Second Reading of the Draft Act amending the Imprisonment Act and other acts (Modernization of the Imprisonment Act and introduction of digital solutions) (Bill 227 SE)

Session: 15th Riigikogu, 3rd session, plenary session

Date: 2024-02-20 13:21

Participating Politicians:

Total Speeches: 3

Membership: 15

Agenda Duration: 15m

AI Summaries: 3/3 Speeches (100.0%)

Analysis: Structured Analysis

Politicians Speaking Time

Politicians

Analysis

Summary

The current agenda item addressed the second reading of Draft Law 227, initiated by the Government of the Republic, concerning the amendment of the Imprisonment Act and other acts (modernization of the Imprisonment Act and adoption of digital solutions). The objective of the draft law was to modernize the Imprisonment Act and introduce several digital solutions, including replacing the personal files of detainees with a prison register. Vilja Toomast, a member of the Legal Affairs Committee, presented the committee's work and 14 proposed amendments, most of which were technical or stemmed from the need to postpone the entry into force deadlines due to the protracted nature of the proceedings.

The most significant substantive amendments concerned the rules for holding detainees in solitary confinement, which will henceforth require the permission of the prosecutor's office or the court, in order to prevent excessive solitary confinement and the resulting claims for damages. The network cooperation in probation supervision and the rules for data exchange were also specified. In addition to the Imprisonment Act, amendments were also made to the Code of Criminal Procedure, the Code of Civil Procedure, and the Code of Misdemeanour Procedure to regulate the service of procedural documents and restrict access to e-registers if the documents are not accepted within the prescribed time limit. Riina Solman, a member of the Riigikogu (Estonian Parliament), did submit two proposals concerning the expansion of the circle of persons allowed unlimited meetings with detainees and the provision of online learning, but these did not receive sufficient support in the committee and were left unvoted in the chamber.

Decisions Made 3
Collective Decision

Amendments No. 1 and 4–14, submitted by the Legal Committee, were fully taken into account.

Collective Decision

Amendments No. 2 and 3, submitted by Riigikogu member Riina Solman, were not put to a vote because they did not receive sufficient support in the committee.

Collective Decision

The second reading of Bill 227 was concluded.

Most Active Speaker
Vilja Toomast
Vilja Toomast

Eesti Reformierakonna fraktsioon

The most active speaker was Vilja Toomast, a member of the Legal Affairs Committee, who delivered a comprehensive and detailed report on the preparation for the second reading of Draft Bill 227. Her role, as the representative of the lead committee, was to introduce all 14 proposed amendments, explain their substance, and justify why Riina Solman’s proposals were rejected and why the committee’s own proposals (including amendments to other acts) were necessary.

Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
13:21:08
AI Summary

The Riigikogu moves to the second item on the agenda, where the second reading of Draft Act 227 on the amendment of the Imprisonment Act and other Acts, initiated by the Government, will be discussed, and the rapporteur is Vilja Toomast, a member of the Riigikogu Legal Affairs Committee.

Vilja Toomast
Vilja Toomast
Profiling Eesti Reformierakonna fraktsioon
13:21:34
AI Summary

Vilja Toomast presented the draft Imprisonment Act initiated by the government and its 14 proposed amendments, outlining the positions of Riina Solman and the Ministry of Justice, and described the committee’s decision to place the second reading on the plenary session agenda for February 20th and the final vote for March 6th.

Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
13:36:53
AI Summary

Toomas Kivimägi announced that the review of the second reading of Draft Law 227 has been concluded after considering 14 amendments, and the session is now over. He thanked his colleagues for their contribution.