Overview of the Upcoming Senate Session and Key Reforms
The Mexican Senate is set to approve a package of at least six pending reforms during the upcoming extraordinary sessions of the Congress of the Union. These reforms encompass three initiatives presented to the Senate by President Claudia Sheinbaum and three minutas (formal documents) remitted by the Chamber of Deputies for review and potential approval.
Reforms Presented by President Claudia Sheinbaum
- Telecommunications and Broadcasting Act: This reform includes over thirty changes to the presidential initiative, addressing proposals from sector representatives, experts, and academics during the five conversatorios held in May.
- Desaparición Forzada of Persons Reform: Proposed changes to the General Law on Forced Disappearance of Persons, Disappearance Committed by Private Individuals, and the National System for Searching, Locating, and Identifying Missing Persons.
- Fortification of the General Law on Population: This reform aims to strengthen search, location, and identification of missing persons.
Reforms from the Chamber of Deputies
- Federal Competition Law Reform: Changes to the Federal Competition Law will be approved by the joint committees of Economy and Legislative Studies.
- Federal Law of Para-Statal Entities Reform: Amendments to the Federal Law of Para-Statal Entities will also be addressed this week.
Senate Committee Sessions
This week, the following Senate committees will hold sessions to discuss and approve the corresponding dictamen (report):
- Radio, Television, and Cinematography
- Communications and Transportation
- Legislative Studies of the Senate
Timeline for Reform Approval
It is highly likely that the reforms related to forced disappearance and population law will remain pending until the second round of extraordinary sessions or the subsequent ordinary session beginning September 1. The other reforms, including telecommunications, broadcasting, and competition laws, are expected to be approved this week.
Key Questions and Answers
- What reforms are being considered? The Mexican Senate is set to approve six reforms, including changes to the Telecommunications and Broadcasting Act, Desaparición Forzada of Persons law, General Law on Population, Federal Competition Law, and Federal Law of Para-Statal Entities.
- Which committees are involved in the approval process? The Radio, Television, and Cinematography; Communications and Transportation; and Legislative Studies of the Senate committees are responsible for discussing and approving the dictamen.
- When can we expect these reforms to be approved? The telecommunications, broadcasting, competition, and para-statal entities law reforms are expected to be approved this week. The forced disappearance and population law reforms may be delayed until the second round of extraordinary sessions or the next ordinary session beginning September 1.
