The Presidential Transition Bill, pending Senate concurrence, has been passed. The decision was made on Tuesday, September 3, 2024, in the House of Representatives Chambers.
With unanimous votes displayed, the Plenary of the Honorable House of Representatives agreed to amend Title 12, Chapter 1, Part 1 of the Executive Law. The revised Liberian Codes of Law were brought to light by creating a new sub-chapter “E,” to be known as the Presidential Transition Bill.
The decision, made on their second day of sitting during the second extraordinary session of the first session, followed a report from the joint committee on Elections, Judiciary, Good Governance, and Executive, respectively.
The committee made a recommendation based on the mandate set by the House Plenary. The Plenary of the House of Representatives recently tasked the joint committee with the responsibility to review the bill crafted by the Law Reform Commission of Liberia and submitted by President Joseph Boakai.
The bill seeks to provide a structural legal framework that facilitates the smooth transfer of power from one democratically elected government to another. It is intended to eradicate the perceived disposition of discontinuity and protect democratic principles and values during presidential transitions, coupled with adequate international best practices.
Meanwhile, the instrument is expected to be forwarded to the Liberian Senate for concurrence.
Before the passage of this instrument in the House, HOR’s Chairman of the Judiciary Committee, Representative Michael Thomas, voiced support for amending the Presidential Transition Bill, emphasizing its crucial role in ensuring smooth power transitions between democratically elected administrations. This framework is designed to mitigate historical challenges and uphold democratic principles and values, drawing on international best practices.
During a public hearing held at the Capitol, Rep. Thomas underscored the necessity of evidence-based policy decisions. He advocated for strengthening legal frameworks to enhance transparency and ensure equitable participation in the legislative process.
The hearing, organized by the Joint Committee on Judiciary, Elections, Executive, and Good Governance, followed a recent directive from the House Plenary. President Joseph Boakai had previously submitted the Presidential Transition Bill to the House of Representatives, emphasizing its potential to reduce procedural errors and prevent national crises. He noted that Liberia has undergone numerous democratic transitions without a standardized legal framework to guide them.
Rep. Thomas acknowledged the collaborative efforts of various stakeholders, including the National Democratic Institute of Liberia, local and international NGOs, the National Elections Commission, and civil society organizations, in supporting the bill’s review process.
The hearing saw participation from numerous officials, stakeholders, and international partners, such as representatives from the Executive Branch, including the Legal Advisor to the President, the Minister of Justice, the Governance Commission, the Minister of Internal Affairs, and the Law Reform Commission. Legal and constitutional experts, representatives from the Liberia National Bar Association, civil society and advocacy groups, the National Civil Society Council of Liberia, CENTAL, the National Human Rights Commission, Women NGO of Liberia (WONGOSOL), and the Federation for Liberian Youth (FLY) were also present.
Political parties, including the Unity Party, Congress for Democratic Change, Alternative National Congress, All Liberian People’s Party, Liberian People’s Party, and Liberty Party, were represented, alongside international organizations such as the United Nations Electoral Support Program (UNESP), Democracy International (DI), and the Netherlands Institute for Multiparty Democracy (NIMD).
The House Judiciary Committee, led by Hon. Michael M. Thomas, has scheduled public hearings on the Presidential Transition Bill to commence on Tuesday, August 6, 2024, at 9 AM in the William Richard Tolbert Jr. Joint Chambers of the Legislature. The committee encourages public participation to ensure transparency and inclusivity in the legislative process.
In recent legislative sessions, President Boakai submitted several bills for enactment, including the Presidential Transition Bill. These bills have been referred to the committees on Judiciary, Elections and Inauguration, Executive, and Good Governance for review and reporting back to the Plenary for legislative action.
Rep. Thomas highlighted the importance of public involvement in the hearings to foster a transparent and inclusive legislative process. The committee has invited a wide range of stakeholders to provide input to ensure that the bill addresses all relevant concerns and perspectives.
