The lower house Chamber of Deputies on Wednesday approved the ‘Ley Hojarasca’ bill, an initiative pushed by Deregulation & State Transformation Minister Federico Sturzenegger that will strip away more than 70 obsolete norms.
The so-called “leaf litter bill” received 138 votes in favour with 96 against and nine abstentions. It now heads to the Senate, where the government is seeking final approval.
The bill repeals more than 60 norms which the government considers obsolete, including the popularly known ‘Ley del Lobizón,’ which obliges the president to be the godparent of every seventh child born. Rules approving the authorisation of television pictures in colour, allowing a request for the documentation of anybody carrying a rucksack and the regulation of pigeon races are also being removed.
Articles of three other laws and two decrees will also be repealed.
Budget Committee chairman Alberto ‘Bertie’ Benegas Lynch (La Libertad Avanza-Buenos Aires Province) highlighted the potential impact of the ‘Ley Hojarasca’ bill, contrasting it with the drive which he attributed to traditional politicians to accumulate regulations without limits "to make life impossible" for "decent" Argentine citizens.
"They believe that we are here to guide, control, audit, monitor, intervene and aggravate every step of the citizenry, making their lives absolutely impossible and they do not realise that in a civilised country rights and individual autonomy are the rule and norms and regulations to cover up the grey aspects when interpreting the Constitution are the exception," considered the national deputy.
To the government lawmaker, "this is due in large measure to many of us here refuse to recognise that the law and governance come before legislation."
Deputy Nicolás Trotta (Unión por la Patria-Buenos Aires Province) spoke against the bill, stating his opinion that "behind this smokescreen they seek to continue destroying the state."
Leftist Myriam Bregman (Frente de Izquierda-City) warned: "You really have to be thick-headed to vote for a law like this."
"No more than two or three of the deputies raising their hands to vote for this bill have any idea of what it is about," she reproached, questioning the government line that it is an "innocuous" law and reform.
Congress later moved on to vote on a bill to redefine the geographical scope of the régime to subsidise gas consumption in "cold zones," apart from the approval of a series of treaties and international agreements and the delivery of medals of honour to Malvinas veterans.
The “cold zone” reform, which was approved by 132 votes to 105, with four abstentions, would see roughly 1.7 million households lose their existing benefit should it be cleared by the upper house.
– TIMES/NA
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