The State Duma approved the calendar for consideration of issues for February

Last week the State Duma approved the calendar for consideration of issues for February. In particular, the adoption of a government bill on strengthening liability for involving a minor in committing a crime and five priority initiatives of United Russia, including punishment for leaking personal data and trash streams, is expected. Deputies will also consider an inter-factional draft on the right of governors to dismiss mayors, the first reading of which caused a heated debate.

The February work will begin with an international theme. At the proposal of the President, the Duma will discuss the denunciation of one agreement (on the procedure for pensions and state insurance for employees of internal affairs agencies of the CIS countries) and the ratification of another (on issues of free economic zones in the customs territory of the Customs Union).

One of the important items on the internal agenda will be the first reading of government amendments to the Criminal Code (CC) on strengthening penalties for involving a minor in committing a crime (introduced to the Duma on December 15). In Part 4 of Art. 150 of the Criminal Code, which provides for imprisonment for a term of five to eight years for involving a minor in a criminal group, in the commission of a grave or especially grave crime, as well as in crimes motivated by hatred or enmity, it is proposed to add a clause on the involvement of these persons “in the commission of three and more crimes of minor or moderate gravity.” As stated in the explanatory note, the reason for developing the amendments was “the intensification of attempts by external and internal destructive forces to destabilize the situation in the country by involving minors and youth in illegal activities,” including “acts of hooliganism and vandalism, illegal public events, deliberate destruction of property, knowingly false reports about mining of buildings.”

Also scheduled for February is the first reading of a government draft (submitted on December 8) proposing at the federal level to oblige educational organizations to create special conditions for students with disabilities. Now such an obligation is provided for by regulations, for example, by order of the Ministry of Education and Science. In addition, the term “forms of mental retardation” is proposed to be replaced with “intellectual disorders”.

Plans for the next month include consideration in the second reading of five initiatives of United Russia, which the faction included in the list of priorities. This is a bill on compulsory state insurance for military personnel and persons equivalent to them, as well as amendments to the Criminal Code and the Code of Administrative Offenses (CAO) on liability for the illegal use of personal data and trash streams. The amendments multiply penalties for leaks of personal data, and also provide for imprisonment for up to eight years for taking them abroad for the purpose of selling. If the leak causes harm to the life and health of citizens, the perpetrators may face up to ten years in prison. Bills on public demonstration of the commission of a crime through the media and the Internet (trash streams) together with United Russia members were submitted to the Duma by deputies of all factions. Amendments to the Code of Administrative Offenses introduce fines from 200 thousand to 600 thousand rubles. for citizens and from 300 thousand to 700 thousand rubles. for officials for disseminating such information. The confiscation of equipment for its production is also envisaged. In addition, changes to the Criminal Code transfer the organization of trash streams to the category of aggravating circumstances.

In February, the second reading of the bill of the United Russia group on the presence of Cossacks in the mobilization manpower reserve of the Russian armed forces will take place (adopted in the first reading on November 30, 2023). According to the project, Cossacks who have accepted obligations to perform civil service or are in the reserve enter the mobilization reserve on a voluntary basis by concluding a contract. Control over compliance with service obligations will be entrusted to the atamans of Cossack societies.

A discussion in the second reading of the document, which the chamber did not have time to consider in December, is also planned for the last month of winter. We are talking about amendments by a group of senators and deputies that give regional heads the right to dismiss mayors if they do not eliminate the reasons for the reprimand given to them by governors within a month. Despite the fact that deputies of all factions signed the initiative, it had many critics in the Duma. And its supporters appeal to a similar right that the president already has in relation to governors.

Finally, the monthly program includes a priority project of the LDPR faction on a one-time cash payment to spouses in connection with their marriage. Last week, the Duma adopted two priority bills of the Liberal Democrats at once – on state support for enterprises selling children’s books, and on fines for disembarking from transport for a group I disabled person traveling without a ticket. However, the February initiative will be rejected: it was not supported by the government and the Accounts Chamber, 33 regions also sent negative reviews (with five positive ones). The Duma Committee on Family Affairs notes in its conclusion that although 2024 has been declared the Year of the Family and similar support measures are relevant, the bill does not indicate the sources and procedure for financing new expenditure obligations, which means that in this wording it should be rejected. For the same reasons, the committee refused to support the Social Revolutionaries’ project to increase the monthly payment in connection with the birth of the first or second child for single mothers and fathers. The committee’s conclusion also notes that Russian legislation does not have a uniform definition of what a “single mother”, “single parent” or “single parent” is, and this may create legal uncertainty.

In February, two “government hours” will also be held in the Duma. On February 14, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov will speak to the deputies, and on February 28, Rosatom General Director Alexei Likhachev will speak.

Ksenia Veretennikova