Art. 74
Notwithstanding Article 36, federal legislative power is jointly exercised by the King and by the Chamber of Representatives for:
1° the granting of naturalization;
2° laws relative to the civil and penal responsibilities of the King’s ministers;
3° State budgets and accounts, without prejudice to Article 174,
1st paragraph, second sentence;
4° the establishment of the army quotas.
Art. 75
Each branch of the federal legislative power has the right of initiative.
Except for those matters described in Article 77, draft bills submitted to the Chambers at the King’s initiative are brought to the Chamber of
Representatives, then forwarded to the Senate.
Draft bills relating to the approval of treaties submitted to the Chambers on the King’s initiative, are introduced to the Senate and afterwards transmitted to the Chamber of Representatives.
Art. 76
A draft bill may be adopted by a Chamber only after having been voted on article by article.
The Chambers have the right to amend and to sub-divide those articles and amendments proposed.
Art. 77
The Chamber of Representatives and the Senate are equally competent with respect to:
1° the declaration of constitutional revision and for constitutional revision;
2° matters requiring settlement by both legislative Chambers
by virtue of the Constitution;
3° laws described in Articles 5, 39, 43, 50, 68, 71, 77, 82, 115, 117, 118, 121, 123, 127 to 131, 135 to 137, 140 to 143, 145, 146, 163, 165, 166, 167, § 1, paragraph 3, § 4 and § 5, 169, 170,
§ 2, paragraph 2, § 3, paragraphs 2 and 3, § 4, paragraph 2 and 175 to 177, in addition to those laws executed on the basis of the above-mentioned laws and articles;
4° laws to be adopted by majority vote as described in Article
4, last paragraph, in addition to those laws executed on the basis of the latter;
5° laws described in Article 34;
6° laws relating to the approval of treaties;
7° laws adopted in keeping with Article 169, to ensure respect of international or supranational commitments;
8° laws relating to the Council of State;
9° the organization of courts and tribunals;
10°laws approving co-operation agreements between State, communities, and regions.
A law adopted by majority vote as described in Article 4, last paragraph, may designate other laws for which the Chamber of Representatives and the Senate are competent on an equal basis.
Art. 78
Regarding matters other than those described in Articles 74 and 77, draft bills adopted by the Chamber of Representatives are then forwarded to the Senate.
At the request of fifteen Senate members at least, the Senate examines the draft bills. This request is made within fifteen days after receiving the draft bill.
The Senate may, within a time period not exceeding sixty days:
- decide against amendment of the draft bill;
- adopt the bill following amendment.
Should the Senate fail to act on the bill within the established time frame, or should the Senate have informed the Chamber of Representatives of its decision not to amend the bill, the latter is then forwarded to the King by the Chamber of Representatives.
If the bill has been amended, the Senate forwards it to the Chamber of Representatives, which then makes a final decision: the draft bill is either adopted, or those amendments established by the Senate are either partially or entirely rejected.
Art. 79
Should, during the course of an examination as described in Article 78, last paragraph, the Chamber of Representatives adopt a new amendment, the draft bill is then returned to the Senate, which expresses its opinion on the amended bill. The Senate may, within a time period not exceeding fifteen days
- decide to accept the bill as amended by the Chamber of Representatives;
- adopt the draft bill following further amendment.
Should the Senate fail to act within the established time frame, or should it inform the Chamber of Representatives of its decision to support the draft bill as voted by the Chamber of Representatives, the latter then forwards the bill to the King.
Should the bill once again be amended, the Senate forwards it to the
Chamber of Representatives which then makes a final decision by either
adopting or by amending the draft bill.
Art. 80
Should, during the presentation of a draft bill as described in Article 78, the federal government indicate urgency, the parliamentary consultation
committee described in Article 82 must determine the time frame within which the Senate must make its decision.
Should the commission fail to reach agreement, the time frame granted to the Senate becomes seven days, while the examination period described in Article 78, paragraph 3, becomes thirty days.
Art. 81
Should the Senate, by virtue of its right of initiative, adopt a draft bill in the areas described in Article 78, the draft bill is then forwarded to the Chamber of Representatives.
Within a time period not exceeding sixty days, the Chamber must give its final decision, either by rejecting or by adopting the draft bill.
Should the Chamber amend the draft bill, the latter is then returned to the Senate, which must debate the amendments in accordance with the rules in Article 79.
In the event of application of Article 79, paragraph 3, the Chamber statutes in a final manner within fifteen days.
Should the Chamber fail to reach agreement within the time frames est
ablished in paragraphs 2 and 4, the parliamentary consultation commission described in Article 82 must meet within fifteen days and establish a time limit within which the Chamber must make a decision.
Should the commission fail to reach agreement, the Chamber must make a decision within sixty days.
Art. 82
A parliamentary consultation commission composed on an equal basis of members of the Chamber of Representatives and of the Senate settles
competency conflicts which may arise between the two chambers and may, with mutual agreement, extend the study periods described in Articles 78 to 81 at all times.
Lacking majority representation by either of the two groups composing the commission, the latter must statute on a two-thirds majority basis.
A law determines the composition and functioning of the commission, in
addition to a method of calculating the time periods described in Articles 78 to 81.
Art. 83
All motions and all draft bills specify whether contents refer to those
issues described in Article 74, Article 77, or Article 78.
Art. 84
The authoritative interpretation of laws remains the sole competency of the law.
