Chamber of Deputies Overview
The Chamber of Deputies concluded its second ordinary session period for the first year of the LXVI legislature with more than 1,300 bills left unaddressed. Among these were two proposals by President Claudia Sheinbaum concerning public safety.
In February, at the start of this period, Ricardo Monreal Ávila (Morena), president of the Political Coordination Board in the Chamber of Deputies, stated that intense work was expected at San Lázaro to approve at least 73 regulatory laws.
This was due to the constitutional and public administration reforms approved in the final stages of President Andrés Manuel López Obrador’s six-year term, including the organic amendment for simplification, which led to the disappearance of seven autonomous bodies, such as the National Institute of Transparency.
However, over two months, only 14 out of the 73 laws were advanced.
Security Changes
Among the unresolved matters left by deputies are presidential initiatives to enact the Law of the National System of Investigation and Intelligence in Public Security Matters and the General Law on the National System of Public Security.
These laws aim to modify the National Public Security System and expand the state’s capacity in research and intelligence.
Another topic completely frozen is the reform of the Law of the Institute of Security and Social Services of State Workers (ISSSTE), which President Claudia Sheinbaum herself withdrew until an agreement is reached with teachers and workers in the education sector.
It is anticipated that the Chamber of Deputies will convene an extraordinary period between June and July to pass secondary laws on public security matters and other topics, such as the discussion in the Senate about disappearances.
Additionally, the regulation of the new model of the Federal Judicial Power must be completed before new federal judges, magistrates, and ministers assume their roles. Also under review is the new Telecommunications and Broadcasting Law, being analyzed in the Senate.
Chamber of Senators
During the second ordinary session period of the first year of the LXVI Legislature in the Chamber of Senators, 646 matters (90.6% of the total) out of 713 presented between February 1 and April 30, remained unresolved in the legislative freezer.
Of the 442 initiatives presented by Morena senators (153), PAN (86), PRI (81), PVEM (62), PT (23), MC (20), one by Manlio Fabio Beltrones Rivera (independent), and nine by the Federal Executive Power, among others, only 12 (2.7%) were approved, and 429 (97%) are pending discussion and potential approval in committees and the plenary session.
One initiative, proposed by priista Ángel García Yáñez to reform Article 139 of the Electric Industry Law, was reported but rejected.
Among the pending approval matters in the upper house are three initiatives by President Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo: amending the General Law on Forced Disappearance of Persons, Disappearance by Private Individuals, and the National System for Searching for Missing Persons, as well as strengthening the search, location, and identification of missing persons in the General Population Law.
Also included is the decree establishing the Telecommunications and Broadcasting Law, which had to be sent back to committees for review through parliamentary open dialogues when it was already scheduled for plenary approval, at the request of the Mexican leader following criticism of her initiative.
Lastly, Sheinbaum’s proposal to modify the Federal Competition Economic Law and the Federal Law on Para-State Entities.
Among the initiatives by opposition senators that were left aside is Ricardo Anaya’s proposal to reform Article 21 of the Constitution, establishing that the National Public Security System will implement the “proximity police” or “neighborhood police” model.
The same applies to Alejandro Moreno’s initiative, national president of the PRI, to amend Article 30 Bis of the Federal Administration Public Law and create a National Coordination for Combating Fentanyl and Synthetic Drugs.
Key Questions and Answers
- What is the main issue discussed in this article? The low productivity during the Mexican legislative session, with over 1,300 bills left unaddressed in the Chamber of Deputies and 90% of laws unanalyzed in the Senate.
- Who are the key figures mentioned? President Claudia Sheinbaum, Ricardo Monreal Ávila (Morena), Andrés Manuel López Obrador, Ricardo Anaya (PAN), Alejandro Moreno (PRI).
- What are the main topics of unresolved bills? Security reforms, including the National System of Investigation and Intelligence in Public Security Matters Law and the General Law on the National System of Public Security; ISSSTE law reform; Telecommunications and Broadcasting Law; and constitutional amendments.
- Why were some bills left unresolved? Due to intense work expectations, constitutional and public administration reforms, and criticism of certain initiatives.
