𝐇ouse 𝐑𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰s ‘𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐑𝐮𝐥𝐞𝐬’

The House of Representatives (HoR) has officially opened the process to review and adopt its Standing Rules for the 55th Legislature.

The ceremony was done with a renewed focus on aligning legislative procedures with current governance realities and constitutional standards.

The initiative is led by Representative Jeremiah Garwo Sokan, Chair of the Rules Adoption Committee, who has called for the need to modernize the House’s operational framework to enhance clarity, accountability and legislative efficiency.

The review process is conducted in collaboration with national security agencies, statutory committees, and the Law Reform and Governance Commission.

A zero draft of the proposed rules was submitted by the National Democratic Institute (NDI), and is currently under review, with inputs from lawmakers being accepted through September 10.

The Speaker of the House, Richard Nagbe Koon, and Deputy Speaker Thomas P. Fallah, are both actively involved in the process as committee members.

Key areas under consideration, include provisions for the removal of the Speaker, clarification of ambiguous procedures and the strengthening of oversight functions.

The reform effort seeks to ensure that the House’s rules are not only consistent with the constitution, but also responsive to the demands of modern legislative governance.

Once finalized, the revised rules will be submitted to the full plenary for adoption, bringing the House in line with other branches of the Legislature that have already updated their frameworks.

The Law Reform and Governance Commission is expected to provide interpretive guidance to ensure constitutional compliance and good governance principles are upheld throughout the process.