti-tank weapons systems to replace aging license-produced M72 LAW launchers Taiwan is to receive US-made Mark 48 torpedoes and training simulators over the next three years, following delays that hampered the navy’s operational readiness, the Ministry of National Defense’s latest budget proposal showed. The navy next year would acquire four training simulator systems for the torpedoes and take receipt of 14 torpedoes in 2027 and 10 torpedoes in 2028, the ministry said in its budget for the next fiscal year. The torpedoes would almost certainly be utilized in the navy’s two upgraded Chien Lung-class submarines and the indigenously developed Hai Kun, should the attack sub successfully reach operational status. US President Donald Trump
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC, 台積電) is expected to start construction of its 1.4-nanometer chip manufacturing facilities at the Central Taiwan Science Park (CTSP, 中部科學園區) as early as October, the Chinese-language Liberty Times (the Taipei Times’ sister newspaper) reported yesterday, citing the park administration. TSMC acquired land for the second phase of the park’s expansion in Taichung in June. Large cement, construction and facility engineering companies in central Taiwan have reportedly been receiving bids for TSMC-related projects, the report said. Supply-chain firms estimated that the business opportunities for engineering, equipment and materials supply, and back-end packaging and testing could reach as high as
ALL QUIET: The Philippine foreign secretary told senators she would not respond to questions about whether Lin Chia-lung was in the country The Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Wednesday confirmed that a business delegation is visiting the Philippines, but declined to say whether Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) is part of the group, as Philippine lawmakers raised questions over Lin’s reported visit. The group is being led by Deputy Minister of Agriculture Huang Chao-chin (黃昭欽), Chinese International Economic Cooperation Association (CIECA) chairman Joseph Lyu (呂桔誠) and US-Taiwan Business Council (USTBC) vice president Lotta Danielsson, the ministry said in a statement. However, sources speaking on condition of anonymity said that Lin is leading the delegation of 70 people. Filinvest New Clark City Innovation Park
TPP RALLY: The clashes occurred near the Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall on Saturday at a rally to mark the anniversary of a raid on former TPP chairman Ko Wen-je People who clashed with police at a Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) rally in Taipei on Saturday would be referred to prosecutors for investigation, said the Ministry of the Interior, which oversees the National Police Agency. Taipei police had collected evidence of obstruction of public officials and coercion by “disorderly” demonstrators, as well as contraventions of the Assembly and Parade Act (集會遊行法), the ministry said in a statement on Sunday. It added that amid the “severe pushing and jostling” by some demonstrators, eight police officers were injured, including one who was sent to hospital after losing consciousness, allegedly due to heat stroke. The Taipei
RSS