committees of the parliament always meet twice a year for statutory meetings, and can convene as often as they see fit during ordinary sessions of parliament for non-statutory meetings. The parliament can also meet in extraordinary sessions in case of emergency or some other extenuating circumstances. During some of these meetings, elections are held to elect the Acting President and Vice Presidents of the Bureau. These positions are chaired by members of the Parliament hailing from the 5 regions of Africa: northern, central, eastern, western, and southern, with the Acting President hailing from any one of these regions. The candidates must be ratified by the Plenary before ballots can be cast on who will actually be voted in. Legislative Power Prior to the changes made to the Pan-African Parliament in 2017, not a single law was passed by the parliament. However, the changes outlined in 2017 shifted the Parliament into a more full legislative body representing the African Union, granting the parliament the ability to draft and pass Model Laws for its member states to adopt. Now, the Parliament can receive, consider, and submit opinions on draft legal instruments, treaties and other international agreements. Furthermore, the Parliament has power in accordance with the Financial Rules and regulations set by the African Union, such that they can control their own fund-raising activities through legislative action. All legislature that is proposed by the Parliament must be submitted to the AU Assembly for its final ratification and approval. Model Laws Process The Model Law development process in the Pan-African Parliament consists of three main stages: the initiation stage, formulation stage and approval stage.The Model Law Formulation Initiative can originate from a few different channels within the Parliament. It could arise from: the Plenary, a Parliament committee, the Bureau, an individual Member of the Parliament or a group of Parliament members, a thematic caucus, an AU Organ or an institution, a Civil Society Organization registered in an AU Member State, or from a citizen of a Member State or a juristic person registered in an AU Member State. The Secretariat provides technical guidance to the political organs of the Parliament in regards to their decision to initiate the process of Model Law Formulation. The Bureau then selects a permanent committee which best fits the proposed Model Law to determine if the Model Law is suitable, feasible, and would be effective using an opportunity, legal