To help give a
better understanding of how a foreign government works and to clear up some of the rumors
related to the DUMA (Russian Parliament), we have put together this piece on how a Russian
bill becomes a law.A bill is introduced into either the Lower or Upper houses of the
DUMA. For this example, assume it is the Lower house.
Every member of the DUMA is required to receive a copy of the proposal for review. A
vote is taken as to whether or not the proposal warrants consideration. A "No"
vote ends the discussion.
A "Yes" vote means that after a comments period (usually a minimum of 10
days), there will be a second round of discussions and a vote. The comments period is for
DUMA members to do some fact finding and gather opinions.
If the second round of discussions results in a "No" vote, the discussion
ends. If a "yes" vote is reached, then another waiting period begins. This time
is used to examine the logistics of implementing the new bill and gathering further
comments. At the end of this time period, the bill is presented for a third and final
vote. Again, a "no" vote ends the discussion. A "yes" vote sends the
passed bill to the Upper House.
Similar protocols take place in the Upper House. A "no" vote ends the
discussion. A "yes" vote keeps things moving. Any bill passing both houses of
the DUMA goes to the President’s desk for signing.
The President may sign the bill into law. The President may also veto the bill by
refusing to sign. Should a veto occur, the bill is sent back to the Lower House of the
DUMA. There the bill may be reworked to address the President’s concerns or a vote
maybe taken to override the Presidential veto.
None of this should sound unfamiliar to those living in the United States. As you can
see, nothing will happen overnight. It would be highly unusual that any bill effecting
adoption would magically appear without warning. If you hear rumors or read discussions,
the best thing to do is to contact your agency or FRUA. We will share what we learn.
