April 26. The 8th Session of the Duma of the 5th convocation

The 8th session was broadcast online. The wordings of the bills submitted for the deputies’ consideration were published on the Duma’s website beforehand.

Duma Speaker Oksana Kozlovskaya opened the session (Full text of the Speaker’s speech). She told, among other things, that in April, Skolkovo Foundation and Expert RA Rating Agency published a study of innovation centers around the world. Tomsk was included in Top-35 of the most effective innovation centers along with the Silicon Valley, Cambridge, Bangalore, and other world famous science and technology parks. Experts from more than 50 innovation centers around the world answered the questions on about a thousand of places of the kind. Tomsk was the only location representing Russia.

That is a very important event for the region. Along with the well-known government’s approval of the INOTomsk’2020 project, that confirms once again that the region had chosen a right development path back in the 90s and taken a right decision to create a world class center of education, research, and development.

DEPUTIES’ STATEMENTS

Oleg Gromov backed the Oblast Governor’s town development initiatives.

Natalia Baryshnikova expressed her concern over building a logistics base in Ulyanovsk for the transit of NATO’s cargoes from Afghanistan to Europe. She said, that might undermine Russia’s defense potential.

Aleksey Fiodorov suggested the need to reconsider the share of taxes leaving the regional budget for the federal budget. Currently, it is 70%. He suggested revising Article 50 of the Budget Code.

MONETARY COMPENSATIONS TO VICTIMS OF DISASTERS

The deputies adopted in the first reading the Oblast Law “On one-time payments to victims of natural and (or) anthropogenic disasters and natural fires”. The law retains financial assistance to people affected by natural fires and natural and (or) man-made disasters. The maximum amount of payment is 50,000 rubles. The amount of payment for each family is determined by a special committee.

EDUCATION BY STANDARDS

The deputies passed amendments which increase the funding of the law on education subsidies for local budgets. The bill implies allocating additional 357m rubles from the Oblast budget to increase education workers’ salaries, provide additional payment for after-hours work, and fund distance learning activity for disabled people. A portion of the funds required has been already budgeted.

OMBUDSMEN’S OFFICE

The deputies adopted in the first reading amendments to the laws “On the Ombudsman for Human Rights of Tomsk Oblast” and “On the Ombudsman for Children of Tomsk Oblast” under which the maximum headcount of the Ombudsmen’s Offices shall be determined by resolution of the Legislative Duma of Tomsk Oblast.

According to the new wording, the Ombudsman approves his Office’s organizational structure, manning table, and headcount within the approved budget and headcount limitations; manages and organizes the work of his reports. The maximum headcount of the Ombudsman’s Office is determined by resolution of the Legislative Duma of Tomsk Oblast.

LAWFUL VEHICLE RECOVERY

The deputies considered in the first reading the bill “On the procedure for the transportation, storage, and release of recovered vehicles and payment of related expenses in Tomsk Oblast”. The law establishes a procedure for vehicle recovery operations in the region. In accordance with the Administrative Code of the Russian Federation, a procedure for the transportation, storage, and release of recovered vehicles and payment of related expenses shall be defined by the laws of the constituent entity of the Russian Federation.

Under the new Tomsk Oblast Law, the recovery of vehicles to storage area will be done by authorized organizations under a contract. The storage time will be counted in hours from the moment the vehicle is placed in the storage area, and the storage payment will be calculated accordingly. The law does not require any additional Oblast budget spending.

Oksana Kozlovskaya emphasized the importance of the document:

“This is a very acute problem, so the adoption of this document should not be delayed. It must be ready for passing by the next session of the Duma.”

NO ALCOHOL SALE AFTER 10 PM

The deputies adopted in two readings the bill “On additional alcohol sale restrictions in Tomsk Oblast”.

The bill prohibits the retail sale of alcohol from 10 pm until 10 am, except in catering facilities. The sale of alcohol by retail is also prohibited in crowded places 2 hours before, during, and 1 hour after public events involving crowds of people as well as in municipal forests, parks, public gardens; near ponds, lakes, water reservoirs; on beaches; in recreation and sports areas; and at sports facilities.

The Legislative Duma of Tomsk Oblast

April 26. The 8th Session of the Duma of the 5th convocation