The week sent two signals from the National Assembly: three of the nine new draft bills respond to the October 9 earthquake, and Bill 234, on road signage in public works, is now law.

Between October 19 and 23, 9 draft bills were introduced and another 17 initiatives changed stage. First, what arrived new; then what moved forward, from the stage closest to law to the earliest. Each summary is the one on its public bill page, unchanged, with a link to the full page.

What's new: the earthquake package and six other fronts

Three draft bills, 212, 214 and 215, address the consequences of the October 9 earthquake: funds for reconstruction, extraordinary use of municipal funds, and economic relief. The other six open different fronts: national drills, school classrooms, asbestos, waste at mass events, a new township and a pharmaceutical free zone.

Draft bill 212

The draft bill authorizes Panama Savings Fund resources to rebuild social infrastructure damaged by the October 9, 2026 earthquake. It proposes funding works in affected areas, allocating funds by category, and setting rules for procurement, oversight, reporting, and repayment.

Status: awaiting committee adoption · Committee: Economy and Finance. Full bill page (Spanish)

Draft bill 214

The draft bill proposes extraordinary use of municipal property tax funds to address the effects of the October 9, 2026 earthquake. It would allow affected municipalities in Coclé, Herrera, Los Santos and Veraguas to reprogram available balances during fiscal years 2026 and 2027. It also sets permitted uses, distribution criteria, controls and reporting duties.

Status: awaiting committee adoption · Committee: Municipal Affairs. Full bill page (Spanish)

Draft bill 213

The draft bill establishes a framework for conducting and evaluating national emergency and disaster preparedness drills in Panama. It sets an annual drill day, identifies participants and assigns coordination to the National Civil Protection System (Sistema Nacional de Protección Civil). It also provides for safety, accessibility, essential service continuity and rescheduling.

Status: awaiting committee adoption · Committee: Government, Justice and Constitutional Affairs. Full bill page (Spanish)

Draft bill 215

The draft bill establishes temporary economic relief for people and businesses affected by the October 9, 2026 earthquake. It proposes income support, grants for productive recovery, a credit moratorium and measures concerning drinking water, together with financing, oversight and reporting rules.

Status: awaiting committee adoption · Committee: Economy and Finance. Full bill page (Spanish)

Draft bill 219

The draft bill proposes a waste management framework for events in public spaces attended by at least 500 people. It would require advance planning, material separation, waste service providers and a closing report; it would also establish penalties, municipal incentives and an adjustment period for organizers and authorities through amendments to Law 33 of 2018.

Status: awaiting committee adoption · Committee: Population, Environment and Development. Full bill page (Spanish)

Draft bill 218

The draft bill proposes exceptional procurement for school classrooms in indigenous territories, rural regions and hard-to-reach areas. It establishes procedures, deadlines, technical requirements, indigenous consultation, financing and public oversight to replace makeshift classrooms. It also amends public procurement rules and assigns approval of these works to the Ministry of Education without a prior Cabinet Council declaration.

Status: awaiting committee adoption · Committee: Education, Culture and Sports. Full bill page (Spanish)

Draft bill 217

The draft bill proposes to prohibit new uses of asbestos and organize the safe management and replacement of installed materials. It would cover all varieties and asbestos-containing products, with customs controls, market withdrawal, waste management and health penalties. It would also establish a national program with public infrastructure priorities, budget obligations and worker protection measures.

Status: awaiting committee adoption · Committee: Labor, Health and Social Development. Full bill page (Spanish)

Draft bill 220

The draft bill would create Villa del Carmen as a corregimiento (township) by separating it from El Guásimo in Donoso. It defines boundaries and communities, amends the territorial division under Law 1 of 1982, and provides for municipal funding, decentralization benefits and institutional advice until the election of its first representative in 2029.

Status: awaiting committee adoption · Committee: Municipal Affairs. Full bill page (Spanish)

Draft bill 221

The draft bill proposes a pharmaceutical, scientific and health technology free zone operating under a special regime in Panama. It covers production, research, exports, incentives and differentiated health regulatory procedures, with an interagency commission and an Executive Secretariat responsible for advancing development, coordinating investment and facilitating the establishment of businesses.

Status: awaiting committee adoption · Committee: Labor, Health and Social Development. Full bill page (Spanish)

Stage changes

Now law

The only bill that completed its path this week.

Bill 234 (sent to the Executive → law).

The bill would create the National Road Signage Program for Public Works in Panama under the Transit and Land Transportation Authority. It would set measures for marking work zones, planning detours, and reducing traffic congestion. It would also assign duties to local governments and contractors and provide for fines in cases of noncompliance.

Full bill page

On to third debate

One step before final approval.

Bill 724 (second debate → third debate).

The bill proposes approving an addendum to the State’s agreement with the City of Knowledge Foundation and extending its tax exemption regime. Addendum No. 1 amends the fifth clause of the agreement approved by Decree Law No. 6 of February 10, 1998, to extend exemptions from February 13, 2023, through February 12, 2048, subject to contractual compliance, and adds reporting requirements concerning beneficiary companies.