Page:The Czechoslovak Review, vol4, 1920.pdf/178

This page has been proofread, but needs to be validated.
158
THE CZECHOSLOVAK REVIEW

shortened. The limit of one month within which the senate shall take action on financial and army bills cannot be extended.

If during the limit the term of the house which is to take action on the bill of the other exprires or the house is dissolved, prorogued or its session closed. the limit begins to run anew from its next meeting.

If the second house takes no action within the above time limits, the failure is considered equivalent to approval of the decision of the first house.

44. A measure passed by the chamber of deputies shall become law in spite of the dissent of the senate, if the chamber of deputies by a vote of the majority of the entire membership reaffirms its original vote. If the senate rejects by a three fourths majority of the entire membership a bill which was passed by the chamber of deputies, the bill becomes law only if repassed by the chamber of deputies by a majority of three fifths of the entire membership.

Proposals of the senate are submitted to the chamber of deputies. If the latter rejects the senate bill and the senate reaffirms its original vote by a majority vote of the entire membership, the bill is submitted once more to the chamber of deputies. If the chamber of deputies rejects the senate bill by a majority vote of the entire membership, the bill fails.

Bills which thus failed cannot be resubmitted in either house before the expiration of one year.

Amendment of a bill passed by one house in the other house is equivalent to rejection.

45. If either house has to consider for the second time a bill which it once voted or consider again a bill passed by the other house, and should the house be dissolved or its term expire before reconsideration, the action of the new house on the matter shall be considered to be its second action in the sense of section 44.

46. If the National Assembly rejects a government bill, the government may order a popular vote to be taken on the question, whether the bill shall become law. Such a decision of the government must be unanimous.

The right of vote belongs to all who are entitled to vote for members of chamber of deputies.

Details are regulated by law.

Popular vote does not apply to governmental proposals changing or amending the constitution and the fundamental laws which are a part of it.

47. The president of the Republic may return with his objections a law passed by the National Assembly within one month from the day on which it was delivered to the government.

48. If both houses in a roll call reaffirm their vote by a majority of the entire membership, the measure shall be proclaimed law.

If such a concurrent majority of both houses is not reached, the measure will nevertheless become law, if in a new roll call the chamber of deputies votes for it by three fifths of the entire membership.

If the measure in question is one which requires the larger quorum and higher majority, the returned measure must be adopted in the presence of this quorum by the specified majority.

The provisions of section 45 apply here also.

49. A law does not go into effect, until it is proclaimed in the manner prescribed by law.

Laws are proclaimed by this clause: “The National Assembly of the Czechoslovak Republic adopted the following law.”

Laws shall be proclaimed within eight days, not including Sundays, from the limit set in section 47. If the president of the Republic makes use of his right there referred to, the law shall be proclaimed within eight days, not including Sundays, from the day, when re-enactment by National Assembly is communicated to the government.

50. Every law must state, which member of the government is charged with its execution.

51. The law shall be signed by the president of the Republic, the president of the government and the minister charged to execute the law. If the president is disabled or ill and has no deputy, the president of the government signs on his behalf.

The president of the government may be represented in the signing of laws in the manner provided for in section 71.

52. Each house has the right to interpellate the president and members of the government on all matters within their jurisdiction, inquire into administrative acts of the government, appoint committees