A block of votes was held on Thursday during the last day of the 58th Diet session. MPs passed eight laws, passed one resolution and began work on nine bills in the first reading. The Sejm passed a resolution on negotiating the principles of the European Union's common agricultural policy after 2020, and accepted the government's information on measures taken in 2015 and in 2016 for people with disabilities. The next session is scheduled for late February/early March (27.02-01.03).
The Sejm has passed eight laws. They will now be subject to the work of the Senate
An amendment to the Act on the principles of stay of foreign troops on the territory of the Republic of Poland and the principles of their movement through this territory. The new regulations will allow the soldiers of these troops stationed in Poland to be equipped with weapons and ammunition on the equipment of the Polish Armed Forces.
The Sejm also amended the law on social assistance. The amendment provides for the introduction of an additional type of facility: a shelter for the homeless with care services.
MPs have passed a law providing for the establishment of the Waclaw Felczak Institute for Polish-Hungarian Cooperation. Its purpose will be to pass on to the younger generations the importance of a common tradition and to promote bilateral scientific cooperation.
The law on financial support for the creation of social housing, protected housing, night shelters and homes for the homeless, the law on the protection of tenants' rights, the housing stock of municipalities and amendments to the Civil Code and some other laws has been amended. Among other things, the amendment introduces changes in the rules for supporting local governments in creating a stock of rental housing. The proposed changes are intended, for example, to allow municipalities to apply for subsidies without the current condition of separating an adequate number of social housing units from the municipal stock, and as a result are intended to be housing support for low- and middle-income people.
Thanks to an amendment to the Law on Recognizing Invalid Decisions Issued against Persons Repressed for Activities for the Independent Existence of the Polish State, children who were imprisoned with their mothers for opposition activities in the People's Republic of Poland will be able to receive compensation and reparations from the State Treasury.
The Sejm gave its consent to the President of the Republic of Poland's ratification of the so-called Doha Amendment to the Kyoto Protocol to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, done at Kyoto on December 11, 1997, done at Doha on December 8, 2012.
MPs have adopted a law on the ratification of the Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Poland and the Government of the Kingdom of Denmark on the amendment and termination of the Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Poland and the Government of the Kingdom of Denmark on the Promotion and Reciprocal Protection of Investments, signed in Copenhagen on May 1, 1990. The law concerns the termination of the intra-EU BIT agreement between Poland and Denmark, which is expected to bring Polish-Danish relations in the field of economic cooperation into conformity with EU law.
The Law on Microorganisms and Genetically Modified Organisms and Certain Other Laws has been amended. The adopted solutions will make it possible to fully fulfill Poland's obligations under EU law regarding notification and registration of GMO crops.
The beginning of parliamentary work. And readings of projects
The government's draft amendment to the Law on Vocational and Social Rehabilitation and Employment of Persons with Disabilities, will ensure implementation of the second stage of the "Za życie" Program of comprehensive support for families. Its primary task is to support families with disabled persons, especially those raising disabled children. Among other things, regulations have been proposed that will support former participants of occupational therapy workshops in maintaining independence and self-reliance in social and professional life through participation in an organized form of rehabilitation. Flexible forms of employment will also be introduced. The Sejm referred the draft to the Social Policy and Family Committee.
The parliament has begun work on an amendment to the Criminal Code aimed at toughening penalties for serious sex crimes and increasing protection for rape victims. Among other things, the draft introduces a life sentence for a person who, as a result of rape, leads to the death of the victim. In the case of a perpetrator of murder, in connection with the rape of a child under 15, the court - while imposing a life sentence - will be able to exclude the possibility of obtaining parole from prison at all. In addition, the draft strengthens the penalties for rape with particular cruelty (currently from 5 to 15 years' imprisonment), and after the changes also 25 years' imprisonment. On the other hand, rape of a child under the age of 15 will be punishable by 5 (today from 3) to 15 years or even 25 years in prison. With additionally aggravating circumstances, such as special cruelty, the punishment will be increased accordingly, up to life imprisonment - without the possibility of parole. The government draft also introduces, among other things, multiplied penalties for repeat rapists. The draft will now be considered in the Extraordinary Committee for Amendments to the Codifications.
The draft amendment to the Prison Service Act envisages a change in the system of recruitment and training and in-service training of officers. The draft envisages the creation of a SW academy, modeled on solutions used in the Polish Army, the Police or the State Fire Service, which will educate future personnel for the prison service. The main goal of the proposed changes is to improve the quality of education of SW officers and employees and the selection of optimal candidates for service. The Sejm referred the project to the Justice and Human Rights Commission.
