The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) is to prioritize budget reviews and a whistle-blower protection bill during the new legislative session, party caucus secretary-general Lin Szu-ming (林思銘) said today.
This caucus is to prioritize amendments to the Act Governing the Allocation of Government Revenues and Expenditures (財政收支劃分法), the Senior Citizens Welfare Act (老人福利法), the Employment Service Act (就業服務法), the Fire Services Act (消防法) the Student Guidance and Counseling Act (學生輔導法), as well as a whistle-blower protection bill during the session that started today, he told a news conference.
Party caucus negotiations are to be held in the middle of this month, he said, adding that the sooner they can be held, the better.
Photo: Taipei Times
This session, the KMT is to strictly assess the general budget and additional budget items for the upcoming fiscal year, making necessary cuts to avoid the ineffective budget plans of previous years, he said.
Annual revenue this year is projected to reach NT$3.15 trillion (US$98.25 billion) and annual expenditure NT$3.13 trillion, both record highs.
Meanwhile, the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) during the new session plans to prioritize the passage of four major budgets and personnel appointments, the party caucus said at a separate news conference.
The DPP has identified more than 40 priority bills, plus four budget-related bills and appointments to four agencies and branches, DPP caucus secretary-general Rosalia Wu (吳思瑤) said.
The appointments are to the National Communications Commission (NCC), the Examination Yuan, the Judicial Yuan and the Fair Trade Commission.
Nominees to the NCC and Examination Yuan were submitted last session, but have yet to be approved, while Judicial Yuan appointments were announced on Friday last week.
This session’s budget is to include an NT$100 billion subsidy to Taiwan Power Co as approved by the Cabinet last year, Wu said.
Additionally, this session is to prioritize public welfare, public protection and national security, Wu said.
Four bills are also to be proposed to develop physical education and sports, a priority of the administration following this year’s Olympics, she added.
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