What legislative documents were adopted in the Legislative Chamber of the Oliy Majlis?

A number of documents adopted by the deputies of the Legislative Chamber of the Oliy Majlis were sent to the Senate of the Oliy Majlis, the lower house's press service reported.

At the next session of the Legislative Chamber of the Oliy Majlis, the draft law "On the approval of the Water Code of the Republic of Uzbekistan" was reviewed article by article in the second reading.

It was noted that currently, social relations in the field of management, use, and protection of water resources are regulated by about 10 legislative documents, including the Constitution of Uzbekistan, the laws "On Water and Water Use," "On Nature Protection," as well as more than 20 subordinate legislative acts.

“Although these documents laid the foundation for the legal regulation of water relations, they did not sufficiently ensure a consistent and systematic resolution of relations in the field, nor did they establish a unified coordinated system of water legislation. Therefore, the draft Water Code, developed with the aim of creating a single legal document in the field of water and water use, reflects a number of important norms,” the press service reported.

It is stated that the norms being established in the code will create legal conditions that ensure the rational use, effective management, and protection of water, increase the responsibility of water suppliers and consumers, and simplify the procedure for obtaining permits for water use.

The draft code includes the following:

• clear definition of the powers, tasks, and functions of responsible bodies in the field of regulating water relations;
  
• expansion of public-private partnership mechanisms in water management;
  
• simplification of the conditions for granting permits for water use;
  
• introduction of new mechanisms for the distribution of water among consumers;
  
• development and implementation of comprehensive and coordinated measures for the management, use, and protection of water resources;
  
• promotion of the widespread use of water-saving technologies;
  
• issues of liability for violations of water extraction procedures.
  

“According to the deputies, the adoption of the draft code will serve to increase the efficiency of water resource use, attract investments to the sector, and promote technological modernization. In the session, the draft Code was returned to the responsible committee for further refinement of certain norms,” the report stated.

General military duty and military service

Deputies reviewed the draft law "On the material liability of military personnel, conscripts, and individuals undergoing monthly training in the mobilization reserve" in the second reading.

It was noted that this draft law clarifies the norms regarding the material liability of military personnel established by the existing law "On General Military Duty and Military Service," and aims to adopt a unified legislative document on this issue.

The draft law clarifies the following norms:

• grounds for holding military personnel liable;
  
• issues of limited or full material liability of military personnel;
  
• procedures for determining the amount of damage caused;
  
• important norms such as the procedure for compensating for the damage caused.
  

“The adoption of this draft law will enhance the efficiency of military personnel's service activities and strengthen military discipline. In the session, the draft law was adopted by the deputies in the third reading and sent to the Senate,” the report noted.

Liability for violating atmospheric air requirements at construction sites

At the session of the Legislative Chamber of the Oliy Majlis, a draft law aimed at eliminating the rise of dust and sand particles into the air at construction sites was reviewed article by article in the second reading.

It was noted that the expansion of construction and urbanization, along with the increase in cases of dust and sand particles rising into the air at construction sites, is leading to a deterioration in air quality.

This draft law introduces amendments and additions to the Code of Administrative Liability, establishing liability for non-compliance with atmospheric air protection requirements at construction sites.

During the discussions, it was noted that a number of meetings and seminars were held by the responsible committee during the preparation of the draft law for the second reading, where proposals from deputies and political party factions were thoroughly analyzed, and most of them were reflected in the project text and refined.

“According to the deputies, the adoption of this draft law will ensure citizens' rights to a favorable atmospheric air for their lives and health, and eliminate the rise of improperly disposed dust and sand particles into the air. In the session, the draft law was adopted by the deputies in the third reading and sent to the Senate,” the report stated.

Support for women

In the session, a draft law aimed at improving the system of family and women's support was reviewed article by article in the second reading.

It was noted that there is a need to comprehensively protect the rights and legal interests of individuals affected by domestic violence in society, including ensuring their safety and the right to live in decent conditions.

“This draft law introduces a norm into Article 32 of the Housing Code, which states that when disputes regarding the use of housing are considered, the court may, based on the agreement of the parties, at the initiative of the property owner, place the party being forcibly evicted into other housing with proportional conditions or impose an obligation on the owner to pay rent for the rented housing,” the report stated.

According to the deputies, the adoption of this draft law will take into account the interests of property owners while considering housing disputes, create favorable living conditions for women, and improve the system of family and women's management. The draft law was adopted by the deputies in the third reading and sent to the Senate.

Regulation of electronic cigarettes and their liquids

In the session, a draft law aimed at strengthening the requirements for the circulation of certain types of tobacco products, devices for consuming tobacco and nicotine was also at the center of discussions.

“This draft law prohibits the circulation (production, preparation, storage, transportation, or transfer, importation, or exportation) of devices for consuming nicotine, including electronic cigarettes and their liquids in the Republic of Uzbekistan. Additionally, liability is established for violations related to the illegal circulation of banned non-smoking tobacco products, nicotine consumption devices, including electronic cigarettes,” the report stated.

According to the deputies, the adoption of this draft law will further protect the lives and health of the population, preserve the national gene pool, and protect the environment from new types of tobacco and nicotine products. In the session, the draft law was adopted by the deputies in the third reading and sent to the Senate.

Remote participation in court hearings

Deputies reviewed a draft law aimed at creating more convenient conditions for the public to participate remotely in court hearings.

It was emphasized that there is a need to improve procedural legislation by creating legal grounds for using mobile videoconferencing systems in court sessions.

