Senators reject deputies’ versions of three bills

AMMAN — The Senate on Tuesday referred the three draft laws on domanial money collection, residence and foreigner affairs, and higher education institutions accreditation commission back to the Lower House after amending them.

The Upper House disagreed with deputies on the draft domanial money collection law and agreed with the government’s version, reinstating Article A of Paragraph 17 that the Lower House had removed, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

The provision imposes an annual financial fine of 9 per cent on each unpaid financial claim that was not settled, as expenses for collection and administrative follow ups; these fines shall not exceed 50 per cent of the claim value except for claims that have fines under other regulations.

The Senate also scrapped an article added by the Lower House to the draft residence and foreigner affairs law which allowed the issuance of a residence permit for a foreigner if his/her mother is Jordanian, Petra added.

The Upper Chamber also amended the 2015 draft higher education institutions accreditation commission law by removing an article that stipulates that “if the commission’s president finishes his service, he is appointed at the highest degree of professorship at the university he worked at”.

Also during the session, the Senate endorsed the amended patent law as referred from the Lower House, and approved deputies’ decision regarding the draft laws on the Public Security Department martyr fund and the Civil Defence Department martyr fund, which increase the value of instant aid for martyrs’ heirs from JD2,000 to JD10,000.