constituteproject.org PDF generated: 18 Apr 2016, 16:56 Article 64 • Length of legislative sessions • Quorum for legislative sessions   1.   2. The Chamber of Deputies and the Senate meet two times per year, once in the month of January and the other in the month of July, for a maximum time of five months per period of sessions. To hold sessions, the presence of half plus one of the members of the Chamber of the Deputies and the Senate is required, and the agreements are taken by simple majority of votes of those present. Article 65 The opening and closing of each period of sessions [,] both ordinary and extraordinary [,] is established by the Decree of the President of the Republic, in accordance with the Boards of both Chambers. • Public or private sessions Article 66 The debates of the Plenary Sessions of the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate are public. Article 67 By petition of the Government or through the three fourths of Deputies or Senators, the Chamber of Deputies and Senate can hold specific closed sessions for reasons of confidentiality or security. Article 68 • Initiation of general legislation   1.   2. The legislative initiative corresponds to the President of the Republic in the Council of Ministers and to the Deputies and Senators in the way that the law determines. The proposals of laws emanating from the Deputies and Senators are deposited with the Board of the Chamber of the Deputies and of the Senate in accordance with what the respective Internal Regulations establish and are transmitted to the Government for their study. Article 69 • Protection from expropriation Aside from the cases expressly provided in other Articles of this Fundamental Law, the following are matters reserved to the Law.   a. The regulation of the exercise of the rights and duties of the citizens.   b. The regime of forced expropriation of assets taking into account their public utility.   c. Equatorial Guinea 1991 (rev. 2012) The nationality, the state and capacity of persons, the matrimonial regimes and inheritances. Page 21