This draft law introduces amendments to the Codes of Civil Procedure, Economic Procedure, and Administrative Proceedings of the Republic of Uzbekistan, which provide for the creation of legal grounds for the public to participate remotely in court hearings.

The adoption of this draft law will serve to:

• prevent the inconveniences associated with the need for the public to come to court buildings to participate in court sessions;
  
• increase the level of access to fair justice for business entities;
  
• ensure the reduction of unnecessary expenses.
  

In the session, the draft law was adopted by the deputies in the third reading and sent to the Senate.

Further improvement of the activities of the National Guard

At the session of the Legislative Chamber of the Oliy Majlis, the draft law on amendments and additions to the Law of the Republic of Uzbekistan "On the National Guard of the Republic of Uzbekistan" was discussed article by article in the second reading.

It was noted that the requirements of constitutional and administrative reforms, analysis of national and foreign experience, and public opinion research necessitate a review of the main tasks, rights, and obligations of the National Guard.

Based on national legislation and public opinion, the law "On the National Guard of the Republic of Uzbekistan" is being supplemented with a new obligation for military personnel (employees) to introduce themselves when interacting with citizens and explain their rights to them. This obligation is of great importance in ensuring compliance with international human rights standards in the daily activities of National Guard personnel and strengthening public trust in this state body.

“The adoption of this draft law will serve to form a modern, people-oriented, and professional image of the structural and territorial divisions of the National Guard in the future. The draft law was adopted by the deputies in the third reading and sent to the Senate,” the report stated.

Abuses in the construction, reconstruction, and repair of roads

At the session of the Legislative Chamber of the Oliy Majlis, a draft law aimed at improving state control in the transport sector was conceptually reviewed in the first reading.

It was noted that today there is a need to meet the demand for cargo and passenger transportation, improve the quality of services provided to passengers, prevent overloading beyond the established standards for road transport, and ensure state control in the transport sector.

This draft law establishes liability for:

• violating safety rules for the transportation of cargo and passengers by rail and metro in the Code of Administrative Liability;
  
• using faulty devices (tachographs) that monitor drivers' working and resting hours, violating drivers' working and resting hours;
  
• transporting passengers without a certificate confirming the right to transport passengers on regular routes;
  
• raising established road fare rates;
  
• not complying with the approved schedule for regular routes;
  
• exceeding the established dimensions and weights of vehicles, as well as deviating from the specified route in the permit.
  

The draft law also includes amendments related to the establishment of the Transport Control Inspectorate under the Ministry of Transport, due to which changes are being made to the laws "On Highways," "On Mandatory Insurance of Civil Liability of Carriers," "On State Duties," "On Licensing, Permitting, and Notification Procedures," and "On Transport."

According to the deputies, the adoption of this draft law will enhance the quality of services in the transport sector, ensure acceptable transportation processes at reasonable prices for passengers on regular routes, prevent abuses in the construction, reconstruction, and maintenance of roads, and ensure safety in passenger and cargo transportation services.

In the session, the draft law was adopted by the deputies in the first reading.

Prevention of iodine deficiency diseases among the population

At the session of the Legislative Chamber of the Oliy Majlis, a draft law aimed at improving the system for preventing iodine deficiency diseases among the population was thoroughly discussed.

This draft law grants a number of powers to the Ministry of Health. That is, it establishes the composition of iodine preparations used for iodizing salt and food products, the requirements for them, and the sanitary and hygiene requirements for the production, storage, transportation, and sale of iodized salt and food products.

It also oversees the quality, production, storage, importation, and sale of iodized salt and iodized food products.

Deputies emphasized that the adoption of this draft law will ensure comprehensive preventive measures to prevent endemic goiter disease among the population and fully meet the need for quality and safe table salt necessary for the population.
The draft law was adopted by the deputies in the first reading.

Protection and rational use of groundwater

At the session of the Legislative Chamber of the Oliy Majlis, a draft law aimed at protecting groundwater resources was also discussed.

It was noted that in recent years, the population's provision of drinking water through groundwater has reached 67 percent. Due to the increasing demand for drinking water and the extraction of groundwater mainly for irrigation and other purposes, cases of groundwater levels decreasing below the long-term average have been observed.

Moreover, despite the simplification and transparency of the permitting procedures related to the sector, the unauthorized drilling of wells into groundwater and uncontrolled, unaccounted use of water is increasing year by year.

“To prevent the above situations and further strengthen the protection of groundwater resources, the draft law proposes to replace the procedure for granting permits for drilling wells into groundwater with a procedure for granting permits for the activity of drilling wells into groundwater. Accordingly, relevant amendments and additions are being made to 2 codes and 2 laws,” the press release stated.

In the session, the draft law was adopted by the deputies in the first reading.

Digitization of the military accounting system

The next document reviewed at the session of the Legislative Chamber of the Oliy Majlis was the draft law on amendments and additions to the Law of the Republic of Uzbekistan "On General Military Duty and Military Service."

It was noted that the requirement for the submission of 73 types of certificates and documents by the population and business entities has been abolished, and a system for obtaining this information has been introduced using the inter-agency integration platform of the "Electronic Government" system by state bodies.

At the same time, there is a need to expand the scope of providing state services to the population in a convenient and easy manner, prevent citizens from being burdened, and further simplify the procedure for military accounting.

This draft law introduces the following amendments to the Law "On General Military Duty and Military Service":

• further improvement of military accounting work;
  
• digitization of the system for registering and deregistering conscripts;
  
• introduction of the procedure for providing information about individuals on military registration by state bodies and other organizations to the Ministry of Defense using information systems.

In the session, the draft law was adopted by the deputies in the first reading.