ACT No. VII of 2015 AN ACT to amend various laws to allow the representation of Persons with Disability to various Authorities and Boards.

I assent.

D OLORES C RISTINA

(L.S.)

Acting President

10th March, 2015

ACT No. VII of 2015

AN ACT to amend various laws to allow the representation of

Persons with Disability to various Authorities and Boards.

BE IT ENACTED by the President, by and with the advice and

consent of the House of Representatives, in this present Parliament

assembled, and by the authority of the same as follows:-

The short title of this Act is the Various Laws (Persons

with Disability) (Membership in Various Entities) Act, 2015.

PART I

Amendments to the Housing Authority Act

This Part amends the Housing Authority Act, and it shall

be read and construed as one with the Housing Authority Act,

hereinafter in this Part referred to as "the principal Act".

Article 6 of the principal Act shall be amended as follows

(a)

in sub-article (1) thereof, for the words "but not

more than ten other voting members" there shall be substituted

the words "but not more than eleven other voting members";

and

(b) in sub-article (2) thereof, immediately after the

words "from among public officers.", there shall be added the

words "One of the members shall be a person with disability.".

PART II

Amendments to the Education Act

This Part amends the Education Act, and it shall be read Amendment of

and construed as one with the Education Act, hereinafter in this Part the

Act.

referred to as "the principal Act".

Article 69 of the principal Act shall be amended as Amendment of

article 69 of the

follows

principal Act.

(a)

in sub-article (1) thereof, for the words "The

Commission shall be composed of not less than seven and not

more than nine members" there shall be substituted the words

"The Commission shall be composed of not less than seven and

not more than ten members"; and

(b) in sub-article (3) thereof, for the words "of the

general socio-economic development.", there shall be substituted

the words "of the general socio-economic development, and shall

include a person with disability.".

PART III

Amendments to the Employment and Training Services Act

This Part amends the Employment and Training Services Amendment of

Act, and it shall be read and construed as one with the Employment the

and Training

and Training Services Act, hereinafter in this Part referred to as "the Services

principal Act".

Sub-article (2) of article 6 of the principal Act shall be Amendment of

article 6 of the

amended as follows

principal Act.

(a) for the words "being not less than seven" there shall

be substituted the words "being not less than eight"; and

(b) for the words "and for industry.", there shall be

substituted the words "and for industry. One of the members of

the Board shall be a person with disability.".

PART IV

Amendments to the Broadcasting Act

This Part amends the Broadcasting Act, and it shall be read Amendment of

and construed as one with the Broadcasting Act, hereinafter in this the

Broadcasting

Part referred to as "the principal Act".

Act.

In sub-article (2) of article 4 of the principal Act, for the Amendment of

words "not less than four nor more than six" there shall be substituted article

principal Act.

the words "not less than four nor more than seven. One of the

members shall be a person with disability.".

PART V

Amendments to the Refugees Act

This Part amends the Refugees Act, and it shall be read and

construed as one with the Refugees Act, hereinafter in this Part

referred to as "the principal Act".

Sub-article (1) of article 5 of the principal Act shall be

amended as follows

(a) for the words "The Refugee Appeals Board shall

consist of a chairperson and two other members", there shall be

substituted the words "The Refugee Appeals Board shall consist

of a chairperson and three other members"; and

(b) in the proviso thereto, for the words "not less than

seven years.", there shall be substituted the words "not less than

seven years:", and immediately thereafter there shall be added

the following new proviso

"Provided further that one of the members shall be

a person with disability.".

PART VI

Amendments to the Malta Statistics Authority Act

This Part amends the Malta Statistics Authority Act, and it

shall be read and construed as one with the Malta Statistics Authority

Act, hereinafter in this Part referred to as "the principal Act".

Sub-article (1) of article 5 of the principal Act shall be

amended as follows

(a)

in sub-paragraph (v) of paragraph (c) thereof, for the

words "so appointed by the Minister.", there shall be substituted

the words "so appointed by the Minister; and"; and

(b) immediately after sub-paragraph (v) of paragraph

(c) thereof, there shall be added the following new paragraph

"(d) a person with disability.".

PART VII

Amendments to the Equality for Men and Women Act

This Part amends the Equality for Men and Women Act, Amendment of

and it shall be read and construed as one with the Equality for Men the

Men and

and Women Act, hereinafter in this Part referred to as "the principal Women

Act".

In sub-article (1) of article 11 of the principal Act, for the Amendment of

words "and six other members, at least three of whom shall be article

principal Act.

women", there shall be substituted the words "and seven other

members, at least three of whom shall be women; and one of the said

seven other members shall be a person with disability.".

PART VIII

Amendments to the Domestic Violence Act

This Part amends the Domestic Violence Act, and it shall Amendment of

be read and construed as one with the Domestic Violence Act, the

Violence Act.

hereinafter in this Part referred to as "the principal Act".

In sub-article (1) of article 3 of the principal Act for the Amendment of

words "not less than four other members appointed by the Minister", article

principal Act.

there shall be substituted the words "not less than five other members,

one of whom shall be a person with disability, all such members being

appointed by the Minister".

PART IX

Amendments to the Voluntary Organisations Act

This Part amends the Voluntary Organisations Act, and it Amendment of

shall be read and construed as one with the Voluntary Organisations the

Organisations

Act, hereinafter in this Part referred to as "the principal Act".

Act.

Article 35 of the principal Act shall be amended as Amendment to

article 35 of the

follows

principal Act.

(a)

sub-article (2) thereof shall be substituted by the

following

"(2) The Council shall be composed of a

Chairperson and another eleven members. Out of these

twelve members, including the Chairperson, one shall be

appointed by the Minister to represent the Government,

another member shall be the Commissioner ex officio and

the other ten members shall be appointed, in accordance

with sub-article (3), from among and to represent the

voluntary sector."; and

(b) paragraph (b) of sub-article (3) thereof shall be

amended as follows

(i) for the words "four members", there shall be

substituted the words "five members";

(ii) in sub-paragraph (iv) thereof for the words

"and international organisations:", there shall be

substituted the words "and international organisations;";

and

(iii) immediately after sub-paragraph (iv) thereof,

there shall be added the following new sub-paragraph

"(v) one member to represent persons with

a disability:".

PART X

Amendments to the Authority for Transport in Malta Act

This Part amends the Authority for Transport in Malta Act,

and it shall be read and construed as one with the Authority for

Transport in Malta Act, hereinafter in this Part referred to as "the

principal Act".

In sub-article (2) of article 5 of the principal Act, for the

words "not more than ten other members", there shall be substituted

the words "not more than eleven other members. One of the members

shall be a person with disability.".

Passed by the House of Representatives at Sitting No. 245 of the

3rd March, 2015.

A NĠLU F ARRUGIA

Speaker

R AYMOND S CICLUNA

Clerk of the House of Representatives

€0.54