-A. First Reading Stage
The following Bills were read for a first time during the week:
(i) The Public Service Internship Bill (National Assembly Bill No. 25 of 2021) sponsored by the Hon. Naisula Lesuuda, MP.
The Bill is seeking to establish a legal framework for the regulation of internship programmes within the public service, in addition to provision of a monthly stipend, insurance and other entitlements to persons engaged in internships within the public service.
(ii) The Asian Widows’ And Orphans’ Pensions (Repeal) Bill (National Assembly Bill No. 29 of 2021) sponsored by the Leader of the Majority Party.
The principal object of the Bill is to repeal the Asian Widows’ and Orphans’ Pensions Act in light of the enactment of the Public Finance Management Act, 2012.
(iii) The Provident Fund (Repeal) Bill (National Assembly Bill No. 30 of 2021) sponsored by the Leader of the Majority Party.
The principal object of the Bill is to repeal the Provident Fund Act in light of the enactment of the Public Finance Management Act, 2012.B.
Second Reading Stage(i)
The Alcoholic Drinks Control (Amendment) Bill (National Assembly Bill No. 70 of2019).
The Bill is sponsored by the Hon. Silvanus Osoro, MP.
The principal object of this Bill is to amend the Alcoholic Drinks Control Act, No.10 of 2010 in order to ensure that packaging of alcoholic drinks are in quantities not below 750 milliliters.
This is in order to deal with the menace of excessive drinking occasioned by the sale of very low quantities of alcoholic drinks making it accessible to youths.
The Bill further seeks to provide for deposit refund for the purchase of alcoholic drinks in glass bottles.
This is in order to encourage recycling of glass bottles and also to reduce environmental pollution by providing an economic incentive.
The Second Reading of the Bill was concluded on Wednesday, August 11, 2021.
(ii) The National Hospital Insurance Fund (Amendment) Bill (National Assembly Bill No. 21 of 2021).
The House considered in Second Reading of the National Hospital Insurance Fund (amendment) Bill.
The principal object of the Bill is to amend the National Hospital Insurance Fund Act, 1998, to establish the National Health Scheme and to enhance the mandate and capacity of the National Hospital Insurance Fund to facilitate and deliver the Universal Health Coverage.
(iii) The Constitution of Kenya (Amendment) Bill (National Assembly Bill No. 19 of 2019) sponsored by the Hon. Florence Mutua, MP.
The Bill was considered in Second Reading of the Bill.
The principal object of this Bill is to amend Article 90 of the Constitution in order to align it with the proposed amendment to section 35 of the Elections Act which seeks to change the timing for submission of party lists by political parties for persons elected under Article 90 of the Constitution from at least forty-five days from the date of general election to within twenty-one days after the date of general election.
(iv) The Central Bank of Kenya (Amendment) Bill (National Assembly Bill No. 10 of 2021) Sponsored by the Departmental Committee on Finance and National Planning.
The principal object of this Bill is to amend the Central Bank of Kenya Act to provide for licensing of digital credit service providers, who are not regulated under any other law.
The current position is that there is no legal framework governing digital borrowing platforms.
As such, the Central Bank of Kenya will have an obligation of ensuring that there is a fair and non-discriminatory marketplace for access to credit.
All these Bills are accessible on:
http://www.parliament.go.ke/the…/house-business/bills
