Jeremy's Knesset Insider

Tuesday’s session was less than four hours. The Knesset celebration of Jabotinsky Day was attended by a handful of MKs. The five bills discussed were all passed, including the Knesset Museum Bill in its third reading. Yet another Orlev political appointment bill was passed among the four bills that passed their first reading. This new position will be called Government Academic Adviser. The other bills passing their first reading included ballot committee members being allowed to vote in their own ballot booths, a bill that would force banks to print checks to the beneficiary only, and a bill that would prohibit discrimination of party goers in clubs and bars.

Short Summary on Non-Bills

• 16 MKs participated in the one-minute speeches segment of the day.
• Religion Minister Margi (Shas) had a question hour and answered queries from several MKs.
• There was a special meeting to mark Ze’ev Jabotinsky Day. Following Speaker Rivlin and Culture Minister Livnat’s speeches, only four MKs spoke on the subject – MKs Livni, Danon, Shitrit and Orlev.
• The Knesset approved the House Committee decisions on the destination of bills over which there had been a debate about the appropriate committees for discussion by a vote of 9-0.
• The Knesset approved the House Committee’s decisions on the continuity clause of certain bills from the previous Knesset by a vote of 11-0.
• The only motion of the day was on the topic of the Preservation of Heritage Sites. 4 MKs spoke and no vote took place.

Knesset Museum Bill

Education Committee Chairman MK Orlev (J.H.) explained that his bill would turn the Froimen House, the previous home of the Knesset, into a museum.

The bill passed its second reading 17-0 and passed its third reading 20-0.

Amendment on the Israel Academy of Sciences Bill

MK Orlev explained his bill would create a new government position of an academic adviser for the government. He felt that this would help the government feel more connected to what is going on in the academic world of science, development and other important issues, both nationally and internationally.

The bill was passed in its first reading 8-0 and sent to the Education, Science and Technology Committee.

Amendment on the General Election Bill

House Committee Chairman MK Levin (Likud) explained the bill that he co-sponsored with MK Itzick (Kadima) would allow ballot committee members on Election Day to vote in the voting center in which they are working. Levin explained this will enable people to vote who were previously unable to because they were working far away from their hometown district. He expressed the problem they are trying to solve is to ensure there is no double voting as a result of the amendment.

The bill was passed in its first reading 8-0 and sent to the House Committee.

Amendment on the Ordinance Bill

MK Kirschenbaum (Y.B.) explained that her amendment would force banks to print checkbooks with the ‘to the beneficiary only’ stripes, unless otherwise requested.

MK Levin asked how this bill was not thought of before. He expressed pleasure that this would help stop the poor from being tricked by the rich and help small businesses as well.

MK Ze’ev (Shas) said this will hurt the black market. He added that this would put an end to the check ‘hot-potato’ game. He expressed his worry it might cause complications for chareidi small-business owners.

MK Rotem (Y.B.) said that he was not going to support the bill until he heard MK Ze’ev’s speech. Rotem realized this bill will prevent tax fraud by ending the check hot-potato game.

The bill passed its first reading 11-0 and was sent to the Finance Committee.

Amendment on the Prohibition of Discrimination in Products, Services and Entry to Places of Public Entertainment Bill

MK Yachomovitz (Labor) explained her bill would forbid bars, clubs and restaurants from not allowing certain people into their establishment based on the presumption of discrimination. She cited many MKs and Knesset workers who encountered the terrible discrimination.

MK Ze’ev said he was for the law but against the concept of drunken youngsters.

MK Mula (Kadima) said that this bill will help the Ethiopian public a bit, but that the public is still very racist.

The bill passed its first reading 9-0 and was sent to the Finance Committee.

Monday’s session was a little over two hours. The session was short due to the opposition’s tradition of not submitting motions of no-confidence as a measure of goodwill when the Prime Minister is abroad. The session also had no motions because of the Kadima MKs who chose instead to join the Gilad Shalit march in Tel-Aviv. The Knesset passed three bills, two in their third reading and one in its first. The Sexual Harassment Bill will change the way men act from now on.