The primary objective of the government's proposed amendments to the Law on the System for Monitoring the Carriage of Goods by Road and Certain Other Laws is to extend the monitoring system to the rail transportation of so-called sensitive goods (motor fuels and their derivatives, including biodiesel; fuel additives; lubricating oils; ethanol-based defrosters; diluents and solvents; partially and fully denatured ethanol; and dried tobacco). The bill will now be considered in the Public Finance Committee and the Infrastructure Committee.
The draft amendment to the Misdemeanor Code proposes to amend the Act of May 20, 1971. - The Misdemeanor Code (Journal of Laws of 2015, item 1094, as amended; hereinafter: kw). Two provisions are to be modified: article 130 § l kw and article 147a § 1 kw, in order to bring them into line with the principles of correct legislation. In Article 130 § l kw, the draft intends to remove the reference in this provision to Article 120 kw concerning the misappropriation of forest trees. Meanwhile, in Article 147a § l kw, the provision "running a treatment facility" is to be changed to: "running a medical entity" and "conducting medical activities." Article 130 § 1 kw excludes the application of the provision on theft, forest theft, fencing and destruction of property if the object of the act is weapons, ammunition, explosives or instruments. The Sejm referred the bill to the Extraordinary Committee on Amendments to Codifications for consideration.
The Parliament has begun work on the government's draft amendments to the Payment Services Act. The new regulations are intended to ensure greater transparency and consistency of the law in the area of payment services. They will also be the basis for creating a single market for payments in the EU. The idea is to make making cross-border payments simple and secure, just like making domestic payments in member states. The directive will significantly affect the shape of the entire payment services market, and thus the activities of, among others, banks, payment institutions, store card and fuel card providers, as well as independent ATM operators or other non-bank payment service providers. The Sejm referred the government draft to the Public Finance Committee for consideration.
First reading of the civic bill to amend the law on publicly funded health care services (print No. 2212). The draft introduces the principle that funding for health care from the state budget will be allocated annually in an amount not lower than 6.8% of GDP from the previous year. At the same time, the draft stipulates that the amount of financial resources allocated for financing health care in 2018-2020 may not be less than: 5.2% of the previous year's GDP in 2018, 5.7% of the previous year's GDP in 2019, and 6.2% of the previous year's GDP in 2020. The justification for the bill was presented by Legislative Initiative representative Dr. Tomasz Dybek. The Sejm rejected the PSL's motion to proceed immediately to the second reading of the draft. The project was referred to the Health Committee for further work.
First reading of the government bill on collective management of copyright and related rights (print No. 2232). The draft comprehensively regulates collective management of copyright and related rights in Poland. It defines new rules for the functioning of collective management organizations in order to ensure transparency of their operations and accountability to their members. The solutions contained in the draft are intended to adapt Polish law to the European Union regulations on collective management of copyright and related rights (Directive 2014/26/EU, the so-called CRM Directive). The justification for the project was presented by Undersecretary of State at the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage Paweł Lewandowski. By decision of the Sejm, the draft was referred for further work in the Culture and Media Committee.
First reading of the government's draft law on anti-money laundering and countering the financing of terrorism (print No. 2233). The draft concerns the adaptation of European anti-money laundering and counter-terrorist financing regulations to the requirements arising from the revised recommendations of the Financial Action Task Force, as well as the improvement of cooperation and exchange of information between financial intelligence units of member states, and the development of a coherent EU policy towards third countries. The justification for the draft was presented by Undersecretary of State at the Ministry of Finance Piotr Walczak. The Sejm referred the draft to further work in the Committee on Public Finance with a recommendation to consult the Committee on Special Services.
Resolutions adopted by the Chamber
The Sejm has passed a resolution on negotiating the rules for conducting the European Union's common agricultural policy after 2020. In the resolution, the Sejm supports Polish negotiators in their negotiations with EU institutions on the future of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) after 2020. The document includes Poland's priorities in this regard.
Current information and questions on current issues
MPs listened to information from the Minister of National Education on measures to restore and develop vocational education, presented by Secretary of State Marzena Machałek. MPs' questions to government representatives included the progress of investment work on the S19 Via Carpatia and the financing and development of the network of community self-help homes.
Other decisions taken by the Sejm
The Sejm took note of the Information of the Government of the Republic of Poland on actions taken in 2015 to implement the provisions of the Resolution of the Sejm of the Republic of Poland of August 1, 1997 on the Charter of Rights of Persons with Disabilities, together with the position of the Commission, and the Information of the Government of the Republic of Poland on actions taken in 2016 to implement the provisions of the Resolution of the Sejm of the Republic of Poland of August 1, 1997 on the Charter of Rights of Persons with Disabilities, together with the position of the Commission. Both Information were presented by Secretary of State at the Ministry of Family, Labor and Social Policy Krzysztof Michalkiewicz.
Text: Chancellery of the Sejm: http://www.sejm.gov.pl/Sejm8.nsf/komunikat.xsp?documentId=9E3B34E28315CE54C125822E00484767
