The Senate passed the health law overnight. Lawmakers, however, did not adopt the text as it stood and made several changes, particularly concerning minors.
On the night of July 24 to 25, the Senate adopted the government’s health bill. The upper house of Parliament, however, made its share of changes to the text initially drafted by the executive and already retested by the National Assembly, reports AFP.
Flagship measure of the bill, the extension of the health pass was adopted but with a big change: the exemption for minors. This measure was also voted for the terraces and the senators want the implementation of the pass for public places, both for staff and for users, to be postponed from August 30 to September 15. Likewise, the Senate exempted shopping centers from the health pass and made its extension conditional on the reestablishment of a state of health emergency.
The Senate adopted the vaccination obligation for caregivers, firefighters and other professionals working with people at risk. Another amendment was voted, that of the lifting of the obligation to have parental authorization for a minor to be vaccinated. This measure, proposed by the PS, only concerns adolescents aged 16 and 17. Finally, the senators relaxed the compulsory isolation for the sick.
Following these modifications, the bill must be examined by a joint committee. It will bring together deputies and senators this Sunday from 3 p.m. The government hopes that an agreement will be found between parliamentarians, in order to avoid a new shuttle between the National Assembly and the Senate, which could lengthen the period of application of the text.