Short Summary on Non-Bills

• Deputy Finance Minister Litzman requested to enact a continuity clause on a bill that will be voted on in two weeks.
• The Knesset passed a House Committee request to split a bill into two by a vote of 9-0.
• Homeland Security Minister Aharonovitz (Y.B.) had a question hour that was cut short by lack of interest.
• Environmental Minister Erdan (Likud) answered queries at the end of the session.

Amendment on the Preventing Sexual Harassment Bill

Women’s Rights Chairwoman MK Hotoveli (Likud) explained this was a revolutionary law. The current law states that a woman girl who is harassed must prove that she was harassed. The amendment will change the law so that the one who is charged as the harasser will be guilty, until proven innocent. The amendment will include rabbis and other spiritual leaders as public figures who can be prosecuted in this manner.

MK Orlev (J.H.) explained that his bill would lift the immunity of many public figures so that they can be prosecuted. He hinted that this bill was influenced by the police failure to convict Rabbi Mordechai Elon. He was saddened that the maximum punishment for this law is three years. Orlev explained this situation gave him motivation for the bill.

MK Shneller (Kadima) said that no one should be immune from being charged with sexual harassment, religious or otherwise. He said that he was pleased that his practically identical bill could be merged with Orlev’s.

The bill was passed in its second reading 11-0 and in its third reading 12-0.

Amendment on the Health Insurance Bill

MK Adato (Kadima) explained her amendment would allow kupat cholim patients to pay for the exact number of pills they receive in their prescription without having to pay for the whole package.

The bill was passed in its second reading 9-0 and in its third reading 9-0.

Amendment on the Lending Books Bill

Education Minister Saar (Likud) explained that his amendment would allow children to keep the books they receive from the school, in order to hand them down to their younger siblings when the time comes. He said that 1,100 schools are already part of the program and his amendment would make the measure available in all public schools. Saar said this went well with another recent bill which stated that the schools can only change textbooks once every five years. The minister hoped this would help families with many kids save money.

MK Michaeli (Y.B.) said that another bill which would create computer textbooks in place of the paper ones is on the way. Michaeli stated that every house has a computer.

MK Ganem (Ra’am-Ta’al) said this bill will strengthen the connection between the school system and the families of the students.

MK Ze’ev (Shas) said this bill will save paper. He went on to talk about Nir Barkat’s strategy concerning the planned King Park in Jerusalem.

MK Tibi (Ra’am-Ta’al) said that students are scarred for life if they don’t have money to pay for their books, and this law might make the difference in their lives.

MK Ben-Ari (N.U.) expressed that, as a teacher of 21 years and a father of seven, he will vote for the bill. Ben-Ari slammed the schoolbooks today that are more expensive and an environmental waste and that hurt the kids’ health by forcing them to carry the thick books on their backs. He argued that these new books have little purpose and are merely empty fill-in-the-blank books.

MK Orlev (J.H.), the Education Committee chairman, expressed his support for the bill and called on everyone to vote for it.

The bill passed in its first reading 14-0 and was sent to the Education Committee.

Last Wednesday was a seven and a half hour session. The Knesset voted against the government ethics bill and approved the Baka-Get split ‘superbill’ in its preliminary reading. Besides the superbill incorporating eight separate bills that were merged into one, there were six other bills. Two bills were passed in their preliminary reading, two bills were defeated, one was passed as a motion and one was withdrawn at the last second.

Short Summary on Non-Bills

• The Justice, Environment and Interior Ministers, along with the Defense and Foreign Deputy Ministers answered urgent queries at the start of the session.
• The Knesset discussed nine motions, passing five of them by the votes of 7-0, 12-1, 8-0, 7-0 and 7-0. The other four motions were not brought up for a vote.
• Minorities Minister Avishai Braverman (Labor) answered queries at the end of the session.

Amendment to the Foundations of the Budget Bill

MK Vaknin (Shas) explained his amendment would lower taxes on land that borders Lebanon or the Gaza strip.

Vaknin agreed to wait a week for the government to give their approval.

