Lawmakers have passed all amendments to the Law Governing the Legislature's
Power and voted to amend the Criminal Code to subject those found in contempt
of the Legislature to criminal proceedings.

The third reading of amendments to the Law Governing the Legislature's Power
passed its final reading 5PM Tuesday with no changes being made to amendments
that passed their second reading during.

The amendments included new rules "inviting" the president to deliver an
annual state of the nation address to the Legislature and indicating the
president shall respond to lawmakers' questions immediately after making the
address.

The amendments also give the Legislature new investigative powers to hold
hearings, which include potentially imposing penalties on public officials
and related individuals if they refuse to attend or provide information.

The bill to amend the Criminal Code to subject those found in contempt of the
Legislature to criminal proceedings passed a third reading at 10:53 last
night.

It includes regulations on how public officials respond to lawmakers'
questions during regular interpellations in the Legislature - and officials
who fail to respond or provide information can be fined up to 200,000 N-T.

Some 70,000 protesters had gathered around the Legislative Yuan as lawmakers
were voting on the bills.

The protest was organized by the civil groups including the Taiwan Economic
Democracy Union and Taiwan Citizen Front.

Protest organizers say the Cabinet should send the amended bill back for a
second vote in the Legislative Yuan and both the executive branch of the
government and the D-P-P legislative caucus should seek a constitutional
interpretation of the bills.