Costa Rica 1949 Constitution (reviewed 2020)

Title XVII. The Reforms of the Constitution

Sole Chapter

Article 195

The Legislative Assembly may partially reform this Constitution in absolute accordance with the following provisions:

1. The proposal to reform one or various Articles must be presented to the Legislative Assembly in ordinary sessions, signed by at least ten Deputies or by five per cent (5%) as [a] minimum, of the citizens registered on the electoral roll
2. This proposal will be read three times at intervals of six days, to decide if it is admitted or not for discussion;
3. In the affirmative case it will pass to a commission appointed by [an] absolute majority of the Assembly, for it to decide [dictamine] in a term of up to twenty working days;
4. The decision presented, it will proceed to its discussion through the procedure established for the formation of the laws; this reform must be approved by a vote of no less than two-thirds of the total of the members of the Assembly;
5. [Once] agreed that the reform proceeds, the Assembly will prepare the correspondent bill, through a Commission, the absolute majority being enough in this case to approve it;
6. The mentioned bill will pass to the Executive Power; and it will send it to the Assembly with the Presidential Message at the beginning of the next ordinary legislature, with his observations, or recommending it;
7. The Legislative Assembly, in its first sessions, will discuss the bill in three debates, and if it approves it by [a] vote of no less than two-thirds of the total of the members of the Assembly, it will form part of the Constitution, and it will be communicated to the Executive Power for its publication and observance;
8. In accordance with Article 105 of this Constitution, the constitutional reforms may be submitted to referendum after being approved in one legislature and before the next one, if it is agreed on by the two-thirds part of the total of the members of the Legislative Assembly.

Article 196

The general reform of this Constitution, may only be made by a Constituent Assembly convoked to that effect. The law that makes this convocation, must be approved by [a] vote of no less than two-thirds of the total of the members of the Legislative Assembly and it does not require [the] sanction of the Executive Power.