Reforms To The
Ley De Tránsito
Stalled. Again.
The expected
approval of the
reforms to the
Ley de Tránsito
that would do
away with the
point system and
lower fines,
among other
things, did not
occur on
Thursday, in
fact it will now
be up to the
next legislative
assembly to deal
with it.
This because
legislators of
the Partido
Acción Ciudadana
(PAC),
Accesibilidad
Sin Exclusión (PASE)
and Movimiento
Libertario (ML)
decided for a
consultation of
the Sala
Constitucional
(Constitutional
Court) or Sala
IV.
The action,
accepted by the
court, in effect
stalls the
legislation
until such a
time the
Constitutional
Court rules,
which will is
not expected to
occur before the
end of the
month, the end
of the term of
the current
legislative
body.
Alberto Salom,
PAC party whip,
assures that the
court document
is valid and
hopes that the
court will stop
the required
second voting
for the reforms
to become law.
Salom explained
that a number of
legislators were
not happy with
the reforms as
passed in first
reading on
Tuesday and only
required passing
on Thursday to
become law.
Carlos Gutiérrez,
ML party whip,
says errors in
the voting
process prompted
his party to
join the court
action.
Jorge Méndez,
Partido
Liberación
Nacional (PLN)
party whip says
that the Sala IV
is expected to
take at least
four weeks to
analyze the
action before
rendering a
decision.
If that is the
case, it will be
up to the next
group of
legislators that
take office on
May 8 to deal
with the reforms
or go back to
the drawing
board, which
could delay the
process for
several months
more.
"It is a
regrettable
decision. It
further delays
the uncertainty
that which Costa
Ricans live. And
thanks to that
(the court
action) drivers
will be
receiving high
fines that they
do not deserve",
said Méndez.
Although the
court is
expected to take
weeks, the Sala
IV has, on
occasion, come
back with a
decision in
days.
Méndez took the
opportunity to
do some
politicking,
saying that his
party had hoped
to have the
reforms approved
before the end
of this
legislative
group and that
the delays can
be blamed on the
PAC.
Lorena Vásquez,
of the Partido
Unidad Social
Cristiana (PUSC),
also criticized
the decision of
the PAC and the
other parties to
go to the
Constitutional
Court. |
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