대선과 근접한 시점에 실시된 총선 즉 밀월선거에 의하여 제18대 국회는 대통령 소속 정당이 국회 제1당의 지위를 차지하는 전형적인 여대야소의 정치적 상황이었다. 정당국가화 경향에 따른다면, 이는 제18대 국회의 입법기 내내 정부가 입법과정을 주도하며 국회의 입법권에 대하여 자연스럽게 영향력을 행사할 수 있었음을 의미한다.
그런데 제18대 국회의 입법활동에 관한 통계적 분석에 의하면, 위원회에서 제출한 대안 법률안에 의하여 폐기된 법률안(의원발의 및 정부제출 포함)이 매우 많고, 정부제출 법률안의 가결률이 그리 높지 않다. 또한 의원 개인이 발의하는 법률안이 매우 많은 것에 비하여 그 가결률이 매우 낮으며, 의원 개인이 발의한 법률안의 철회건수가 많다. 이와 관련하여 오늘날에는 의원입법의 활성화보다는 질적 향상을 위한 개선책이 요청되고 있다.
입법이 국민의 의사를 정확하게 반영하고 그 이익을 신중히 고려하기 위해서는 입법과정이 신중하고 합리적이어야 한다. 그런데 제18대 국회의 입법과정은 '폭력국회', '졸속입법', '우회입법'이라는 말로 요약되는 병리적 현상을 드러냈다.
2012.5.2. 입법과정의 선진화를 위하여 국회법이 일부 개정되었다. 그 주된 내용은 국회의장의 직권상정권 제한, 소수당의 자유로운 토론과 다수결원리의 조화를 위한 의사진행방해의 제한적인 허용, 입법의 효율성을 위한 의안신속처리제와 자동상정제의 도입, 입법과정의 질서유지를 위한 규제 및 제재조치의 강화 등이다. 그러나 우회입법을 방지하기 위하여 필요한 사전규제심사제도가 국회 입법절차에 도입되지 않은 것은 유감스러운 일이다.
법규범으로서 제도가 필요한 것은 인간의 연약함과 악함 때문이다. 일련의 제도적 보완으로 입법자의 행위를 어느 정도 유인, 규제할 수 있을 것이다. 제19대 국회를 앞두고 도입된 여러 제도적 장치들이 과연 어떠한 효과를 이끌어낼 것인가는 향후의 관심사이며 또한 새로운 연구과제이다.
In the 18th National Assembly, the ruling party had an overwhelming voting power because the general election for the Assembly was a honeymoon one. It meant that the Executive was naturally able to have a great influence on the Assembly and to take the initiative in the legislative process. According to a statistical analysis on the legislation of the 18th Assembly, however, many bills introduced by the Executive as well as by the members of the Assembly were abandoned while alternatives to them were proposed by the standing committees and the passage’s rate of the Executive’s bills was not so high as expected. In addition, the bills proposed by the assemblymen, though great in quantity, were passed to a slight degree. Concerning legislation by assemblymen, today, much more requested is the improvement for the quality rather than the activation of legislation. The legislative process should be prudent and reasonable in order that legislation may reflect accurately the will of the people and consider their interests carefully. But the 18th Assembly's legislative process showed the pathological phenomena described as 'violent Parliament', 'hasty legislation', and 'bypass legislation'. National Assembly Act(NAA) has been amended for the advancement of the legislative process(May 2, 2012). The key points are as follows: limitation of the power of ex-officio reference of the Speaker, limited permission of filibuster for minority’s free discussion harmonized with majority rule, introduction of fast- track and of automatical reference to the committees or the plenary session for legislative efficiency, strengthening regulations and sanctions for the order of legislative process etc. However, it is regrettable that the pre-regulatory screening system has not been introduced so as to prevent the bypass legislation. Norms as a system is necessary because of human weakness and wickedness. The behavior of legislators can be, to some extent, orientated and regulated by some institutional incentives. What effect these institutional arrangements, introduced just before the 19th National Assembly, can take in the future will be a new research project.
In the 18th National Assembly, the ruling party had an overwhelming voting power because the general election for the Assembly was a honeymoon one. It meant that the Executive was naturally able to have a great influence on the Assembly and to take the initiative in the legislative process. According to a statistical analysis on the legislation of the 18th Assembly, however, many bills introduced by the Executive as well as by the members of the Assembly were abandoned while alternatives to them were proposed by the standing committees and the passage’s rate of the Executive’s bills was not so high as expected. In addition, the bills proposed by the assemblymen, though great in quantity, were passed to a slight degree. Concerning legislation by assemblymen, today, much more requested is the improvement for the quality rather than the activation of legislation. The legislative process should be prudent and reasonable in order that legislation may reflect accurately the will of the people and consider their interests carefully. But the 18th Assembly's legislative process showed the pathological phenomena described as 'violent Parliament', 'hasty legislation', and 'bypass legislation'. National Assembly Act(NAA) has been amended for the advancement of the legislative process(May 2, 2012). The key points are as follows: limitation of the power of ex-officio reference of the Speaker, limited permission of filibuster for minority’s free discussion harmonized with majority rule, introduction of fast- track and of automatical reference to the committees or the plenary session for legislative efficiency, strengthening regulations and sanctions for the order of legislative process etc. However, it is regrettable that the pre-regulatory screening system has not been introduced so as to prevent the bypass legislation. Norms as a system is necessary because of human weakness and wickedness. The behavior of legislators can be, to some extent, orientated and regulated by some institutional incentives. What effect these institutional arrangements, introduced just before the 19th National Assembly, can take in the future will be a new research project.
