Summary of the 8th Sejm session

March 29, 2020
6:28 pm

Possibility of remote participation of MPs in the The amendment passed on Thursday, 26 March to the Regulations of the Sejm. This was the only item on the first day of the 8th House meeting. Due to the The Sejm deliberated under special safety rules due to the epidemic situation security. The Members of the House were seated in a total of 12 chambers. rooms. Thanks to that it was possible to keep the distances between the parliamentarians as recommended by the sanitary authorities. recommended by the sanitary authorities.

The adopted regulations allow the MPs to participate in a session of the Sejm using means of electronic means of electronic communication that enable long-distance communication. This extraordinary manner of the Sejm's operation may be ordered only in the of one of the states of emergency described in the Constitution or during the state of an epidemic. The amendment will be in force until June 30th of this year.

The draft amendments were presented by the Presidium of the Sejm. As the justification, the change was dictated by the need to to provide the House the ability to be proactive and pass legislation in the situation of fighting a coronavirus outbreak.

The amendments also provide that a similar form The amendments also provide that a similar format will be used for meetings of parliamentary committees and subcommittees, the Presidium of the Sejm and the Convention of Seniors.

During the second day of the Sejm session (Friday, March 27), which was exceptionally busy and ended only on Saturday after 6 a.m., the bills comprising the anti-crisis shield were adopted:

Act on Special Solutions Relating to the Prevention, Prevention and Control of COVID-19, Other Communicable Diseases and Crisis Situations Caused by Them.

An Act to amend certain laws in the health care system related to the prevention, counteraction and eradication of COVID-19

amending the law on the system of development institutions.

The adopted projects are based on five pillars: preserving jobs, supporting businesses and entrepreneurs, increasing funding for health care, strengthening the public investment sector and the financial system.

Also among the amendments tabled and adopted was an amendment to the Election Code, which expanded voting by mail so that voters "subject to mandatory quarantine, isolation, or home isolation on voting day" and "who are 60 years of age or older on election day at the latest" could participate. Important amendments to the 2020 state budget were also voted on.