Eight Amendments on the Local Authorities Bill

MK Magadla (Labor) explained that the amendment would terminate the union of local councils Baka al Gharbiya and G’et. Magadla said that there are seven other amendments on the same exact issue that have been joined into one discussion. He assured the MKs that this is the will of the great majority of both towns. MK Oron (Meretz) attacked Magadla for telling too many jokes during his speech and Magadla teased Oron for being an irrelevant opposition MK. Magadla thanked the Labor ministers who forced the government to support the bill.

MK Walhaba (Kadima) said the concept of a union of local councils is a bad idea and in this case it was a disaster.

MK Shneller (Kadima) said that he voted for the union and is generally for the unification of councils. He said he changed his mind when he saw that this particular union caused many problems for the citizens of both cities.

MK Swed (Chadash) asked why most of the unions of city councils are in the Arab areas. He criticized the unification of councils where the majority of the citizens are against the union.

MK Yoel Hasson (Kadima) chose to use his time to express his support for full army ceremonial funerals, even in cases of renegade soldiers.

MK Zachalka (Balad) said that both the coalition and opposition support the bill. Speaker Rivlin interrupted and said that it is not acceptable for certain unions to stand and others to be dismantled for political reasons. Zachalka asked that the Knesset not bury the bill in the Interior Committee and to advance the bill, because teasing the residents is worse than denying them.

MK Tibi (Ra’am-Ta’al) called the union a failure and complained that it took too long for the government to support the bill. He expressed fear that the government will choose to oppose it in its first reading.

MK Asana (Ra’am-Ta’al) said it’s better late than never. He criticized the previous government for forcing a union of two councils that objected to it.

Interior Minister Yishai (Shas) said that this union was forced by a Kadima government. The minister said that the government will only support the bill in its first reading if the treasury approves the budget cost of the bill. Speaker Rivlin interrupted the minister and said that there is enough friction between Arabs and Jews already. He demanded that the government make a decision on if they are for or against now. Rivlin expressed concern that playing games will cause more friction. Yishai responded that the government wanted more time to discuss the bill in order to see if the funds that will be needed for a new council can be allotted. He added that the government was pressured to at least pass the bills in their preliminary readings and the government will figure out the logistics later. Yishai said that the government supports the bills in their preliminary readings.

MK Shitrit (Kadima) gave a half hour speech objecting to each amendment. He said that we should be saving money and unifying more city councils. Shitrit said that the current council can’t pay their city workers, so how do they expect to pay two councils’ worth of city workers. Shitrit charged that this was an attempt to give out jobs to political loyalists and that it would hurt most of the common citizens. He warned that creating new councils costs millions of shekels each year. He said Jews should unify too and asked who knows where the border between Givataim and Ramat Gan actually is. Shitrit also accused Magadla of using this bill to try to earn more votes for the Labor party. Shitrit warned that he would fail.

MK Magadla responded that the treasury has not voiced any objection to the plan. Therefore, he reasoned the Interior Minister should give the government’s approval for the bills next reading as well.

The eight amendments passed their preliminary reading in eight votes: 46-6, 49-3 with 1 abstaining, 43-3, 45-3, 41-3, 36-3, 40-3, and 35-3. MK Eldad (N.U.) turned the session into a screaming match when he exercised his right to demand that each amendment be sent to a different committee, forcing all the amendments to be sent to the House Committee for further debate. This move will allow hard-line House Committee Chairman MK Levin (Likud) to bury the amendments if he wishes.

Amendment to the Psychologists Bill

MK Matalon (Y.B.) explained that his amendment would allow those who are entitled to free psychological care from the State to be given psychotherapeutic treatment by specialist psychologists, instead of regular psychologists. This would mean that the patients would get better care and those who treat them will be veteran professionals with years of experience.

MK Adato (Kadima) said she objected to the bill. She said that psychotherapeutic treatment is not as effective as regular psychological care and therefore she objects to the bill.

Deputy Health Minister Litzman (U.T.J.) expressed government support.

The bill passed its preliminary reading 43-4 and sent to the Labor Committee.

Amendment to the Knesset Bill

MK Levin (Likud) explained his amendment would force the approval of confidential sub-committees by a majority of the plenum. He also said in certain cases confidential sub-committees would have their protocols publicized after a cooling-off period.

