RESEARCH ON THE LEGAL NATURE OF THE DEVOLUTION OF LAW ENFORCEMENT POWER TO TOWNSHIPS AND SUB-DISTRICTS

论执法权向乡镇街道下沉的法律性质

The amendment of the Administrative Penalty Law in 2021 is the first time to respond to the reform layout of the devolution of law enforcement power on the legal level. There are many types of disputes about the nature of the devolution of law enforcement power, among which administrative authorization and administrative entrustment are the most influential.From the perspectives of juridical logic, the change in legal norms and the practice of reform, the nature of the devolution of law enforcement power should be administrative authorization, but the possibility of’multiple modes’ such as’administrative entrustment’and’the confirmation of authority’ should not be ignored. The differences of ownership and responsibility of the power are the basis for distinguishing the devolution modes of enforcement power. As an exception of administrative authorization, administrative entrustment is mainly applicable to large-scale liability undertaking projects, unexpected and temporary tasks,auxiliary matters and other situations. And the mode of authority confirmation is more conducive to adapting to the general promotion of grassroots governance and giving play to the stability advantage of administrative functions. Based on the reality of’taking authorization as the principle and entrustment as the exception’, we should pay attention to basic principles, break the limitation of the administrative level and carry out the law enforcement qualification system.

2021年《行政处罚法》修订首次从法律层面回应执法权下沉的改革布局,关于执法权下沉的性质存在诸多类型争议,其中主要以行政授权与行政委托最具影响。无论是从法理依据、规范变迁还是实践经验来看,执法权下沉的主要性质都应为行政授权,但不可忽略行政委托、职权确认等“多重模式”的可能,三者在权属责任方面的差异是区分执法权下沉模式的基础所在。作为行政授权的例外情况,行政委托主要适用于大规模责任承担、突发临时任务、辅助性事项等情形;而职权确认的模式则更有助于适应基层治理的普遍推进,发挥行政职能的稳定性优势。基于当下“以授权为原则,委托为例外”的现实,执法权下沉的继续推进应强调基本原则、破除级别限制、贯彻执法资格制度等内容。