COVID Module Question 20

What was the process for legislative discussion and approval of the emergency fiscal policy package under consideration?

Guidelines
While, by nature, emergency fiscal policy packages require swift action and decision making, this question aims at capturing the extent to which legislatures were able to discuss and vote on the packages before they were implemented.

In the comment box below, researchers should include details such as: (i) if multiple packages were introduced, whether different processes were followed depending on the package (e.g., a supplementary budget vs. presidential decree), and which ones; and (ii) if the legislature reviewed and discussed the package, how long did it have to do so?

Tick boxes: ''Please check the boxes of the items that appear in the relevant documentation. If none of the items are presented, please check ‘None of the Above’. In the comment box, please provide a detailed citation for each item selected below as described in the assessment directions as well as any additional details.''

policy package before its approval.
 * ☐  Legislature held a vote on the proposed package before the package was implemented
 * ☐  Legislature debated the proposed package before voting on it
 * ☐  Legislature established a special COVID-19 committee or granted additional powers to existing committees to discuss the proposed emergency fiscal
 * ☐  Legislature had at least two weeks to review and discuss the proposed package before holding a vote on it.
 * ☐  Not applicable (the legislature was not involved in the approval of the EFPP)

1) What if the role of the legislature in approving the EFPP differs than the overall role of the legislature during the crisis?
In Indonesia, the government issued a Regulation in March which essentially allowed govt. to circumvent budgeting process and limiting legislative oversight. This was approved by parliament in May (Law No. 2 of 2020). It relaxed the limit on deficit, allow more state spending (without debate) for relief efforts and new tax measures. The emergency fiscal policy package chosen by the researcher, the supplementary budget, was announced after this increase in executive authority, so the legislature was not involved in its approval.

In Question 20, the researcher responded on the basis of Law No. 2, and chose “Not applicable” (the legislature was not involved in the approval of the EFPP).

In Question 21, the researcher chose “State of Emergency” and “Cabinet or individual ministers were empowered with emergency expenditure and law-making authority”.

In Bangladesh, there was a similar situation (see data from the COVID module).

The conclusion is that we will respond to Questions 21 and 22 using the EFPP only (even if it differs from the overall role of legislature during the crisis). Researchers are welcome to note the overall role in comments.