On the morning of April 26, continuing the 44th Session, the National Assembly Standing Committee gave opinions on the draft Law amending and supplementing a number of articles of the Law on Promulgation of Legal Documents.

Presenting the Government's proposal, Minister of Justice Nguyen Hai Ninh emphasized the need to promulgate the Law to fully institutionalize the Party's guiding viewpoints, the Conclusions of the Politburo and the Secretariat, the orientation to amend and supplement a number of articles of the Constitution, the Law on Organization of Local Government on continuing to reorganize the apparatus of the political system (Vietnam Fatherland Front) and the organization of two-level local governments (provincial and communal levels).

The promulgation of the Law also aims to institutionalize Resolution No. 57-NQ/TW dated December 22, 2024 of the Politburo on breakthroughs in science, technology, innovation and national digital transformation and further improve regulations on the development and promulgation of legal documents. Some provisions of the Law on Promulgation of Legal Documents need to be specified more specifically to facilitate the implementation of the Law.

The draft Law consists of 2 articles: Article 1 amends and supplements 13 articles and technically amends 6 articles; Article 2 takes effect. The Law is expected to take effect from July 1, 2025. Regarding the scope of regulation and subjects of application, the draft Law amends and supplements a number of provisions related to the development and promulgation of legal documents by commune-level authorities; the role of the Vietnam Fatherland Front in the development and promulgation of legal documents; amends and supplements a number of provisions to meet the requirements of science and technology development, innovation, creativity and digital transformation; and amends and supplements a number of provisions to facilitate the implementation of the Law.

The draft Law removes the authority to issue legal documents of the People's Council and People's Committee at the district level, replacing it with the authority to issue legal documents of the People's Council and People's Committee at the commune level. At the same time, it amends the regulation that the People's Council at the provincial level issues resolutions to prescribe policies and measures for socio-economic development, budget, national defense and security in the locality...

Along with that, supplement regulations related to the handling of documents of competent agencies issuing legal documents when arranging organizations and apparatus; supplement regulations to meet the requirements of innovation, creativity, and digital transformation according to Resolution 57-NQ/TW of the Politburo on breakthroughs in science and technology development, innovation, and national digital transformation.

Presenting the Verification Report, Chairman of the National Assembly's Committee on Law and Justice Hoang Thanh Tung said that the Committee and the National Assembly's agencies approved the amendment and supplement to the Law on Promulgation of Legal Documents, and highly appreciated the efforts and urgent efforts of the Government and the Drafting Agency in preparing the draft Law dossier; approved the construction of this Law according to the shortened procedures; The project dossier was guaranteed to be complete and submitted on time as prescribed.

In addition, Chairman of the Law and Justice Committee Hoang Thanh Tung requested the Government to clarify the reasons for proposing amendments to a number of contents stated in the Submission so that the National Assembly Standing Committee and the National Assembly have a basis for consideration and decision.

Concluding the discussion on the draft Law on amending and supplementing a number of articles of the Law on Promulgation of Legal Documents, Vice Chairman of the National Assembly Nguyen Khac Dinh said that the National Assembly Standing Committee highly appreciated the Government and the Ministry of Justice for their proactive efforts in coordinating with relevant agencies in preparing the dossier of the draft Law on amending and supplementing a number of articles of the Law on Promulgation of Legal Documents to submit to the National Assembly Standing Committee in accordance with the set program and plan.

Regarding some general issues, the National Assembly Standing Committee basically agrees. Regarding some specific contents of the draft Law, the National Assembly Standing Committee proposes to consider the general principle, which is to only amend articles and clauses that must be amended to serve the task of innovation, arrangement, and streamlining of the apparatus organization, meeting the requirements of science and technology development, innovation and digital transformation in the coming time.

*Also this morning, the National Assembly Standing Committee gave its opinion on the draft Law on Inspection (amended). According to the Government's Submission, the draft Law on Inspection (amended) consists of 9 chapters and 64 articles; 54/118 articles are omitted; the revised and completed content is 23 articles; of which, 54 articles of the 2022 Law on Inspection are omitted, revised and completed regulations on the organization and operation of inspection, cutting over 40% of administrative procedures in inspection activities.

Examining the draft Law, Chairman of the Law and Justice Committee Hoang Thanh Tung emphasized that the Law and Justice Committee agrees with the comprehensive amendment of the 2022 Law on Inspection with the reasons, political, legal, practical bases, and viewpoints as stated in the Government's Submission.

Discussing at the meeting, the majority of opinions agreed on the comprehensive amendment and many key contents of the draft Law on Inspection 2022. To complete the draft Law, delegates focused on giving comments on a number of regulations related to inspection classification; specific regulations on building an inspection database system; and principles of inspection activities.

Concluding the discussion, Vice Chairman of the National Assembly Nguyen Khac Dinh suggested that the Government take into account the opinions of the agency in charge of the review and the opinions of the members of the National Assembly Standing Committee to continue perfecting the draft Law dossier before entering the 9th Session. Regarding the handling of overlaps and duplications in inspection activities, the National Assembly Standing Committee agreed to assign the Government to regulate the handling of overlaps and duplications in inspection activities between inspection agencies. However, it proposed to add a principled provision on the handling of overlaps and duplications between inspection activities and state audit activities; at the same time, it suggested to study the provisions on the handling of overlaps and duplications between specialized inspection, examination and supervision activities to facilitate implementation.