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NewsWhore
07-27-2011, 03:00 PM
The Senate of the Republic passed three pieces of legislation in its last session, ranging from marriages celebrated by Protestant pastors to the division of the spoils from drug seizures and the modifications to the national budget law.

The Senate accepted a modification introduced by the Chamber of Deputies to the legislative proposal of the General Budget of the State for 2011 and approved a bill that reduces 12% from the state institutions, except the municipalities and the Central Electoral Board. The transfer of funds favors the Public Electricity Corporation (CDEEE) with some RD$20.7 billion, in two disbursements: RD$13 billion from transfers from different institutions that will go to the CDEEE and RD$7.5 billion for the CDEEE to reduce it payments due. Ministries such as health and education are excluded from the institutions that will be transferring funds.

Diario Libre said that the senators also declared a proposal by Deputy Eugenio Cedeno that regulates religious marriages celebrated in the Dominican Republic by non-Catholic churches to be urgent and approved it in two readings. The approved law that will be sent to the Executive Branch will establish the judicial framework regulating the conditions and formalities under which the civil effects of these marriages will be recognized, whose relations with the state are not governed by any international agreement.

Also urgently approved was a modification to law 172-02 on Laundering of Assets from drug trafficking that gives 10% of the assets seized to the National Police. The legislative proposal was drafted by the president of the lower chamber, Abel Martinez and passed unanimously by the senators. This means that 25% of the assets seized from anyone accused of these criminal acts will go to the Attorney General of the Republic, and an equal amount for the National Drug Control Department (DNCD). The proposal considers, moreover, the delivery of 25% of the funds to the National Drugs Council and 15% for NGOs that work on drug prevention.

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