Abinader seeks reform to harmonize law enforcement dates in Greater Santo Domingo

Santo Domingo.- President Luis Abinader has submitted a bill to the Senate through the Executive Branch’s legal advisor, Jorge Subero Isa, seeking to amend Article 1 of the Dominican Civil Code and modernize key aspects of the country’s legal framework.

The proposal aims to establish the same effective date for laws in both the National District and Santo Domingo province, eliminating the current one-day difference that authorities say can create unequal application of legal provisions and undermine legal certainty.

According to the Executive Branch, the reform reflects the close social, economic, educational, and labor integration between the two territories, whose residents move constantly between them despite their separate administrative status. Officials argue that maintaining different effective dates for laws no longer corresponds to the realities of the metropolitan area.

The bill also introduces the recognition of official electronic publication of laws, granting it the same legal validity as traditional printed publication. The government says the measure would improve public access to legal information while allowing regulations to be disseminated more quickly and transparently.

Authorities describe the initiative as a step toward modernizing the Dominican legal system, promoting equal access to legislation, strengthening institutional efficiency, and ensuring the uniform application of laws.

The Executive Branch maintains that the proposed reform will reinforce key principles such as transparency, legal certainty, and equality before the law while adapting the country’s legal framework to current technological and social realities.