On the motion of the Social Affairs Committee as the leading committee, the second reading of the Bill on Amendments to the Social Welfare Act (505 SE), initiated by the same Committee, was concluded. The purpose of the Bill is to bring the provision regulating the legal bases for the use of a dwelling in determining subsistence benefits into conformity with the Constitution, pursuant to the Social Welfare Act. The list of contracts used as a basis for applying for a subsistence benefit remains open, not closed (containing specific types of contracts), as in the Act currently in force. The open list guarantees all disadvantaged individuals an equal right to receive subsistence benefit. The type of the contract allowing them to use a dwelling is not important. The Bill was sent to the third reading.

 

On the motion of the Social Affairs Committee as the leading committee, the first reading of the Bill on Amendments to the Social Benefits for Disabled Persons Act, State Pension Insurance Act and Act on Amendments to the Social Welfare Act (567 SE), initiated by the Government, was concluded. One of the purposes of the Bill is to give the doctors a longer term for filling in the description of the state of health and providing individuals with a longer term for applying for a pension for incapacity for work. Another purpose is to harmonise the terms for determining the permanent incapacity for work and the gravity of disability, as well as to extend the possible term for determining the gravity of disability in individuals of working age or retired individuals. The Bill provides for a possibility to assign permanent incapacity for work and the gravity of incapacity for the same term, with the duration of six months, one year, or two, three or five years. The duration of the personal rehabilitation plan of an adult is also extended to up to five years. The Bill was sent to the second reading.

 

On the motion of the Constitutional Committee as the leading committee, the first reading of the Local Referendum Bill (477 SE), initiated by the Estonian Green Party Faction, was concluded. Pursuant to the Bill, the issues to be submitted to local referendum would constitute initiatives to adopt, amend or repeal legal acts of rural municipality council, city council or city government. A local referendum is initiated by the inhabitants of a rural municipality or a city who have the right to vote, if they collect a sufficient number of signatures in favour. The right to make an initiative is invested in at least five percent of the inhabitants in a rural municipality or city who have the right to vote at the local government council elections. The Bill was sent to the second reading.

 

On the motion of the Constitutional Committee as leading committee, the first reading of the Draft Resolution of the Riigikogu On Amendments to the Resolution on the Formation of the Security Authorities Surveillance Committee (569 OE), was concluded. Pursuant to the Draft, Kalvi Kõva will be appointed a member of the Security Authorities Surveillance Committee, and Eiki Nestor an alternate member. The Draft was sent to the second reading.

 

On the motion of the Constitutional Committee as leading committee, the first reading of the Draft Resolution on Amendments to the Resolution on the Formation of the Committee on Application of the Anti-corruption Act (571 OE), was concluded. Pursuant to the Draft, Aivar Riisalu will be appointed a member of the Committee instead of Kadri Must, with Arvo Sarapuu appointed as alternate member instead of Aivar Riisalu. The Draft was sent to the second reading.

 

 

The Riigikogu Press Service