What it is
Bill to reform the rules on Spain's emergency states
It is a members’ bill. Introduced by parliamentary groups, the Senate, regional governments or citizens. It was introduced on 10 November 2021. Introduced by: Grupo Parlamentario Ciudadanos.
Official title: Organic Private member's bill to reform Organic Law 4/1981, of June 1, on states of alarm, exception, and siege.
Source: Congreso de los Diputados, file 122/000174· updated 11 Nov
Automatic summary, not yet reviewed
- The bill would limit extensions of the state of alarm to 30 days, since the state itself cannot last more than 15 days without one. It would also clarify that Congress can revoke the extension if two parliamentary groups or one tenth of deputies request it.
- The bill would require the Government to report to Congress at least every 15 days during an extension of the state of alarm, and weekly during a state of emergency. If a regional president runs the state of alarm in their region, they would also have to appear before their regional assembly.
- For a state of emergency caused by a very serious health crisis, the bill would allow only the rights to free movement and assembly to be suspended. The vote on authorization could also be held separately for each right.
- The bill would require measures restricting fundamental rights to control epidemics to be ratified by the Audiencia Nacional A Spanish court based in Madrid that hears certain cases of special importance., a Spanish court. Once ratified, they would be binding on the affected autonomous communities.
Words worth knowing
- Estado de alarma (state of alarm)
- An exceptional measure for serious situations, such as a pandemic, that allows limiting some rights without suspending them.
- Estado de excepción (state of emergency)
- A measure more serious than the state of alarm, allowing the temporary suspension of some fundamental rights.
- Estado de sitio (state of siege)
- An exceptional measure for very serious situations, declared by Congress, under which military jurisdiction applies.
- Prórroga (extension)
- Extending the deadline of a measure beyond its initial duration.
- Audiencia Nacional
- A Spanish court based in Madrid that hears certain cases of special importance.
It summarizes the text as it was introduced. It is written by artificial intelligence and may contain mistakes: the official text is what counts. Read the official text · How we make summaries
Where it stands
How far did it get?
It took 2 of 7 steps. It reached Admitted, and today it is unfinished.
- Introduced10 November 2021Someone registers the text in the Congreso.
- Admitted16 November 2021The Bureau of the Congreso accepts it and, for a members’ bill, the plenary decides whether to consider it.
- Amendmentsnot reachedGroups propose changes.
- Committeenot reachedA committee goes through the text in detail.
- Plenarynot reachedAll 350 deputies vote.
- Senatenot reachedThe Senate can pass it, amend it or veto it.
- BOEnot reachedIt is published in the Official State Gazette (BOE) and comes into force.
See the 6 official steps on a timeline
Was there a plenary vote?
We have no plenary vote linked to this law in the Congreso’s data.
What happens next
What happens now?
The legislature ended before it finished. To go on, someone would have to introduce it again in the new Cortes.
It has not been presented again yet.
Sources
Where does all this come from?
- Congreso de los Diputados, file 122/000174
Official title, type, author, dates and stage.
Retrieved 11 November 2026
- The data comes from the open files of the Congreso, the Senate and the BOE, unaltered.
- Each deputy’s province is the one of their seat on the day of the vote.
- We only say “passed” or “rejected” when the majority needed is certain; otherwise we say which side had more votes.