Our study investigates how the functions and outcomes of the party negotiation mechanisms in Taiwan’s Legislative Yuan (LY) changed following the implementation of transparency reforms. Specifically, it analyzes bills that reached the second reading stage during the 8th, 9th, and 10th LY. The findings reveal a significant transformation: closed-door negotiations, where floor votes are rare, gave way to open negotiations in which voting became a regular and essential part of the legislative process. The proportion of bills reviewed by committees but later referred to negotiations increased, accompanied by a rise in floor votes. A “transparency paradox” emerged with negotiations evolving into platforms for political posturing, and Speaker-led negotiations increasingly replacing committee deliberations. Moreover, procedural bargaining overshadowed substantive compromises, transforming negotiations into stages for rhetorical mobilization and floor vote arrangement.