If one does not meet the jus sanguinis (citizenship by descent) requirements for a Portuguese citizenship, the alternative route is jus soli (citizenship by right of birth or residence). In the EU, jus soli is based on a minimum of 5 years’ physical residence and language plus several other requirements set by the country.
As you already know, for a fee, the Portugal GV provides (renewable) 2-year residency cards - enabling a citizenship (and/or PR residency) application to be made at the end of a 5 year official residency period, if the other citizenship requirements are fulfilled.
Since the delays in getting a residence card can now be counted in years, the new law (when passed) intends to redress this by enabling the residency count to be initiated from the beginning of the residence application. This should mitigate the negative consequences of the residency card issuance delays for those applying for citizenship. In short, the amendment to the citizenship law - when published and in force - will require that AIMA consider the years of wait as part of its Contagem de tempo – if a residence permit was eventually granted. Until now the date for the Contagem de tempo was the date on the first card (see the posts before and after this one: SEF documentation for residency extensions counting towards 5-year citizenship timeline - #18 by Mr.E)
One unknown is the date that will be the marker for the approved residency period – and no doubt this will differ by type of residency application. In the case of GV, other unknowns are how fees and physical residence will be dealt with by AIMA, as the 7-14 day boots-on-ground residency requirement on a GV residence card normally applies from the date of the first residence card, and not before.
Hence the speculative nature of the discussion on these issues, to which nobody has an answer, yet.