Legislative Assembly

The Legislative Assembly is a permanent body representing various constituencies. It consists of thirty-four deputies elected for a period of five years. The Legislative Assembly is headed by the Chairman elected by the deputies in a secret ballot.

Legislation or law-making is the main business of the Legislative assembly. Local laws concerning budgets, customs regulations, credit monitoring, and the ratification of treaties are considered to be its main authorities. Most of the work is done in committee meetings. Here bills are studied, experts are consulted, and recommendations are made.

Overview of authorities of the Legislative Assembly:

• studies, discusses and passes laws;
• exercises control over government actions;
• adops the Statutes of the oblast and introduces amendments to it;
• approves the oblast's budget and an annual report on its implementation;
• ratifies programs of social and economic development of the Vologda Oblast;
• fixes taxes and duties that are within the jurisdiction of the oblast, regulates levying of taxes;
• ratifies and abrogates state-legal treaties on behalf of the oblast;
• determines the procedure of carrying out referendums in the oblast;
• determines the administrative and territorial structure of the Vologda Oblast;
• declares a decision on distrust to the Governor (a two-thirds vote is necessary for conviction);
• settles questions relating to boundary changes;
• exercises the right of legislative initiative;
• carries out other activities within its jurisdiction.