Standing Orders for the Palestinian Legislative Council. 

Non Official translation by ARD.

NOT COMPLETE!

Preamble

The Palestinian people in Palestine have expressed, through general free and direct elections,
  their determination to follow democratic rules in building their institutions and in exercising
  their national sovereignty.

Those elections have led to the birth of the first Palestinian Legislative Council of the
  Palestinian National Authority.

On that basis, it is necessary to establish the principles for the elected Legislative Council to
  develop its work, based on the principle of separation of powers, which confirms the
  independence of the legislative authority and its right to legislate and to control and inspect
  the works of the Executive Authority.

These Standing Orders have been established in order to organize the functioning of the
  Council, and regulate its acts, including the election of its organs, its decision making
  process, and its legislative procedures, as a first step necessary to reach national
  independence, the construction of an advanced democratic society, and the exercise of
  sovereignty on the homeland.

The provision of these Standing Orders guarantees the freedom /of formation of
  parliamentary blocks/ the freedom of opinion and expression, the freedom of opposition and
  constructive criticism, and the achievement of comprehensive cooperation between the
  Council and other constitutional institutions.

Article 1

Definitions

In these Standing Orders, the following expression shall have the meanings mentioned
  below, unless stated otherwise:

1. The Council: the Palestinian Legislative Council
2. The President of National Authority: The President of the PNA
3. The Speaker: The Speaker (Raees) of the Palestinian Legislative
     Council.
4. The Council of Ministers: The Council of Ministers of the PNA.
5. The Office of the Council: The Office of the /presidency of/ Palestinian Legislative
     Council.
    
6. The Member : Elected PLC member.
    
7. Constitution: The Basic Law of the Authority for the interim
     period.
    
8. The Secretariat: The Secretary General and his or her assistants
     staff in the secretariat.
    
9. Absolute Majority: 50% + 1 of the number of PLC members present when voting is
     made.
    
10. Council Absolute Majority: 50% +1 of all PLC members
11. Relative Majority: Majority of voters regardless of the number of members present.
     
12. Two-third majority: Majority of at least two-thirds of PLC members.

Chapter 1 – The Initial Meeting

Article 2

(A) The President of the PNA shall call the meeting of the first ordinary term to take place at
  the beginning of the second week following the publication of the official results of the
elections. He shall open the meeting and address a general speech to the Council.

(B) The Council shall at its first meeting elect the office of the Council. The position of the
  Temporary Speaker shall be filled by the oldest member. The secretarial work shall be
  performed by the youngest member. If for any reason, anyone of them could not fulfill
  his/ her duties then he is replaced by the next oldest / youngest member. Their duties
  come to an end by the election of the office of the Council.

(C) No discussion shall be held before the election of the Office of the Council.

Article 3

Each Member individually shall swear the oath of office before the Council at the first
  meeting, as follows:

«I swear before Almighty God to be faithful to the nation of
  Palestine, to keep the rights and interests of the people and
  nation, to respect the Constitution and to fulfill my duties to the
  best of my ability, as God is my witness.»

Chapter 2 –
  Election and Functions of The Office of the Council

Parliamentary Blocks

Article 4

The Office of the Council shall consist of the Speaker, two Deputy Speakers, and the
  Secretary General, who shall be elected by the Council /in its first session/ by secret ballot.
  The Office shall serve until the beginning of the next period of sessions of the Council.
  Vacancies shall be filled by election to be held according to articles (8,9,10) of this Bylaws.

Chapter Three –
  Parliamentary Blocks

Article 5

Members with common goals and interests may gather or organize in parliamentary blocks

  provided that their number shall not be less than 5% of the total PLC members.

Article 6

No member shall be allowed to be part of more than one parliamentary block.

Article 7

Every parliamentary block shall have the right to set its own internal by-laws, provided that

  they do not contradict with the provisions of this standing orders and law.

Article 8 – Election of the Speaker

The Temporary Office of the Council shall, with the approval of the Council, select three
  PLC members, who are not candidates, to help the Temporary Office count and sort votes.

Each Member of the Council shall be given a paper on which to write the name of the
  candidates of his or her choice for the Speaker. The Temporary Speaker shall call members
  one by one to place their paper in person. The candidate who receives the absolute majority
  of shall be declared elected. Otherwise, the Council shall proceed to a second round of
  voting, only between the two candidates who received the highest number of votes in the
  first round. A relative majority is sufficient at this stage. The Candidate who receives more
  votes shall be declared elected. A tie shall be resolved by lot, and the Temporary Speaker
  shall announce the result of the Speaker’s election.

Article 9 – Election of the two Speaker’s Deputies and Secretary General

The two Deputy Speakers and the Secretary General of the Council shall then be elected,
  following the same procedure as for the election of the Speaker. The Temporary Speaker
  shall then invite the elected Office of the Council to assume its responsibilities.

Article 10 – Resignation from the Office of the Council

1. The speaker or any of his deputies or the secretary general has the
     right to submit their resignation from the office of the council .
    
2. The resignation should be submitted in written to the office of the
     Council .
    
3. The office of the council should submit the request of resignation
     to the Council in the next session which shall not be later than two
     weeks from the date of submitting the resignation
    
4. A resignation could be withdrawn before it is submitted to the
     Council .
    
5. Vacancies in the office of the council should be filled according to
     the rulings of this bylaw .

Article 11

The office of the council shall entrust a general secretariat headed by the secretary general to
  supervise all the legal, administrative, financial, media, foreign relations, public relations and
  protocol affairs. It will be also responsible for implementing the Council’s decisions and
  report them to concerned agencies, in addition to being responsible for the minutes of
  sessions, record keeping.

Article 12

The Speaker shall represent the Council and speak on its behalf implement its will, and shall
  observe the implementation of the Basic Law and Standing Orders, and shall preserve its
  security and organization. The Speaker shall open, preside over, direct, control and
  announce the close of its meetings. The Speaker shall give the right to speak, shall decide
  the agenda of the Council, and shall authorize the Secretariat to publish the decisions of the
  Council. Generally, the Speaker shall ensure that the works of the Council progress well,
  and supervise all of its relations.

The Speaker may participate in the discussions. She shall vacate the chair while doing so.

Article 13

If the Speaker is absent, or is participating in the discussions of the Council, the chair shall
  be taken by his first Deputy Speaker, if the First Deputy Speaker is also absent, the chair
  shall be taken by the Second Deputy Speaker, or in his/her absence by the oldest Member
  of the Council.

Article 14

No Member of the Office of the Council shall be eligible to be a Minister or to hold any
  other governmental position.

Article 15 – Government and Ministerial Statement

(A) After the President of the PNA selects members of the Council of Ministers, they will be
  introduced in a special session for vote of confidence after hearing their Ministerial
  statement, which specifies the program and policy of the government.

(B) In case the Council votes by absolute majority against giving confidence to the members of the Council of Ministers, or to any of them, then the President of the National
  Authority will submit a replacement in the second session, which shall not be later than
  two weeks from the date of first session.

(C) Upon conducting a Ministerial adjustment, or filling the vacant position for any reason,
  the new Ministers will be introduced to the
  Council in its first session convened for vote of confidence.

(D) No minister can assume his responsibilities before the vote of confidence.