Security council vice chairman, maternity capital, job for foreign students and rise in child maintenance

The first plenary session last week was very intense. To carry out the president’s all instructions he mentioned in his address, we have to work hard. The Duma will have to create a legislative base to effectively implement national projects and improve mechanisms of social support.

At that meeting, we considered several topical issues.

• Firstly, a project of an amendment to the law On Security was adopted at its first reading. This amendment introduced the post of vice chairman of the Russian Security Council. The vice chairman will permanently work in this structure. The amendment also determines the way of appointing an official and firing him from the post. The president of the Russian Federation determines the authority of the vice chairman of the Security Council.
• Secondly, a bill of an amendment to the Federal Law On Additional Measures of State Support for Families with Children was given the first reading. It will permit families to spend money from maternity capital to build and reconstruct a house on the allotment. This bill was needed because it has been allowed to build houses not only on parcels for private housing development (as it used to be) but also on allotments since last year. After this law is adopted at the third reading, families with children will be able to improve their living conditions spending maternity capital to improve their house.

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  Thirdly, on 21 January, we adopted a very important legislative initiative at the second reading that is changing the law On Legal Status of Foreign Citizens in the Russian Federation. The employment procedure for foreigners who study in Russian universities and vocational educational institutions will be simplified. When the bill is adopted at its third reading, foreign students won’t have to obtain permission to work in their free time — this will significantly make their life easier. United Russia’s faction added this bill to the list of priorities.

• Ultimately and fourthly, we have adopted amendments to the Family Code. Now a parent who doesn’t live with his or her child will also be obliged to provide the minor with a place to live in. These amendments are correcting the list of those exceptional circumstances because of which the court can oblige parents to spend more money on their children: a clause “absence of suitable dwelling for permanent residence” has appeared on this list.