On August 23rd, 2004 , a constitutional amendment was passed in the Legislative Yuan, seconded in the National Assembly on June 7th, 2005, and promulgated by the State President on June 10th. It stipulates that starting from the Seventh Legislative Yuan, the number of members shall be changed to113, of which 73 shall be elected from special municipalities, counties and cities. At least one member shall be elected from each county and city. 3 members each shall be elected from among the lowland and highland aborigines; 34 seats shall be allotted to at-large and overseas compatriot members. The single-district, two-vote system is adopted, meaning only one member shall be elected from each constituency, and that voters cast one ballot for a district member and another for a political party. Constituencies are redistricted so that their number corresponds with the number allotted to district members. Political parties shall propose their lists of at-large and overseas compatriot members, whose election depends on the proportional representation of their party, which shall garner no less than 5% of the total party votes. Among the members elected from each party list, no less than 1/2 of the seats shall be reserved for female members.
Members of each Legislative Yuan shall serve a term of 4 years and shall be eligible for re-election. Each member is entitled to recruit under the Yuan's payroll 8 to 14 contracted assistants, who shall be discharged if their legislators fail to win re-elections. The election of the next Legislative Yuan members shall be completed within three months prior to the expiration of their tenure.
Should the State President declare the dissolution of the Legislative Yuan, a legislative election shall be held within 60 days, and the newly-elected members shall restart their term.
The Republic of China Constitution stipulates that members of the Legislative Yuan shall not concurrently hold other government posts. They shall be held responsible for exercising in the Yuan the functions and powers pertaining to law-making, and nor shall they be arrested or detained without permission of the Yuan when the legislative body is in session, except for cases in flagrante delicto. Pursuant to the Legislator Demeanor Law, they shall not concurrently hold any post in state-owned institutions either. The same law and other related codes shall also apply for the comportment of members concerning ethics, obligations and basic rights, lobbying and political donations, avoiding conflicts of interests, disciplines, etc.
