Composition of permanent committees

(amendment No. 72)

9.

(a)

The Knesset shall decide the make-up of the permanent committees, and their members shall be selected by the Knesset, on the basis of the principle of parliamentary group representation.

(b)

Should the seat of a committee member become vacant, the parliamentary group shall select another member to replaced him, while preserving the principle of parliamentary group representation as stated in paragraph (a); The Knesset Speaker shall inform the Knesset who the new representative of the parliamentary group in the Committee is, in accordance with the notice given by the head of the parliamentary group, as presented to him in writing.

Temporary replacement (amendment No. 72)

9a.

(a)

(1) Should a permanent member of a permanent committee (hereinafter, in this article and in article 9b - a committee member) be temporarily absent - he may be replaced in the Committee by another member from his parliamentary group only;

(2) Should a member of a committee, who belongs to a single member parliamentary group, be absent - he shall not be replaced in the committee by another Member of the Knesset.

(b)

In absence of consent regarding the identity of the replacement on behalf of the parliamentary group - the head of the parliamentary group, or his replacement, shall decide on the matter, and in their absence the Chairman of the Committee shall decide.

(c)

(1) In this paragraph, "represented parliamentary group" - a parliamentary group that has appointed a member in a committee from amongst the members of another parliamentary group, as stated in article 9(a)(1);
(2) Should a member of a committee on behalf of a represented parliamentary group, be temporarily absent, another member of his parliamentary group is entitled to replace him; Should a member of his parliamentary group, as stated, fail to participate in a meeting, a member of the represented parliamentary group is entitled to act as a replacement in the Committee.

(d)

The rules applying to a replacement in a committee under this article, are the same as those applying to the absent committee member, unless special instructions have been laid down regarding members of the Committee; However, the replacement shall not run the Committee's meeting.

(e)

The instructions in this article shall also apply to a joint committee, a committee on particular matters, a parliamentary committee of inquiry and a sub-committee.

Permanent replacement (amendment No. 72)

9b.

(a)

(1) The House Committee is entitled to determine committees, whose members shall have permanent replacements from their parliamentary groups, as long as their number shall not surpass the number of members in those committees; The permanent replacements shall be selected by the Knesset, and the instructions of article 9(b) shall apply.

(b)

Should a member of a committee be temporarily absent, and a permanent replacement is present in the Committee - the instructions of article 9a shall not apply.

(c)

The rules applying to a permanent replacement in a committee under this article are the same as those applying to a member of the Committee, unless special instructions have been laid down regarding members of the Committee; However -
(1) Should a permanent member of the Committee be present at a meeting, the permanent replacement shall not be able to participate in a vote;
(2) The permanent replacement shall not be selected to serve as chairman, or as a member of a sub-committee, or of a joint committee, and shall not run meetings of the Committee, or of the committees mentioned in this clause, in the absence of the Chairman.

Special instructions for the Foreign Affairs and Defence Committee (amendment No. 72)

9c.

(a)

The instructions of article 9a shall not apply to a temporary absence of a member of the Foreign Affairs and Defence Committee, or one of its sub-committees, or their permanent replacements.

(b)

The replacement of permanent members in the Foreign Affairs and Defence Committee as stated in article 9(b) shall be for a period of no less than three months.

Chairman of a permanent committee

10.

(a)

A permanent committee shall elect its chairman from among its members, on the basis of a recommendation by the House Committee.³

(b)

A Deputy Minister cannot be chairman of a committee.⁴

(c)

Should a chairman of a committee be appointed as a minister or a deputy minister, or should he cease to serve as the chairman of a committee in the course of the Knesset’s term for some other reason, the Committee is entitled to select a temporary chairman from among its members, in the manner described in clause (a), and he shall have, until a permanent chairman is selected, all the powers of the Chairman.

Restriction to election (amendment No. 63 & 86)

10a.

(a)

(1)

There is no obstacle to prevent the Knesset Member being elected to the position;

(2)

The Knesset Member shall serve in the position, with or without restrictions determined by the Committee, and all this until the legal proceedings against him have terminated ,and if it has been decided that he shall enjoy immunity from criminal proceedings - for the whole period of his term in that Knesset, or for a shorter period as determined by the Committee;

(3)

The Knesset Member should not be elected to the position.

(b)

The House Committee shall not adopt a decision as stated under paragraph (a)(2) or (3), until after giving the said Knesset Member an opportunity to present his case.

(c)

The provisions of article 101a shall apply to the deliberation in the Committee.

(d)

Should the House Committee adopt a decision as stated in paragraph (a)(2) or (3), the Knesset Member is entitled to appeal the decision before the Knesset; The appellant shall substantiate his appeal, and the Chairman of the House Committee, or whoever he has authorized for the purpose, shall respond to the appeal, each of them within a time limit that shall not exceed 15 minutes; After hearing the sides, the Knesset shall hold a vote without any further debate.

