Draft law amending the Family Benefits Act and other laws (547 SE) – first reading
Session: 15th Estonian Parliament, 5th session, plenary session.
Date: 2025-01-22 21:43
Participating Politicians:
Total Speeches: 13
Membership: 15
Agenda Duration: 28m
AI Summaries: 13/13 Speeches (100.0%)
Analysis: Structured Analysis
Politicians Speaking Time
Politicians
Analysis
Summary
The first agenda item concerned the first reading of draft law 547, amending the Family Benefits Act and other laws, initiated by the Government of the Republic. The draft's purpose is to carry out a general review and changes concerning financial support for parents and their children in connection with the transition from survivor's pension to survivor's support, while simultaneously introducing several side effects, such as restrictions on pensions defined for certain individuals and transitional transactions within the framework of international social security agreements. The focus is on individual support for each child and the clarity and stability of the right arising from the law, meaning the support cannot be seized and is consistent with the study load, disability support, and limits concerning the size of renewable allocations and transitional periods.
The second part deals with cross-border transport and obligations arising within the framework of social security agreements, as well as the organization of reporting and notifications between different countries concerning both Egypt and the United States of America. Furthermore, it addresses the fact that some parent-based pensions and rapid changes, such as restrictions on disability support for police and border guard officials, and four regulations as implementing acts of the State Pension Insurance Act, which in turn reduce bureaucracy and give the minister responsibility. All of this is aimed at creating better security and a sustainable support mechanism for children and families in Estonia.
Decisions Made 5
Proposal to add the draft to the plenary session agenda for January 22nd.
Madis Timpson was appointed as the representative of the Steering Committee.
First reading complete.
The deadline for submitting amendments is February 5th at 5:15 PM.
Concluding the consideration of agenda item six.
Most Active Speaker
The most active speaker was Tanel Kiik (Social Democratic Party). He spoke as the third, representing the faction, and the clearly following viewpoints presented under his name largely shaped the course of the discussion, along with the proposals he put forward. His role was as a representative of the left-wing political spectrum – an SDE member – and his speech reflected the faction’s positions regarding broader support indexing and financing, and questions related to the state budget situation.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
Vice-Chair Arvo Aller chairs the next item on the agenda, the topic of which is the Government-initiated draft law No. 547 on amendments to the Family Benefits Act and other laws, first reading, and the presenter is Minister of Social Protection Signe Riisalo.
Sotsiaalkaitseminister Signe Riisalo
AI Summary
The draft law on family allowances submitted to the Riigikogu changes the breadwinner pension to a breadwinner allowance, which is determined separately for each child, is not subject to seizure or collection, and whose amount starts at 344 euros in 2026 and grows to 395 euros by 2031, allowing the allowance to be combined with the work ability allowance and establishing a four-year stay in Estonia requirement (three years in Estonia), so that a child has the right, without any obligation to study, until the age of 19 or, if studying, until the age of 21, in which about 90% of cases families will benefit; 111 current breadwinner pension recipients will continue to receive a pension; the budget is 3.3 million euros for the next three years, and from 2024–2027 an additional 2 million euros will be allocated for IT solutions; in addition, changes are made to police and border guard special pensions and to the implementing acts of the national pension insurance, and cross-border payments are regulated, including transfers to Egypt and to the United States.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
Thank you to the presenter; there were no questions, and next the chair of the Social Committee, Madis Timpson, will provide an overview of the discussion that took place in the leading committee.
Madis Timpson
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
The Social Committee chaired by Madis Timpson discussed the bill at the January 13 session, where Minister Riisalo gave a thorough briefing and answered questions about student financing, the support of children in children's homes, and cross-border proceedings, and by consensus it was decided to place the bill on the plenary agenda for January 22, to designate Madis Timpson as the representative of the leading committee, and to conclude the first reading with the amendment deadlines ten working days after the end of the first reading.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
Toomas Kivimägi thanked you and said that you have at least one question, and asked Kert Kingot to take the stage.
Kert Kingo
AI Summary
Kert Kingo asks whether the Commission discussed that the increase in the breadwinner loss benefit could leave these people or families without some other benefit to which they are entitled and which has been paid to date.
Madis Timpson
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
It was only discussed that during the transition period there is a choice as to which is cheaper, and that the cheaper option is still the preferred one.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
The vice-chairman Toomas Kivimägi asks Kert Kingol to pose the second question.
Kert Kingo
AI Summary
The breadwinner's loss benefit, which takes the family's income into account, may affect eligibility for the subsistence allowance, and it is asked whether the minister has taken this into account or whether an analysis of the impact has been carried out.
Madis Timpson
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Thank you, I understood the question, but that topic was not addressed by the committee.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
Toomas Kivimägi opened negotiations on behalf of the SDP faction and, by authorization, requested that Tanel Kiik represent him and that the authorization be noted in the protocol.
Tanel Kiik
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Tanel Kiik supports the draft bill that ensures more equal support for children who have lost a breadwinner, and urges broader indexing of benefits to provide families with a sense of security and to avoid situations of political horse-trading.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
Toomas Kivimägi declares that the negotiations have ended, informing that the first reading of Draft No. 547 has been completed, that the deadline for submitting amendments is February 5 at 17:15, and that the consideration of the sixth agenda item has been completed.