President Pena Nieto Proposes Bill for Bullying, Underage Migrants Anthony Harrup - WSJ.com
go to original September 2, 2014

Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto. (news.cn)

MEXICO CITY — Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto said he would present to Congress proposals for a new law to protect children and adolescents, including measures to curb a growing problem of bullying in schools and actions to protect unaccompanied underage migrants.

Speaking at an event in which his government outlined programs aimed at eradicating child labor, Mr. Peña Nieto said he would for the first time submit the proposal as a preferential bill, which means legislators will have 30 days to act on it.

The use of preferential bills avoids the possibility of the proposal being shelved in Congress, or its debate and approval or rejection dragged out for months. Mr. Peña Nieto didn't use preferential bills for any of his previous initiatives, which included major overhauls of education, telecommunications, energy and banking laws.

The proposal, to be submitted as the fall congressional session begins, will seek to protect minors involved in criminal or civil legal cases, guarantee protection for unaccompanied migrant minors, and counter violence in schools, including hefty fines for adults who do nothing to stop bullying that they are aware of, Mr. Peña Nieto said.

The proposal follows a constitutional amendment which took effect in June raising the minimum age for children to be legally employed outside the home to 15 years from 14 years.

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