(e)

The voting in the House Committee and the Knesset shall be open.

(f)

The Knesset Member is entitled to request, that the deliberation of his matter take place in the Ethics Committee, should it have been set up; Should the Member make such a request, the rules customary in the Ethics Committee shall apply to the deliberations, and the provisions of paragraph (d) shall not apply; The Ethics Committee shall lay its reasoned decision on the Knesset’s table.

(g)

As long as the proceedings under paragraphs (b) to (f) have not terminated, the Committee shall elect a temporary chairman from among its members, on the basis of the recommendation of the House Committee.

Suspension from office (amendment No. 63)

10b.

(a)

The House Committee is entitled, on the basis of a resolution adopted by most of its members, to suspend a committee chairman from his office, or determine restrictions to it,once the Attorney General has deposited a copy of the indictment, against him, as stated in article 4(a) of the Immunity Law, or if criminal proceedings are taking place against him, in their sense under the Knesset Law,whether or not it was decided that he should enjoy immunity from criminal proceedings, and this until the legal proceedings against him are terminated, and if it was decided that he shall have immunity from criminal proceedings, for the whole period of his term in that Knesset, or for a shorter period as determined by the Committee.

(b)

A decision by the House Committee under this article shall be subject to the instructions of article 10a(b) to (g), with the necessary adaptations.

A decision after sentencing (amendment No. 63)

10c.

(a)

Once a final verdict has been given in the trial of a committee chairman, or anyone against whom proceedings have been taken (hereafter - the subject), and the provisions of article 42a in Basic Law: the Knesset do not apply, the House Committee or Ethics Committee, as the case may be, is entitled to lift the restriction placed upon him on the basis of article 10a, or cancel the suspension on the basis of article 10b, and elect the subject as the permanent chairman of the Committee, with or without restrictions, or decide that the subject shall not serve, or shall cease to serve as a committee chairmen, as the case may be.

(b)

The provisions of article 10a(b) to (f) shall apply to the proceedings under this article.

Other position holders (amendment 63)

10d.

The provisions of articles 10a to 10c shall apply, with the necessary adaptations, to other position holders in the Knesset, as determined by the House Committee.

Members of the Ethics Committee (amendment No. 63 & 86)

10e.

(a)

The Speaker shall not appoint as a member of the Ethics Committee, a Member of the Knesset,against whom the Attorney General has deposited a copy of an indictment, as stated in article 4(a) of the Immunity Law, or against whom criminal proceedings, in their sense under the Knesset Law, are being held, or who has been convicted during the term of that Knesset in a final verdict for a criminal offence, and this whether or not it was decided that he shall have immunity from criminal proceedings.

(b)

The Speaker is entitled to suspend the membership of a Member of the Knesset in the Ethics Committee, once the Attorney General has deposited a copy of an indictment against him as stated in article 4(a) of the Immunity Law, or if criminal proceedings, in their sense under the Knesset Law, are being held against him, and this whether or not it was decided that he shall have immunity from criminal proceedings; Should the Speaker decide to suspend the Member of the Knesset, the Speaker is entitled to appoint a replacement for him, for the period of the suspension. The Speaker of the Knesset shall determine the period of the suspension, but should criminal proceedings have been held against the Knesset Member, the suspension should continue as long as the proceedings have not come to an end.

(c)

Should the court acquit the Knesset Member in a final verdict, the Speaker shall decide whether the Member shall return to serve as a member in the Ethics Committee, or whether he shall be removed from his post, and another member shall be appointed in his place.

Acting chairman of a committee

(amendments No. 14 & 83)

11.

(a)

The Chairman of a permanent committee may, from time to time, appoint one of the Committee’s members to act in his place for a period that shall not exceed two weeks.⁵

(a1)

Should a chairman of a committee leave the State’s boundaries, or should he be unable to fulfill his post for a period of no more than two weeks, he shall appoint a replacement for this period, and shall inform the Speaker of the Knesset thereof.

(b)

The acting chairman of a committee shall have all the powers of the Chairman.

Term of office

12.

The term of office of a permanent committee shall be the same as the term of office of the Knesset.⁶

The permanent

committees

13.

(a)

These are the permanent committees and their spheres of

concern⁷ :

and their spheres of concern (amendments Nos. 9, 10, 28, 45, 55, 56, 57  83, 86 & 92)

(1)

The House Committee: the Knesset Rules of Procedure, and matters deriving from them⁸; Members' immunity,⁹ and requests to lay down or lift this immunity; House arrangements; Recommendations concerning the make-up and chairmen of the permanent committees and of committees on specific matters; Delimitation and coordination of the Committees’ business; Referral to the Speaker, or to the appropriate committees, of petitions presented by the public to the Knesset; Consideration of complaints against Members of the Knesset;¹⁰ payments to Members of the Knesset; Consideration of requests and matters that do not concern any other committee, or that have not been included among the duties of another committee.

