Legislative Assembly

In their first session, legislators chose Carolina Hidalgo, from the governing Citizen Action Party (PAC, center left), as president of the assembly.

The government's ₡9 trillion ($16 billion) budget proposal for 2017 is 12 percent higher than the 2016 budget mostly, the presidency says, because of accumulated debt.

President Luis Guillermo Solís will have to step up his negotiating skills to deal with a Legislative Assembly leadership that doesn't include a single lawmaker from his party — just like in his first year in office.

As Costa Rica's legislature ends its second year in office, most party leaders agree that little progress was made during the recently-ended legislative session.

Construction is set to begin in September on Costa Rica's new, controversial Legislative Assembly building, according to Assembly President Rafael Ortíz.

Plans for Costa Rica's new Legislative Assembly building, a 17-story concrete tower, have come under harsh criticism from residents and local architects.

Costa Rica's Legislative Assembly will not discuss any bills to create or increase taxes for the rest of the year, Presidency Minister Sergio Alfaro Salas announced Monday evening, following a meeting with lawmakers from several parties.

The votes of a majority of lawmakers from opposition parties on Thursday evening granted the government of President Luis Guillermo Solís the approval of its budget proposal for next year without any cuts and amid any incidents at the Legislative Assembly.

A legislative commission has approved two draft bills to fight the sexualization of minors and expand benefits to parents of children with severe health conditions.

A demonstration of private chauffeurs on July 8 prevented ambulances from reaching the scene of an accident in which a mother and her daughter died.

Presidency Minister Sergio Alfaro Salas told reporters that Casa Presidencial will focus its strategy on building consensus on bills that could be passed, but the ambitious agenda will have to contend with a recalcitrant legislature that has shown little interest cooperating with President Luis Guillermo Solís.

In the wake of several tragic boat accidents this year, government officials and environmental groups are pointing blame at the Legislative Assembly for failing to pass a bill designed to increase maritime safety and hold ship captains accountable for reckless behavior.

Lawmakers from the ruling Citizen Action Party (PAC) and administration officials will have to step up their negotiating skills over the next year if they hope to pass their legislative agenda.

In one year, a fragmented Legislative Assembly formed by lawmakers from nine parties passed only 47 bills – of which only a few were of substance.