Public participation in legislation is beneficial, says a signed
article in Xiaoxiang Morning Post. An excerpt follows:
Following last year's publication of the draft property law,
which has provoked heated discussions, the Standing Committee of
the National People's Congress (NPC) recently made public the draft
of the labor contract law, in the hope of creating similar
discussion in various social circles.
This is another move taken by the NPC Standing Committee in
practicing the "mass line" in the process of legislation.
A "mass line" means participation of the masses in the process
of legislation through various channels.
This kind of legislation process helps laws better safeguard the
fundamental interests of ordinary people.
The Law on Legislation makes full stipulations on the public's
involvement in legislation, such as soliciting opinions from the
masses on draft laws, increasing the number of published law
drafts, and gradually expanding the opinion-soliciting scope.
In fact, following the creation of the Law on Legislation, some
new developments have been made in public participation in recent
years.
In October last year,
Guizhou Province in southwest China promulgated a document
stipulating that citizens, legal persons and organizations can put
forward to the provincial legislative body drafts on local
regulations. It was the province's first document stipulating
citizens' participation in legislation.
Three years ago, 12 lawyers in southwestern
Chongqing Municipality independently drafted the municipal
property management ordinance, which was then passed by the
municipal people's congress.
Last year, under the commission of the Tianjin municipal
people's congress, the city's association of lawyers organized a
12-member group for the drafting of a regulation on local
hearings.
All this demonstrated that public participation in legislation
has become comparatively direct and has developed to a high
degree.
Lawyers, law experts and other personages assisting deputies of
people's congress at various levels in drafting law bills has
already become common,
Citizens' involvement in legislation is a component of their
participation in politics.
The wider the road, the better the environment for their orderly
participation in politics.
(China Daily March 27, 2006)