(2)

The Finance Committee: the State budget; taxes of all types; customs duties and excise; loans; currency and foreign currency matters; banking and banknotes; state revenue and expenditure.

(3)

The Economics Committee: trade and industry; supply and rationing; agriculture and fisheries; all branches of transportation; cooperative societies; economic planning and coordination; development; state concessions and custodianship of property; property of absentee Arabs; property of Jews from enemy countries, and of deceased Jews; public works; housing.

(4)

Foreign Affairs and Defence Committee: foreign policy of the state, its armed forces and the security.

(5)

Internal Affairs and Environment Committee: local government; town planning; entry into Israel, and population registry; citizenship; press and information; religious and cultural communities; religious organization of Jews and non-Jews; police and prisons; environment.

(6)

Constitution, Law and Justice Committee: the constitution of the State; Basic Laws; laws and the administration of justice.

(7)¹¹

Immigration, Absorption and Dispersions Committee: immigration; absorption; dealing with emigrants; Jewish and Zionist education in the Diaspora; all related matter within the terms of reference of the Board for Coordination between the Government of Israel and the World Zionist Organization, and between the Government of Israel and the Jewish Agency for Eretz Yisrael.

(8)

Education, Culture, and Sport Committee: education; culture; science; art; broadcasting; cinema; sport.

(Amendment No. 57)

(9)¹²

Labour, Social Welfare and Health Committee: labour; social security, including system of income assurance; the National Insurance Institute; health; relief; rehabilitation; disabled persons and their rehabilitation, including IDF disabled, families of war victims, and other casualties; juvenile delinquents; pensions and benefits; system of payments to soldiers and their families.

(10)

State Control Committee: contact with State Comptroller and Ombudsman; powers under the State Comptroller Law and other statutes; the status and powers of internal auditors.

Amendment No. 45

(11)

The Advancement of the Status of Women Committee: to advance the status of women toward equality in representation, in education, in marital status, and to prevent discrimination based on gender or sexual inclination in all spheres; to reduce gaps in the economy and labour market; to struggle against violence against women.

Amendments Nos. 56 & 76

(12)

The Science and Technology Committee: civil research and development in Israel; advanced technologies; environmental research and development; scientific research in the Israeli Academy of Sciences; scientific research outside institutes of higher education; research institutes; chief scientists of all the government ministries; National Council for Research and Development; research funds; information and computerization; and everything - in the civilian sphere that is not security related.

(b)

The Knesset may, from time to time, appoint additional permanent committees.

(c)

The House Committee is authorized to decide in the case of differences of opinion regarding committee jurisdictions.

Duties and powers of a permanent committee (amendment No. 24)

14.

(a)

The duties of a permanent committee within its jurisdiction are: consideration of bills, regulations requiring the approval of the Committee or consultation with it, and regulations that have been made, petitions by inhabitants submitted to the Knesset, or that have been submitted to the Government, and referred to the Knesset for consideration and drawing of conclusions, and any other matter referred to the committee for its consideration by the Knesset.¹³

(b)

The Committee is entitled to call upon the Minister concerned for explanations and information on an issue referred to it, or which falls within its jurisdiction, and the Minister, in person or by means of his representative, is obliged to give the requested explanations or information.¹⁴

Sub-

committees (amendment No. 38)

15.

(a)

From time to time, a permanent committee is entitled to select sub-committees, and is entitled - by means of a resolution adopted by a two-thirds majority¹⁵ - to refer to such a sub-committee all, or part of its powers, except for powers assigned to it by law.¹⁶

(b)

Members of the Committee who are not members of a sub-committee, shall have the right of reservation, even if all of the committee's powers have been transferred to the sub-committee; This provision shall not apply to sub-committees, whose meetings are confidential as provided in article 102a(d).

(c)

The Chairman of a sub-committee shall be selected by the permanent committee at the time of the establishment of the sub-committee.

Joint committees¹⁷ (amendment No. 5 & 90)

16.

(a)

Should the Knesset or the House Committee decide to refer a bill, or the subject of a Member's motion for the agenda, to two committees for joint consideration, a special committee shall be formed by the House Committee, with an identical number of members from each of the two committees.¹⁸

(b)

The Chairman of the Joint Committee shall be determined by the House Committee from among the members of the Committee to which, in the opinion of the House Committee, the matter is more pertinent in terms of its functions.

(c)

For all purposes of deliberation, taking of decisions, and reporting, a joint committee shall be considered a special committee.

(d)

A committee that wishes to set up a joint committee with another committee, or to hold a joint sitting with it, shall seek and obtain the concurrence of that committee for the purpose, unless it has already been so decided in the House Committee.

Special committees (amendment No. 90)¹⁹

17.

The Knesset shall appoint from time to time, upon a recommendation of the House Committee, a special committee, whose status shall be that of a permanent committee in all respects, except for its term of office, unless the Knesset has laid down other provisions.