Treść książki
Przejdź do opcji czytnikaPrzejdź do nawigacjiPrzejdź do informacjiPrzejdź do stopki
52
ANDRZEJBISZTYGA
sayseitherKyes”orKno”tothestatuteonamendmentstotheConstitutionad-
optedbytheSejm.misformsabottleneckinthisprocedure.AsregardstheSen-
ate’sparticipationinthespecialprocedureofConstitutionchange,theentities
havingtherightofsystem-forminginitiativemaydemand,within45daysfrom
theSenatepassingthestatute,thataconfirmationreferendumbeheld.mis
demand,whichbindstheSpeakeroftheSejm,mayalsobemadebytheSenate.
misrightoftheSenateisanelementofthesystem-formingfunctionand,to
acertainextent,strengthenstheroleoftheSenateinthisrespect.However,this
rightcannotbeseenascompensationfortheSenate’slackofthepossibilityof
proposingamendmentstothestatuteonamendmentstotheConstitution.
melegislativefunction–thelegislativefunctionisthemainfunctionofthe
parliament,andtheSenate’sparticipationinthisprocessformsasignificantpor-
tionofitsentireactivity.Inpractice,theroleoftheSenateisperceivedprimarily
throughitsparticipationinthelegislativeprocess.meSenate,togetherwiththe
Sejm,adoptstwotypesofstatutes:statutesonamendmentstotheConstitution,
asreferredtoabove,andstatutesexpressingconsenttotheratificationofan
internationalagreementthatgrantsaninternationalorganizationorbodythe
rightsofstateauthoritiesincertainmatters.Intheformer,theSenatepassesthe
statutewithanabsolutemajorityofthevotesandinthelatter,withatwo-thirds
majority.meSenatedoesnotpassotherstatutes.merightsofbothchambers
oftheparliamentwithrespecttothelegislativefunctionaresimplynotidentical.
StatutesarepassedbytheSejm,whiletheSenate’scompetenceinthelegisla-
tiveprocedureistoinitiatelegislationandadoptastandpointwithrespectto
thestatutespassedbytheSejm.19mefactoftheSenatehastherighttoinitiate
legislationisquiteanovelty,asthissolutionwasnotpreviouslypresentinPol-
ishconstitutionallaw.misrightrestswiththeSenateasawhole,i.e.,asabody.
ItsinitiativesareaddressedtotheSejm.IntheSejm,agroupofatleastfifteen
membersmayinitiatelegislation.IntheSenate,tensenatorsmayonlyinitiatean
internalprocedurethatleadstotheSenateadoptingalegislativeinitiative.mis
isoneoftheexamplesofthechambersofparliamentnotbeingofequalstatus.
Inpractice,theSenateexercisesthisrighttoalimitedextent,andcertainly
doesnotabuseit.misistheresultofamoregeneralphenomenonthatgoes
beyondthebordersofPoland,i.e.,thedominationoftheexecutiveininitiating
legislation.InPoland,theentitythatsubmitsmostbillsistheCouncilofMinis-
ters.misdoesnotmeanthatparliamentaryinitiative,includingtheinitiativeof
theSenate,hasdisappeared,butitdoesseemtobeoverwhelmedbygovernment
19
H.Pajdała,Komisjewparlamenciewspółczesnym,Warszawa2001,p.161l.
