SECTION 23

(1) The agenda of the Senate shall be drawn up by the Chairmen’s conference. (2) The Chairmen’s conference shall be composed of Presidents of Parliamentary Groups, Chairmen of Committees and members of the Bureau of the Senate. A member of Government shall participate in the conference meeting. (3) Only bills falling within its area of jurisdiction by virtue of Article 26 below may be included in the agenda of the Senate. (a) All private members’ bills and amendments which, if passed, would result in the reduction of public funds or in an increase of public charges without a corresponding reduction in other expenditure or the grant of equivalent new supply of funds, shall be inadmissible. (b) Any doubt or dispute on the admissibility of a bill shall be referred by the President of the Republic, the President of the Senate or one-third of the Senators to the Constitutional Council for a ruling. (4) The agenda shall give priority, and in the order decided by the Government, to the consideration of the government bills and private members’ bills accepted by it. The other private members’ bills admitted by the Chairmen’s conference shall be considered subsequently. Where a private members’ bill has not been considered during two successive ordinary sessions, it shall automatically be considered at the very next ordinary session. (5) Any item on the agenda shall, at the request of the Government, be treated as a matter of urgency.