TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The Legislative Yuan on Friday passed the Youth Basic Act (青年基本法) in its third reading, defining youth as citizens aged 18 to 35 and formally enshrining civic rights at age 18 into law.

The Legislature’s Education and Culture Committee completed its initial review of the bill on Aug. 14, followed by cross-party negotiations on Dec. 18, per CNA. With no consensus on youth development funding, Legislative Speaker Han Kuo-yu (韓國瑜) convened interparty talks before sending the bill to the floor for a vote.

The law requires the central government to establish a NT$10 billion (US$318 million) youth development fund, allocating the budget in stages over five years. Funding sources include government appropriations, investment income, and donations, while a 13- to 15-member fund management board will oversee it, with scholars, experts, and youth representatives making up more than half of its members.

Board members will serve two-year terms and may be reappointed, with candidates nominated by the Cabinet and reviewed by a legislative screening committee. Appointments are finalized by the premier after approval by more than half of the committee members.

The act defines youth as citizens aged 18 to 35 and stipulates that the government must safeguard the rights of 18-year-olds to vote, recall officials, propose initiatives, and participate in referendums. Relevant legal frameworks to implement these rights must be fully established within two years of the act taking effect.

The law also mandates the Cabinet to establish a Youth Affairs Development Council, which must convene at least once every six months. Youth representatives must come from diverse backgrounds, account for at least half of the members, include representation from all ethnic groups, and ensure no single gender makes up less than one-third of the total.

Under the legislation, the Ministry of Education is designated as the central authority, while municipal and county governments serve as local authorities. The central authority must draft a youth policy white paper every four years, and the Cabinet must hold a national youth conference every four years to gather broad input and discuss youth development.

The government is also required to publish statistics on the status of youth every four years. Lawmakers proposed a specific Youth Day, but cross-party negotiations failed to set a fixed date.

Instead, the law requires the government to establish a National Youth Day in principle to support young people and raise public awareness of youth issues.