Laws passed during the 44th Sejm session. Now the Senate will deal with them
An Act to amend certain laws in connection with the implementation of the "For Life" program. This program was presented in December 2016. Its purpose is to support mothers who decide to give birth and raise children from so-called difficult pregnancies, as well as families who raise children with disabilities. The provisions contained in the law include, among others, amendments to the Education System Act that provide assistance to pregnant students, the creation of coordination and rehabilitation and care centers with particular emphasis on early support for children. Amendments to the Act on Social Assistance are to enable provincial governors to increase the subsidy to 30% per one participant with multiple disabilities or autism, and to establish sheltered and training apartments to develop the independence of persons with disabilities. In turn, changes in the Employment Promotion Act provide for, among other things, subsidies for nurseries, children's clubs with places for disabled children, and rehabilitation services.
Amendment of the Act on Certain Forms of Supporting Residential Construction and Certain Other Acts. The purpose of the amendment is to eliminate barriers signaled by investors in applying for repayable financing under the government program for housing support in the field of social rental housing (e.g. financing of exclusively rental units without the possibility of financing a cooperative right to housing, absolute condition of allocating at least 50% of housing to persons with at least one own or adopted child). The Act also addresses problems arising in the operation of housing constructed under the program (e.g., reduced income limits for tenants in the rental housing stock, stricter rules for raising rent by persons with incomes even slightly exceeding the limits set forth in the Act).
Amendment of the Act on Prohibition of Propagation of Communism or Another Totalitarian System by the Names of Buildings, Objects and Devices of Public Utility. The new provisions introduce legal instruments which will make it possible to remove monuments and names promoting communism or another totalitarian system from public space. They also provide for a ban on erecting such objects and giving such names. The solutions provided by the amendment are secured by giving the provincial governors the authority to remove monuments promoting a totalitarian system. A positive opinion of the Institute of National Remembrance (IPN) will be a condition for such a decision. The Minister of Culture will be the appeal body.
Amendment of the Act on employment promotion and labour market institutions and some other acts. It has defined new rules for accepting foreigners to perform seasonal and short-term work in Poland. A basis has also been created for the exchange of data on the performance of work by foreigners between offices. The introduced provisions adjust the national law to the EU Directive on the conditions of entry and residence of third-country nationals (from outside the EU) for the purposes of employment as seasonal workers. According to the amendment, an additional type of seasonal work permit will be introduced, which will be issued by a starost. The foreigner will be able to perform seasonal work for 9 months in a calendar year. Additional changes are aimed at tightening the procedure related to short-term work (up to 6 months within the next 12 months) by citizens of 6 countries: Armenia, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova, Russia and Ukraine on the basis of statements registered in the poviat labour office. The new regulations on foreigners' access to seasonal work apply to citizens of all non-EU and EEA countries.
An amendment to the Anti-Drug Abuse Act to regulate the medical use of marijuana. The new regulations guarantee that a physician may legally and controlled use of unregistered cannabis preparations within the scope of his professional practice in patients who have had no response to conventional pharmacology or when it is too burdensome, as long as indications of medical knowledge make it possible to improve the patient's health condition or quality of life this way. The raw material must be imported from abroad.
Amendments to the Sports Act and the Act on the Disclosure of Information on State Security Documents from 1944-1990 and the Content of Those Documents. The main purpose of the changes is to increase the transparency of Polish sports associations.
Amendment of the Protection and Care of Monuments Act and certain other acts. The changes equip the General Conservator of Monuments with stronger means of influence on local authorities - provincial conservators of monuments, while maintaining the current model of the governor's authority over the provincial conservators of monuments. This solution aims to improve the efficiency of provincial conservation services. The amendment establishes the National Heritage Preservation Fund, which is a state-purpose fund. NFOZ funds are used to subsidize: necessary outlays for conservation or restoration works on a monument registered on the Heritage Treasures List, necessary outlays for conservation, restoration or construction works on a monument registered in the register.
Documents adopted by the Sejm
MEPs passed a resolution declaring a draft directive of the European Parliament and of the Council on the work-life balance of parents and carers, incompatible with the principle of subsidiarity.
By way of resolutions, the Sejm also adopted the Report of the National Broadcasting Council on its activities in 2016 together with information on the basic problems of broadcasting in 2016 and information on the activities of the National Media Council in 2016.
The MPs also approved the documents presented by the Minister of Sport and Tourism: the report on the implementation of EURO 2012 projects (January - December 2015) and the report on the implementation of EURO 2012 projects (January - December 2016).
Documents referred for further work in committees
By a decision of MPs, the Social Policy and Family Committee will continue work on the government's draft amendment to laws related to family support systems (print No. 1625). The proposed changes are to lead to a situation in which benefits will go to persons actually entitled. The basic principles of the program (tax-free benefit and income criterion) remain unchanged.
The MPs have again referred to the Committees: Internal Affairs and Administration and Local Self-Government and Regional Policy the parliamentary draft amendment to the Law on Local Government Employees (prints No. 1324 and 1615). The bill provides for the abolition of political cabinets functioning at the local government level at heads of villages (mayors, city presidents), starosts and marshals of provinces.
The draft amendment to the Law on the principles of implementation of programs on cohesion policy financed in the financial perspective 2014-2020 and some other laws (print No. 1636), which is to streamline, simplify and ensure the effective use of the funds of the European Union by the decision of the deputies went to the Commission: Local Government and Regional Policy and European Union Affairs with the recommendation to consult the Commissions: Public Finance and Social Policy and Family.
In votes, the Sejm also referred the civic motion to submit the issue of education reform to a nationwide referendum (print no. 1571) to the Legislative Committee for preparation of a draft resolution on holding the referendum.
The end of parliamentary work on projects
By the decision of the MPs, the Sejm finished work on three projects in the first reading. These are: the parliamentary draft amendments to the Law on Personal Income Tax (print No. 1613), the parliamentary draft law on a one-time cash supplement for some pensioners, pensioners and persons collecting pre-retirement benefits, pre-retirement allowances, bridging pensions or teachers' compensation benefits in 2017. (Print No. 1545) and the parliamentary draft amendment to the Law on Goods and Services Tax (Print No. 1564).
text by the Chancellery of the Sejm
Photo by Krzysztof Białoskórski
