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RIA Novosti
The working group of the state Duma headed by first Deputy speaker Ivan Melnikov (Communist party) by the end of January shall submit to the Council the lower house of the outcome document, which contained the requirements to make to the state Duma draft laws. While agreed upon two main points: the intra fractional examination of the documents and consideration of regional initiatives at the Council of legislators. Also considering the options for public discussion and use of statistical data to support legislative initiatives.
The group, created at the request of the Council of the Duma included representatives of the Duma apparatus and the deputies. While party quotas for participation in the working group was not — in particular, it is not representative of “Fair Russia”, although the two are independent of each other source in the lower house assured “Izvestia” that “revolutionaries” could, if desired, to introduce his Deputy.
The stated purpose of the group is to develop a new quality criteria introduced initiatives to increase the level of legislative activity. In addition, the deputies want to prevent the accumulation of the “pending” bills which, for various reasons (non-compliance with current legislation, populism, etc.) cannot be taken, however, remain for years “in the asset” of the state Duma.
— At the moment the group holds meetings and correspondence collection of proposals, as well as working at the level of machines, — said the interlocutor of “Izvestia” in the working group. — Our task — the spoken and unspoken agreements, and amend the rules slightly to streamline the activities of deputies.
Public consultation and statistics
Member of the working group, the head of the Duma Committee on natural resources Nikolay Nikolaev (United Russia) told “Izvestiya” that indicator of the quality of the bill could be prior discussion with the public, as well as careful study of the justification of the bill, which must be presented in the explanatory note.
— Most bills is to reject not because of this PR initiative, but because they are poorly designed or due to local situation in a particular region, — said Nikolai Nikolaev. It is important that proposals to change Federal legislation was justified by, for example, statistics. A preliminary discussion with the public is very important — if I represent their constituents, will be incorrect, if I invent and without discussing with them, I’m going to introduce to the State Duma.
The Chairman of the state Duma Committee on Federal structure and local self-government Alexei Didenko (LDPR), told “Izvestia” that the party of the liberal-Democrats have put forward their proposals. One of them is to stimulate the regional legislative Assembly to jointly make initiatives after preliminary discussion. In particular, this can be done through the Board of legislators.
— 97% of the regional initiatives is a deviation, but they are in the database of the state Duma, the timing migrated to the region may not always be present at the discussion, — said Alexey Didenko. — Maybe we should provide a group introduction of laws by the subjects of the Federation.
Factional discipline
Another proposal, which was considered by the working group — ability to influence deputies through the increase of intra fractional discipline.
We invited the factions in the state Duma to deal with the issues of elaboration of legislative initiatives at an early stage, — said Alexey Didenko. — Now, unfortunately, not all fractions of this work is done.
Thus, according to the interlocutor of “Izvestia” in the working group, the ban on the introduction of a Deputy of the bills that are contrary to the party position is not to be expected. This approach is in conversation with “Izvestia” ruled out, and the head of the working group Ivan Melnikov.
— It is possible that we carefully select those proposals that are related only to improving the quality of lawmaking, as the Chairman of the state Duma has put before us that is the problem, — said the first Vice-speaker. The issues of sanctions against MPs are not discussed. Intra fractional discipline will be enough, if you clearly specify that its violation is highly undesirable.
Associate Professor of the Institute of social Sciences of Ranepa Ekaterina Shulman, commenting on the “news” the drafting of amendments to the regulations, noted that the strengthening of intra fractional discipline may have undesirable consequences for the “United Russia”.
— Since the fourth convocation deputies of the EP are already constrained fractional discipline. If they further bind United Russia’s hands, then give the right of legislative initiative of the parliamentary opposition. It has been observed in the sixth convocation, when many media, popular initiatives introduced other fraction, — said Ekaterina Shulman.
While an unwritten rule not to submit to the state Duma draft laws without consent of faction exists only in “United Russia”.
A portfolio of previous convocations
As have informed “news” the head of the Committee on rules and organization of work of the state Duma Olga Savostyanova, currently in the portfolio of the lower house — 2182 “old” document.
Some of them are no longer relevant, part is the proposed change in the laws, which to date has not, — said Olga Savostyanova.
During the autumn session of the chamber extended the time work on Wednesdays for the consideration of “old” initiatives, but for 77 days, the deputies had to reject only about 60 such documents.
— Now we are discussing what to do with it. There are, for example, practice of the foreign countries in which the work of the Parliament starts with a clean slate: everything that was not considered during a previous period is not considered, — said Olga Savostyanova. In any case, you will have to make changes to the regulations.
In several Western countries really practiced zeroing portfolio of initiatives, said Catherine Shulman.
— Reset at the end of the session comes in the house of Commons in the UK, but not in the house of lords, — the expert explained. — At the end of the convocation (in our terminology) all set to zero in Denmark, Iceland, Austria, Germany, Italy, Spain. More lenient rules in Belgium, France and Portugal — where the bill can come back. And in Sweden, Switzerland, the Netherlands and Luxembourg laws “live forever” and it doesn’t bother anyone.