Jordan Times
Sunday, June 6, 2004
Lower House extraordinary session convenes today
By Sahar Aloul
Parliament was convened by Royal Decree on Saturday and is expected to remain in session for the next two months at least.
The legislature will continue to meet twice a week: On Saturday and Wednesday in afternoon and morning sessions respectively.
The House is largely anticipated to spend the duration of the session on legislative issues.
The Royal Decree, issued on Thursday, listed 66 items for deputies to deliberate during the session, including 42 temporary laws and 22 new laws proposed by the government.
The remaining two items involve reviewing internal House bylaws and committee recommendations related to government performance.
A 90-item agenda, including seven new laws, was originally proposed by a House majority in April, which requested the convening of an extraordinary session in accordance with the Constitution.
However, not all items included in the parliamentary petition were listed in the decree and several new laws were added.
The first extraordinary session was held directly after the general elections in July 2003 followed by an ordinary session in December of the same year.
As for the ordinary session, it is widely anticipated by House sources to be in early December — a date altered only twice during the past 20 years despite the constitutionally set date of October 1.