The Powers of the National Assembly

Article 47

The National Assembly shall have the following additional powers:

• to approve Rules for its internal government
• to examine the:
  • legality of the elections
  • legal qualifications of the elected members
• to elect its President, Vice-Presidents, and Secretaries. Until the Assembly has been dissolved, the President, Vice-Presidents, and Secretaries shall continue to exercise their office for 4 legislative terms
• to accept the resignations of its members and grant privileges in accordance with the Rules.

Article 48

No bill shall become law without having been voted on by the Assembly.

• To approve a bill, the presence of at least 1/4 members is needed.

Article 49

Bills shall be approved by the Assembly only after it has been voted on as a whole and subsequently article by article.

Article 50

The Assembly shall have the right of censure, and each of the members the right of interpellation.

Article 51

The initiative in the presentation of bills belongs to the President of the Republic and to the Assembly.

Article 52

Any member of the Assembly who accepts from the Government any pension, employment, or office with salary, is understood to have renounced his membership. From this shall be excepted the employment as Secretary of the Government of the Republic and other offices provided for by special laws.

Article 53

The office of Representatives shall be for a term of four years, and shall be compensated by a sum fixed by law, according to the circumstances.

Those who absent themselves during the entire period of the legislative sessions shall not be entitled to any compensation; but they may be allowed to recover the right to compensation should they attend subsequently.

Title 6: The Permanent Commission

Article 54

The Assembly, before adjournment, shall elect 7 of its members to form the Permanent Commission during the period of adjournment.

• The Commission shall designate the President and the Secretary on its first session.

Article 55

The Permanent Commission, during the adjournment of the Assembly, shall have the following attributes:

• Declare if there is sufficient cause, in the cases provided by this Constitution, to proceed against:
  • the President of the Republic
  • the Representatives
  • Department secretaries
  • the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court
  • the Solicitor-General
• Convoke the Assembly to a special session in the cases where the latter should constitute itself into a Tribunal of Justice.
• Act on pending matters which require proper action.
• Convoke the Assembly in special sessions when the exigencies of the situation so demand.
• Supplement the powers of the Assembly in accordance with the Constitution, excepting the act of voting and approving laws.

The Permanent Commission shall meet in session whenever convoked by the presiding officer.