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One of the top stories from this past week was that the Cabinet has approved the text of several draft amendments designed to improve disaster prevention laws. That’s in light of the devastating earthquake that struck the southern city of Tainan earlier this month, toppling buildings and killing more than 100 people.
The amendments tighten requirements for earthquake resistance in buildings and enhance laws on urban renewal and disaster relief. The drafts, finalized on Thursday, require third-party approval for buildings over a certain size. If the draft amendments pass, architects, professional technicians, and government agencies would all need to sign off on the construction of large buildings.
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Also this past week, a Cabinet committee has rejected the Faith and Hope League’s (FHL) referendum proposal to oppose same-sex marriage.
The proposal was endorsed by over 130,000 people, which was more than the 90,000 threshold. In the second stage of the proposal review, however, the Referendum Screening Committee turned it down.
Committee Director Wang Gao-cheng said ten of the eleven committee members present vetoed the proposal. The objection was based on legal reasons. Wang said the proposal involved four chapters of the Civil Code, while a referendum may only focus on one issue at a time.
Wang said proposers may file an administrative lawsuit and adjust the proposal after this objection. If the new proposal meets regulations, the screening committee will review the proposal accordingly.
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And finally, this past week, former Cabinet Secretary-General Lin Yi-shih has been sentenced to 13 years and six months in prison on bribery charges.
The Taiwan High Court handed down the ruling Friday after revoking a previous verdict by the Taipei District Court in April 2013. The former KMT political heavyweight was originally sentenced to seven years and four months for an unspecified source of income and for using his power for extortion.
However, the Taiwan High Court gave Lin a heavier punishment on Friday because it found that he took and sought bribes during his time as a lawmaker.
Lin’s mother was also sentenced to five months in prison for concealing evidence. The case can still be appealed.