Deputy Finance Minister Cohen (Shas) explained that the government has no official position. However, he explained that he himself supports the bill and calls on other MKs to vote in favor of the bill.

MK Oron said this move will actually increase the number of sub-committees because the coalition has a big majority. Oron also said that sub-committees have five members and only one member is from the opposition. He expressed fear that future committees would become sub-committees.

The bill passed its preliminary reading 42-7 and was sent to the House Committee.

Amendment to the Basic Law: The Government

MK Avraham-Balila (Kadima) explained that her amendment would define general ethics for government members. She said that she knew many coalition MKs wanted to vote for it but were afraid to. She made a promise not to advance the bill if the Knesset passed it in its preliminary reading.

Justice Minister Neaman said that the government plans on advancing an ethics bill of their own, where the government will define what ethics should be included in the law. Neaman announced that the government opposes the bill. Speaker Rivlin added that the Knesset has been discussing a Knesset ethics bill for four years and suggested the Knesset pass their own ethics bill before they push a government ethics bill.

The bill was defeated 24-34.

Amendment to the Basic Law: The State Economy

MK Avraham-Balila (Kadima) explained that her amendment would eliminate the economic arrangements bill. She reminded the MKs that the bill was signed in 1985 as an emergency measure and suggested the time has come to kill it.

Deputy Finance Minister Cohen (Shas) expressed the government’s opposition to the bill.

MK Chanin (Chadash) called on coalition MKs not to listen to the government and to support the bill. He called the current bill undemocratic.

The bill was defeated 16-43.

Motion/Amendment to the VAT Bill

MK Avraham-Balila (Kadima) explained that her amendment was a temporary order that would help small and medium-sized businesses during the financial crisis for a year and a half.

Deputy Finance Minister Cohen (Shas) expressed opposition to the bill and asked the MK to turn it into a motion. MK Avraham-Balila agreed.

The motion passed its preliminary reading 12-0 and was sent to the Funds Committee.

Tuesday’s session was only an hour and a half, due to the 17 Tammuz fast day. Because there were no bills, motions or queries on the agenda, the one minute speech segment was extended by Speaker Rivlin into a two minute speech. The topic of the day was Gilad Shalit.

Short Summary on Non-Bills

• Almost all of the 21 speakers spent their two minute speeches discussing the Gilad Shalit march and expressing their support. Just about every speaker took advantage of there being nothing else on the agenda for the day and spoke longer than their allotted two minutes.

Monday’s session lasted less than four hours. After defeating the no-confidence motions, the Knesset discussed 13 bills. Six bills were passed in their third readings, although one of them had two objections. Seven bills were passed in their first readings. The Deputy Speaker bill was one of those that passed in its third reading today and will become law. The last seven bills were supposed to be discussed on Tuesday but were moved up to Monday due to the 17 of Tammuz fast.

Short Summary on Non-Bills

• The government defeated two no-confidence motions from Kadima and the Arab parties by the votes of 22-51 with six abstaining and 9-53 with nine abstaining, respectively.
• House Committee Chairman MK Levin made a statement on the committee’s decisions on the committee destinations of certain bills.
• Immigration and Absorption Minister Sofa Landvor answered queries at the end of the session.

Amendment to the Electronic Signature Bill

Science and Technology Committee Chairman MK Shitrit (Kadima) explained that the amendment would expand electronic signatures from their current usage in the private sector to cover the public sector as well. Shitrit explained that this amendment will go hand and hand with the biometric bill that was passed last year. He explained this bill would change the world as we know it and would go so far as allowing patients to receive doctor’s electronic signature in order to receive refills for their prescriptions. He cited private companies’ success stories with electronic signatures. Shitrit closed with the additional green factor that this would save countless trees.

Justice Minister Neaman expressed government opposition to parts of the bill. He explained that the person would be forced to identify themselves in order to receive benefits and it would cause harm for people who were not part of the bio metric system. Neaman said the government will support the amendment and will object to two of the paragraphs.

