Dominican Republic advances final revisions to new Penal Code before August 2026 launch

The Dominican Republic’s new Penal Code (Law 74‑25) is set to take effect on 3 August 2026. In the weeks preceding that date, lawmakers, professional bodies and civil society have been filing and debating amendments.

The Senate confirmed that proposed changes to Article 141 will not alter the statute of limitations for sexual offenses against minors. The executive’s latest draft removed the term “bullying” from the labor context, limiting the new “hostigamiento” offense to educational and recreational settings.

The Colegio de Abogados de la República Dominicana (CARD) presented a package of reforms calling for the elimination of privileged immunity for public officials in defamation cases, a reduction of maximum penalties, and a six‑month extension of the code’s entry‑into‑force date. Similar proposals were submitted by the Fundación Primero Justicia and the Colegio Dominicano de Periodistas hours before the deadline.

In the Chamber, President of the Chamber of Deputies Alfredo Pacheco admitted that the legislature “slept” on the issue, but said there is still time to approve the changes before the code becomes operational. Senator Guillermo Lama echoed that Congress can still modify the law before the legislative term ends on 26 July.

Deputies are expected to vote on the amendments between Thursday and Friday, after which the Senate will complete its review. The final version of the code will determine how crimes such as defamation, cyber‑bullying, and aggravated harassment are punished and will shape the country’s criminal‑justice framework for years to come.