Government, parties outline priorities as new legislative session begins

The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), the Chines Nationalist Party (KMT) and the Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) each commented on their respective legislative priorities yesterday as the Legislative Yuan began a new session.

The Cabinet listed nine draft bills as top priorities for the new session, including measures related to the economy, disadvantaged groups, youth, indigenous affairs, health insurance data, childcare services, artificial intelligence, and protections for persons with disabilities.

Cabinet spokesperson Michelle Lee (李慧芝) said the package includes amendments to the Indigenous Peoples Employment Rights Protection Act (原住民族工作權保障法), the Personal Data Protection Act (個人資料保護法), the People with Disabilities Rights Protection Act (身心障礙者權益保障法), and the Business Mergers and Acquisitions Act (企業併購法).

Photo: CNA

Other priority bills will be reviewed by newly appointed Executive Yuan Deputy Secretary-General Yuan Ruan Zhao-syong (阮昭雄), who will also coordinate with Legislative Yuan caucuses, Lee said.

Meanwhile, the KMT said it intends to pursue reforms to the Local Government Act (地方制度法), military and civil servant pensions, referendum and election law, and subsidies.

KMT caucus Deputy Secretary-General Lin Pei-hsiang (林沛祥) said the bills have “not yet been discussed” or even drawn up, and that “nothing has been finalized.”

“Whether it is a referendum-election combination or pension reform, we will engage in thorough communication with the TPP, and after mutual understanding, release either separate or integrated versions,” Lin said.

TPP caucus whip Huang Kuo-chang (黃國昌) said his party will promote amendments to the Referendum Law (公民投票法) to combine referendums with elections.

Meanwhile, a DPP party source said that President William Lai (賴清德), who also chairs the DPP, has invited DPP lawmakers from different factions to his official residence.

According to the source, Lai’s goal is to build consensus and ensure the general budget passes smoothly.

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