The Functions of the Legislature Strengthening Citizens Voices for Legislative Engagement

October 24 – 26, 2013 NDI/Liberia – Swedish Embassy

Learning Objectives To increase the knowledge of partners on the functions of the legislature

Introduction • The Liberian Government has three separate coordinate branches: the Legislative, Executive, and Judiciary • The legislative power of the Republic is vested in the Legislature of Liberia • The Legislature is made of two houses: the Senate and the House of Representatives

The Functions of the Legislature The Legislature has three main functions:  Lawmaking  Representation  Oversight

The primary function of the Legislature is to make laws.

Lawmaking Function Legislature responsibilities include: Presenting laws Reviewing laws introduced by the executive Offering amendments to existing laws The power to pass, amend, and repeal laws Approve the national budget – reviewing and adopting the budget

Oversight Function Legislative oversight refers to: The legislature’s review and evaluation of activities of the executive branch of government The duty of the legislature to ensure that existing programs are implemented and administered efficiently and effectively The legislature ensuring that programs are implemented in a manner consistent with legislative intent

Representation Function Legislators represent their constituents – they stand in for others or group of people Legislators has two level of representation – electoral districts (House of Representatives) and geographic (Senate – each county has two senators) Legislators are the eyes, ears and voices of the people Legislators speak for their constituents Legislators represent the “public interest.”

Thank You Questions & Answers