The Knesset passed most of the paragraphs in the second reading of the amendment by the votes of 52-0, 53-0, 53-0 and 53-0. The Knesset objected to two paragraphs in the second reading by defeating them15- 37 and 13-39. The amendment excluding the two paragraphs that were defeated was passed in the third reading 52-0.

Amendment to the State Economic Arrangements Bill

Labor, Welfare and Health Committee Chairman MK Chaim Katz (Likud) explained that his joint amendment would assist the government in achieving budget targets and will also give a city tax discount to mentally disabled people that live in community apartments.

The amendment passed its second reading 25-0 and passed its third reading 26-0.

Amendment to the Trademarks Ordinance Bill

Constitution, Law and Justice Committee Chairman Rotem (Y.B.) explained that the amendment would resolve issues in trademark court cases in terms of trademarks standings in the law and when the court will have authority.

The amendment passed its second reading 22-0 and passed its third reading 26-0 with 1 MK abstaining.

Amendment to the Knesset Bill

House Committee Chairman Levin (Likud) explained his amendment would increase the number of deputy speakers to nine. The current law is seven, with the option to raise the number to nine as a temporary decision. The amendment would secure all nine current deputy speakers in their positions until they resign or new elections are called.

The amendment passed its second reading 21-0 and passed its third reading 20-0.

Amendment to the Equal Opportunities Bill

MK Chaim Katz explained that the amendment would expand the law to prohibit employers from asking certain questions to job candidates during interviews.

The amendment passed its second reading 19-0 and passed its third reading 19-0.

MK Solodkin (Kadima) thanked her co-sponsor MK Yachomovitz (Labor) and MK Katz, who helped advance the bill.

Amendment of Public Health Bill

MK Chaim Katz explained that the amendment would require the inclusion of nutritional values such as calories, carbs and grams of sugar on packaged food labels.

The amendment passed its second reading 17-0 and passed its third reading 16-0.

MK Ketzeleh (N.U.) thanked the Knesset for passing his first bill. He also thanked his wife for taking good care of him.

MK Orbach (J.H.) called the bill a small step for industry and a big step for health.

Amendment to the State Education Bill

Justice Minister Neaman explained the amendment would help integrate Jews and minorities in state education. He also explained the amendment would defeat certain sections of the existing law for that purpose.

MK Pelsner (Kadima) demanded that the religious state schools also join the program. He accused the minister of creating 14 jobs in positions that will do nothing.

The amendment passed its first reading 20-8 and was sent to the Education Committee.

Amendment to the Social Workers Bill

Minister Neaman explained that the amendment would change the terminology of certain social work jobs to a more respectable title.

The amendment passed its first reading 10-0 and was sent to the Labor Committee.

Amendment to the Prisoner Rehabilitation Authority Bill

Minister Neaman explained that the amendment will apply to the civil service law in regard to discipline. It would expand the number of employees that serve in the prisoner rehabilitation authority.

The amendment passed its first reading 10-0 and was sent to the Interior Committee.

Amendment to the Social Security Bill

Minister Neaman explained that the amendment would expand the government child allowance to include children up to age 24 who still live with their parents, provided they served in the army.

The amendment passed its first reading 13-0 and was sent to the Labor Committee.

Amendment to the Patent Bill

Minister Neaman explained that the amendment would eliminate the need for the publication of patents in the official gazette “Reshumot”. He explained that instead it would be updated online and anyone with access to a computer will be able to view the list as it is updated.

The amendment passed its first reading 9-0 and was sent to the Justice Committee.

Implementing the Agreement Between Israel and the Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development Bill

Minister Neaman explained the amendment would focus on granting privileges and immunity to ease the agreement between the organizations. He explained this will assist the OECD in particular.

The bill passed its first reading 11-0 and was sent to the Justice Committee.

Amendment to the Civil Veterans Bill

Deputy Pensioners Minister Leah Nes explained that her amendment would create a position named “senior citizens consultant” in every local authority. She stated that Israel has the fifth longest life span in the world and 10% of Israel’s population is over 65 years old.

The amendment passed its first reading 9-0 and was sent to the Interior Committee.