The 1999 Constitution

Section 60

Subject to the provisions of this Constitution, the Senate or the House of Representatives shall have power to regulate its own procedure, including the procedure for summoning and recess of the House.

(The Senate or the House of Representatives will have the right to undertake and supervise any procedure regarding plenary sessions in both houses, including the procedure for convening and the cessation of activities in both Houses.)

Section 61

The Senate or the House of Representatives may act notwithstanding any vacancy in its membership, and the presence or participation of any person not entitled to be present at or to participate in the proceedings of the House shall not invalidate those proceedings.

(Despite the fact that there are lawmakers absent from the legislature, or that there is a participation in legislative proceedings by a non-legislator, whatever actions taken by the Legislature in situations like this, can never be invalidated.)

Section 62 (1)

The Senate or the House of Representatives may appoint a committee of its members for such special or general purpose as in its opinion would be better regulated and managed by means of such a committee, and may by resolution, regulation or otherwise, as it thinks fit, delegate any functions exercisable by it to any such committee.

(The Senate or the House of Representatives can constitute a committee made up of its members, and can delegate duties to the committee in any manner it deems fit and reasonable.)

Section 62 (2)

The number of members of a committee appointed under this section, their terms of office and quorum shall be fixed by the House appointing it.

(The Legislative House (i.e. either the Senate or the House of Representatives) appointing the committee shall determine the period of time within which the members of such committee shall discharge their duties. The House shall also determine the number of members needed to be present to begin a meeting.)

Section 62 (3)

The Senate and the House of Representatives shall appoint a joint committee on finance consisting of an equal number of persons appointed by each House and may appoint any other joint committee under the provisions of this section.

(The Senate and the House of Representatives shall form a joint committee on finance which consists of the same number of appointees for each house.  If both houses so choose, they can constitute any other joint committee.)

Section 62 (4)

Nothing in this section shall be construed as authorizing such House to delegate to a committee the power to decide whether a bill shall be passed into law or to determine any matter which it is empowered to determine by resolution under the provisions of this Constitution, but the committee may be authorized to make recommendations to the House on any such matter.

(No provision of this section shall be understood as stating that any of the Houses shall give to any committee the power to decide if a bill shall be passed into law. The committee shall also not decide on any matter which the House can decide by way of resolution by the provisions of the Constitution. However, the committee can make recommendations to the house on the proper line of action to take.)

Section 59 of the 1999 Constitution: Bills