Palau · Legislation
Legislation and primary sources
Where to find the authoritative text of the law in Palau, and how to confirm it is still in force.
Sources of law, ranked
- The Constitution
- Supreme law; Article IV rights, the nuclear-free clause, and citizen-only land ownership.
- Acts of the Olbiil Era Kelulau
- Bicameral national Congress: Senate and House of Delegates.
- State constitutions and ordinances
- Sixteen states legislate locally, particularly on land use.
- Customary law
- Clan and lineage rules govern most land and title; recognised by the Constitution and applied by the courts.
- Compact of Free Association
- In force since 1994; defence, assistance and visa-free migration to the United States.
The legislative process
Bills must pass both the Senate and the House of Delegates and are then presented to the President, who may veto; Congress may override with a two-thirds vote of each chamber. Because the House gives every state one delegate regardless of population, the smallest states hold disproportionate weight in the second chamber. Constitutional amendments require a three-quarters vote of each house or a convention, followed by approval at referendum in a majority of the states.
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