Image copyrightGETTY IMAGESImage captionAbsenteeism is rife in Colombia's Congress
A bill aiming to punish absenteeism in Colombia's Congress has passed a key first stage, two days after a debate on it was cancelled because not enough lawmakers were present.
The bill proposes cutting the salaries of lawmakers who fail to attend congressional sessions.
The measures had been due to be discussed on Tuesday, but absences meant there was no quorum. (quorum: 정족수)
The bill will now go to the wider assembly. 아직 최종적으로 통과된 건 아님.
The Senator who proposed the bill, Alfredo Rangel, said: "This bill is not against members of Congress, it's for the good of Congress, against absenteeism and in favour of its legitimacy and efficiency." 이 법안의 목적.
As well as penalising absent lawmakers, the bill proposes that members of Congress produce a doctor's note if they miss sessions because of sickness.
If the bill is passed, repeat offenders who miss six or more sessions without a valid reason will be stripped of their mandate. 정당사유 없이 최소 6회 이상 무단결석 하는 의원은 권한일부가 제한됨.
Absenteeism is a serious problem among Colombia's politicians, with bills often failing because they are not discussed in the allotted time-frame because of a lack of quorum. 이 법안이 등장하게 된 계기: 의원들의 잦은 무단 결석.
