Legislative powers
Initiation and amendment of laws is the right of every Deputy or the Government acting through the Cabinet. However, the Senate initiates the draft organic law determining the functioning of the Senate.
Draft laws tabled before the Chamber of Deputies along with their explanatory notes must be drafted in three (3) official languages recognized by the Constitution (Ikinyarwanda, French and English).
A draft law or private member’s bill, the relevance of which is to be approved, is submitted to Deputies and posted on the website of the Chamber of Deputies at least seven (7) days before the holding of debates aimed at approving its relevance. However, that time limit does not apply in case of reasonable grounds of urgency. The initiator or the person defending a draft law or private member’s bill provides key explanations to the Plenary Assembly. After debates, the Assembly proceeds with the vote thereon.
Where the relevance is approved, the Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies refers to the relevant Standing Committee a bill within five (5) days of the closing of debates on its relevance in the plenary sitting. However, if deemed necessary, the Speaker may refer such a bill to another Standing Committee unless it falls within the remit of the Conference of Chairpersons.
The Committee, through the Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies, may ask a Cabinet member, any other person or any institution concerned to appear to provide detailed explanations on a bill falling under their respective remits.
While considering the bill, committee members having been part of peers who introduced such a bill do not debate on behalf of the committee. Such a group sends a member to the Committee to which the bill is being considered for him/her to provide substantive explanations.
The Committee also receives written opinions on bills under consideration. Opinions received are distributed to members of the Committee during the consideration of such a bill.
The report of the Standing Committee on the entire bill is distributed to Deputies at least seven (7) days before the holding of debates on it by the Plenary Assembly. However, such a time limit does not apply in case of urgency.
Before Adoption of a bill in the plenary sitting, the Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies submits to Deputies the bill considered by the Committee while being in three (3) official languages including Ikinyarwanda.
Before the voting on the Articles making up the bill, the Bureau of the Committee tables in the Plenary sitting a summary report documenting the way such a bill was considered in the Committee for while seeking the approval of the report by the Plenary Assembly. Where the Committee report is not approved by the Plenary Assembly, the debates are closed and the Plenary Assembly sends the report back to the Committee.
Debates on the bill in the plenary sitting are of two types, namely general debates and debates on Articles. General debates are conducted in the same way as the consideration of the relevance of a draft law or private member’s bill. Debates on Articles are centred on Articles amended by the Committee but technical amendments are neither debated nor voted on. New amendments are not allowed in the plenary sitting.
The Plenary Assembly votes Article by Article and adopts the law through roll-call voting.
Ordinary laws are passed by an absolute majority vote of Deputies present. Organic laws are passed by a three fifths (3/5) majority vote of Deputies present.
When the author of a bill wishes to have it back at any stage of the process, he/she makes a written request and the Plenary Assembly decides thereon.
When the author of a draft law or private member’s bill requests to have it back before consideration of its relevance, the draft law or private member’s bill is returned to him/her without going through the Plenary Assembly. The Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies provides the Plenary Assembly with a copy of the letter through which the draft law or private member’s bill is returned to the author.
When a draft law or private member’s bill is rejected by the Plenary Assembly, the Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies promptly sends it back to its sponsor while informing them of briefly specifying the reasons for rejection.
The Plenary Assembly may, at the request of the Committee having considered a bill or of a Deputy, decide to refer the bill back to its author. When the Chamber of Deputies receives a bill whose relevance is not approved by the Senate or which is rejected by the Senate, the Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies refers it back to the author, specifying reasons having prompted the Senate to reject it or refuse to approve its relevance.
When a law adopted by the Chamber of Deputies falls within the legislative powers of the Senate, the Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies refers it to the President of the Senate for consideration thereof. When a law adopted by the Chamber of Deputies does not fall within the legislative powers of the Senate, it is transmitted directly to the President of the Republic for promulgation before its being published.
The Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies sends to the President of the Senate the law adopted by the Chamber of Deputies which falls within the legislative powers of the Senate with its explanatory note and minutes enclosed.
When considering a private member’s bill in the Committee of the Senate, the Chamber of Deputies, at the Senate’s request, delegates its representative to provide clarifications on the bill in that Committee.
When a law falling within the legislative powers of the Senate is adopted by the Plenary Assembly of the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate makes amendments thereto, such amendments are submitted to the Committee having initially considered the bill and the Committee makes a report for the Plenary Assembly.
When the law was adopted without going through the Committee, the amendments made by the Senate are submitted to the Committee whose responsibilities cover the scope of such a draft law or private member’s bill.
When the Senate does not adopt a draft law or private member's bill or where the Chamber of Deputies does not concur with amendments made thereto by the Senate, a Joint committee composed of five (5) Deputies and five (5) Senators is established to find a compromise on the provisions which remain the subject of disagreement.
A joint Committee of Parliament may also be established, if approved by the Plenary Assembly of each Chamber of Parliament by a three-fifths (3/5) majority vote of its members, to decide on any other matter identified in the law adopted by both Chambers of Parliament so long as the law has yet to be transmitted for promulgation.
The report of a compromise text reached by the Joint Committee is submitted to each Chamber for it to be voted without any other amendments. If the Joint Committee of both Chambers fails to reach a compromise text or if either or both Chambers reject the compromise text reached by the Joint Committee, the draft law or private member’s bill is returned to the author.
When the Senate adopts a law without amendments or when amendments made by the Senate are accepted by the Chamber of Deputies or when the Plenary Assemblies of both Chambers accept the compromise text of the Joint Committee, it is the responsibility of the Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies to transmit to the President of the Republic such a law as adopted by both Chambers for promulgation and subsequent publication.
Use of urgent procedure for consideration of a draft law or private member’s bill is sought by the Cabinet or a Deputy and approved by the Plenary Assembly. Provisions that relate to the agenda, translation of texts or compliance with time limits do not apply.
When a Deputy seeks the use of the urgent procedure for the consideration of a draft law or private member's bill, the Chamber of Deputies decides thereon by a two-thirds (2/3) majority vote of Deputies present in the plenary sitting. When urgent consideration is sought by the Cabinet, it is always granted.
When urgent consideration of a draft law or private member’s bill is granted, the consideration of such a draft law or private member’s bill or that of any other related issue is accorded priority over other items on the agenda of the plenary sitting.
After the adoption of the merits of a draft law or private member's bill requiring the use of the urgent procedure, the Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies immediately sends the draft law or private member's bill to the Committee concerned for urgent consideration.
When the merits of a draft law or private member's bill are under consideration and at the request of a Cabinet representative or a Deputy and after approval by a three-fifths (3/5) majority vote of members present, the Plenary Assembly decides immediate adoption of the draft law or private member's bill without it going through the relevant Committee process.
In that case, substantial and technical amendments are proposed in the plenary sitting and the Minister representing the Cabinet or the Deputy having initiated the draft law or private member’s bill defends it before the Plenary Assembly.