A block of votes in which deputies decided, among other things, to include customs officers in the uniformed pension system is the main item of the second day of the 41st session. Other details of today's work of the House are presented below. The next sitting, the 42nd, is scheduled for May 24.

The Sejm today began work on a government draft amendment to the Act on employment promotion and labor market institutions and certain other acts (print No. 1494). It defines new rules for accepting foreigners to perform seasonal and short-term work in Poland. It also creates the basis for the exchange of data between offices on the performance of work by foreigners. The draft was justified by Stanisław Szwed, Secretary of State at the Ministry of the Family, Labour and Social Policy. During the discussion, a motion was put forward to additionally refer the draft to the Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development. The decision on this matter will be taken by the MPs in a vote.

The Sejm passed two resolutions

By acclamation, MPs passed a resolution on the fortieth anniversary of the Student Solidarity Committee in Krakow.

MEPs also passed a resolution declaring the draft Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on the internal electricity market (recast version) incompatible with the principle of subsidiarity.

Laws passed by the Sejm

The Parliament passed amendments to the Act on the National School of Judiciary and Public Prosecution, the Act - Law on the System of Common Courts and certain other acts. The new provisions provide for recruitment to public service in the judiciary on the basis of an objective criterion, namely an examination. They restore to the National School the full authority to organise the course of judicial training, including the organisation of traineeships. Judicial training at the Polish National School of Judiciary and Public Prosecution will be the primary route to access to the profession of judge. Graduates with the best grades will have priority in applying for assessor and judge positions. The bill will now go to the Senate.

MPs also decided to include customs officers in the system of pensions for uniformed services. This is the main objective of the amendment passed today to the Act on pension provision for officers of the Police, the Internal Security Agency, the Intelligence Agency, the Military Counterintelligence Service, the Military Intelligence Service, the Central Anti-Corruption Bureau, the Border Guard, the Government Protection Bureau, the State Fire Service and the Prison Service and their families and some other acts. The new legislation implements the Constitutional Tribunal's judgment K39/13 of 3 March 2015, which declared unconstitutional the different treatment of SC officers compared to other uniformed services. Now the bill will be subject to the work of the Senate.

Laws sent to the President for signature

The amendments to the Act on the Social Security System and the Labor Code provide that each payer will have an individual contribution account into which he will pay all Social Security payments. It means that they will make only one payment instead of three or four. The change will apply to nearly seven million payers of contributions. One payment to ZUS will replace the existing contributions for: social insurance, health insurance, the Labour Fund and the Guaranteed Employee Benefits Fund, as well as the Fund for Retirement Pensions.

The amendment to the Act on Nature Protection introduces provisions that will allow for verification whether tree and shrub cutting was carried out for purposes not related to business activity. According to the amendment, the cutting down of trees and bushes will have to be notified, and the property itself will not be allowed to be used for business purposes for five years from the date of notification.

The Act on Statutory Auditors, Audit Firms and Public Supervision, adapting the Polish legal system to the EU regulations on auditing and financial statements.

Current information and questions on current issues

On the last day of the session, at the request of the PO club, the MPs listened to the government's information on a new draft regulation of the Ministry of National Education concerning the abandonment of the possibility of individual teaching in kindergartens and schools. It was presented by the Secretary of State at the Ministry of National Education Marzena Machałek. The MPs also asked the ministers questions on current issues. They concerned among others: the construction of A2 freeway in Eastern Poland and the amendment of the regulations on personal data protection.

The next, 42nd session of the Sejm is scheduled for May 24-26 this year.