Making a Law in Myanmar

Having no clue how a law is made in Myanmar?

Then, this interactive explainer is for you. You just need to answer a few questions to navigate the stage of the law you're tracking.

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Let's start here! Do you know who drafted the bill?

Government Bill Private Bill

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Drafting

Line Ministry

Line ministry prepare the earliest draft of the legislation.

Drafting

Attorney-General Office

The attorney-general office reviews the draft prepared by the line ministry to check the format and consistency with existing laws.

Who?

Cabinet Review

Cabinet

The cabinet considers the draft prepared by the line ministry and reviewed by the attorney-general office.

Submission

Combined House Speaker

The combined house speaker receives the bill from the government and decides which house to start debating the draft. The draft text is available in government newspapers at this stage.

Which house the combined house speaker chooses to start?

Lower House (Pyithu Hluttaw)

Upper House (Amyotha Hluttaw)

Who?

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Drafting

MP (or Committee)

MP (or committee) drafts the bill and submits to the combined house speaker 30 days before the start of a regular session.

Submission

Combined House Speaker

The combined house speaker receives the bill from MP. The speaker decides whether it would be accepted and which house to start debating the draft. At this stage, the bill is available in government newspapers.

Which house the combined house speaker chooses to start?

Lower House (Pyithu Hluttaw)

Upper House (Amyotha Hluttaw)

Who?

Acceptance of Bill

Upper House

Upper House MPs debate the acceptance of the private bill and decide by vote.

Does Upper House accept the bill?

Yes No

Acceptance of Bill

Lower House

Lower House MPs debate the acceptance of the private bill and decide by vote.

Does Lower House accept the bill?

Yes No

The End of the Bill

Somewhere in a dustbin

The desperate attempt by MP (or committee in some cases) to make this a law has ended here! Good luck, next time!

Restart

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Committee Review

Upper House Bill Committee

Upper House Bill Committee reviews the bill and submit a report to the plenary session.

Debate

Upper House

MPs propose and debate amendments to the bill. The vote on each amendment happens at this stage to pass the bill.

Committee Review

Lower House Bill Committee

Lower House Bill Committee reviews the bill referred to the Lower House by the Upper House with/withtout amendments and submit a report to the plenary session.

Debate

Lower House

MPs propose and debate amendments to the bill. The vote on each amendment happens at this stage to pass the bill.

Does Lower House agree with Upper House-approved draft?

Yes No

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Committee Review

Lower House Bill Committee

Lower House Bill Committee reviews the bill and submit a report to the plenary session.

Debate

Lower House

MPs propose and debate amendments to the bill. The vote on each amendment happens at this stage to pass the bill.

Committee Review

Upper House Bill Committee

Upper House Bill Committee reviews the bill referred to the Lower House by the Upper House with/withtout amendments and submit a report to the plenary session.

Debate

Upper House

MPs propose and debate amendments to the bill. The vote on each amendment happens at this stage to pass the bill.

Does Upper House agree with Lower House-approved draft?

Yes No

1 2

Committee Review, Again!

Upper House Bill Committee

Upper House Bill Committee reviews the amendments made/disagreed by the Lower House.

Debate

Upper House

MPs debate the disagreed amendments between two houses. The vote on each amendment happens at this stage to pass the bill.

Still Disagree?

Yes No

1 2

Committee Review, Again!

Lower House Bill Committee

Lower House Bill Committee reviews the amendments made/disagreed by the Upper House.

Debate

Lower House

MPs debate the disagreed amendments between two houses. The vote on each amendment happens at this stage to pass the bill.

Still Disagree?

Yes No

1 2

Committee Review, Again!

Joint Bill Committee

Joint Bill Committee reviews the disagreements between two houses and vote on each disagreement.

Debate

Combined House

MPs debate the disagreed amendments between two houses. The vote on each amendment happens at this stage to pass the bill.

Presidential Consideration

The President

The Myanmar president is not allowed to veto the legislation passed by the parliament. But the president can provide comments if he/she doesn't agree with the bill. The president has 14 days upon receipt of the bill to return it back to the parliament with comments.

Does the president agree with the bill?

Yes No

Who?

1 2 3

Committee Review, Again! And Again!

Joint Bill Committee

Joint Bill Committee reviews the comments made by the president.

Debate

Combined House

MPs debate the amendments made by the president. The vote on each amendment happens at this stage to pass the bill.

Presidential Approval

The President

The president this time has to sign the bill passed by the parliament within seven days.

Does the president sign the bill into law?

Yes No

Who?

Bill becomes Law

The President

The president signs the bill into law.

Who?

Restart

Bill becomes Law

The Parliament

The parliament promulgates the law if the president didn't return the bill with comments within 14 days or the president didn't sign it into the law within seven days after the parliament heard his/her comments.

Restart

Making a Law in Myanmar

Line Ministry

Attorney-General Office

Cabinet

Combined House Speaker

MP (or Committee)

Combined House Speaker

Upper House

Lower House

Somewhere in a dustbin

Upper House Bill Committee

Upper House

Lower House Bill Committee

Lower House

Lower House Bill Committee

Lower House

Upper House Bill Committee

Upper House

Upper House Bill Committee

Upper House

Lower House Bill Committee

Lower House

Joint Bill Committee

Combined House

The President

Joint Bill Committee

Combined House

The President

The President

The Parliament

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