SANTO DOMINGO – Following President Luis Abinader's decision to return to Congress the bill authorizing the payment of historical debts owed by the Dominican State to contractors, productive and legislative sectors are preparing for a meeting today at 10:00 am between a commission from the Dominican College of Engineers, Architects and Surveyors (CODIA) and members of the board of directors of that entity with members of Congress, with the objective of clarifying the presidential observations and guiding the next steps of the project in the legislative chamber.
The legislation, approved by the Senate on January 10, 2026, and passed on second reading by the Chamber of Deputies on January 12, 2026, sought to settle outstanding debts owed by the State to small contractors and companies that carried out public works projects since 1996, for decades without receiving the corresponding payment. The initiative was approved as an emergency measure to authorize, exceptionally and on a one-time basis, the recognition and payment of debts arising from work performed without formal contracts or subject to budgetary restructuring.
What is the law that President Abinader is referring to?
The legislation recognizes as creditors of the State engineers, contracting companies, and other executors of public works projects that have been duly completed, accepted, and are operational—such as paving, school maintenance, supervision, and various structures—even if they did not have a formal contract at the time of execution. The law stipulated that payments would be made only once, preventing the creation of new obligations under the same conditions.
After its approval in both chambers, the law was sent to the Executive Branch for its enactment or return with observations. In this case, Abinader decided to return it to Congress, arguing that it does not precisely detail the total amounts, the criteria for processing the debts, or the financing mechanisms—aspects that could impact public finances if not adjusted.
Key meeting to define the future with contractors
Today at 10:00 a.m., a meeting is scheduled between legislators and representatives of the Dominican College of Engineers, Architects, and Surveyors (CODIA) to assess whether the letter of observations sent by the Executive Branch has been answered or if a new draft of the law with technical adjustments is required. The detailed content of that letter has not yet been officially released, making this meeting crucial for understanding the current status of the bill and the areas that need improvement.
For many contractors, technicians, and productive sectors, this session will be a barometer to anticipate not only what modifications will be necessary in the document, but also the time it could take for the regulations to return to the plenary session of Congress and, eventually, be enacted.
What's next for Congress?
Once Congress receives the formal letter of observations from the Executive Branch—which has not yet been made public in its entirety—it must comply with a specific process established in the Dominican Constitution:
- The bill is returned to the plenary session of each chamber to review the project again in a single reading with the observations presented by the Executive.
- If both chambers approve the law again with two-thirds of the votes in favor, the legislation is enacted without changes.
- If Congress does not act on the observations within two ordinary legislative sessions, they are considered accepted.
This process requires technical and political collaboration to ensure that the future law is robust, fiscally viable, and offers a solution to the debts of contractors who have been waiting for a response for decades.
History of presidential refunds
This observation is not an isolated incident in Abinader's administration. Since taking office in August 2020, the president has returned at least eight bills to Congress due to inconsistencies in their wording, fiscal impact, or suggestions for improvements. These include initiatives related to solid waste, the creation of the Ministry of Justice, the Chamber of Accounts law, the law on oversight and control of Congress, and the law on the Superior Electoral Court.
This history shows that before enacting a law, the Executive and Legislative branches enter into a technical dialogue to refine the content of the regulations, a process that, in this case, will have a defining moment tomorrow.
