ACT No. XXXVII of 2020 AN ACT to amend the Minor Protection (Alternative Care) Act, 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

I assent.

(L.S.)

GEORGE VELLA

President

28th July, 2020

ACT No. XXXVII of 2020

AN ACT to amend the Minor Protection (Alternative Care) Act,

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 Minor Protection (Alternative Short title.

Care) (Amendment) Act, 2020 and this Act shall be read and construed

as one with the Minor Protection (Alternative Care) Act, hereinafter Cap. 602.

referred to as "the principal Act".

In article 2 of the principal Act, immediately after the words Amendment of

"Juvenile Court Act" there shall be added the words "but consisting article

principal Act.

solely of the Magistrate without the two assistants appointed according

to article 4(2) et seq. of the same Act".

Article 9 of the principal Act shall be amended as follows

Amendment of

article 9 of the

principal Act.

(a) in sub-article (2) thereof the words "which

constitutes a criminal offence causing significant harm as

defined in sub-article (4) on a minor" shall be substituted by the

words "causing or which may cause significant harm on a minor

as defined in sub-article (4) or which constitutes a criminal

offense"; and

(b) in sub-article (4) thereof the words "and trafficking

of any of the persons as mentioned in Sub-title VIII Bis of Title

VIII of Part II of Book First of the Criminal Code" shall be

substituted by the words "trafficking, fear of violence and female

genital mutilation as defined and provided for in Book First of

the Criminal Code. It also includes being a victim of domestic

violence as defined and provided for in Gender-based Violence

and Domestic Violence Act".

Article 15 of the principal Act shall be amended as follows

(a) in sub-article (1) thereof, the words "Children’s

House" shall be substituted by the words "the building or

buildings where the Juvenile Court shall sit in Malta and in

Gozo";

(b) sub-article (2) thereof shall be renumbered as sub-

article (3) and immediately after sub-article (1) there shall be

added the following new sub-article

"(2) The Court shall appoint the date and time

in which the minor shall give evidence and for such

purpose it shall convene to hear the minor in those

premises as are prescribed by the Minister, through

regulations, to serve as Children’s House.".

Article 18 of the principal Act shall be amended as follows

(a) in sub-article (3) thereof the words "within twenty-

four hours" shall be substituted by the words "in the shortest time

possible and such period shall in no case exceed that of forty-

eight hours";

(b) in sub-article (5) thereof immediately after the words

"appointed by it" there shall be added the words "curator ad

litem"; and immediately after sub-article (5), as amended, there

shall be added the following new provisos

"Provided that the service mentioned in sub-article

(5) shall take place immediately by court executive officers in

accordance with article 67 of the Code of Organization and Civil

Procedure

Provided further that the Court shall appoint curators

in accordance with article 930 of the Code of Organization and

Civil Procedure to represent the parents of the minor when such

parents have not been served by the date of the hearing, given

that the Court would have before it a negative certificate of

service in accordance with article 188 of the Code of

Organization and Civil Procedure. The procedure of issue of

banns as required by article 931 of the Code of Organization and

Civil Procedure shall not hinder the hearing as set by sub-article

(5) of article 18. Any person appearing to the banns may be

confirmed as curator of the parents by the Court in accordance

with article 933 of the Code of Organization and Civil

Procedure.".

In sub-article (1)(c) of article 19 of the principal Act Amendment of

immediately after the words "parents of the minor" there shall be article

principal Act.

added the words "or the minor".

In sub-article (4) of article 21 of the principal Act the words Amendment of

"shall apply mutatis mutandis and without" shall be substituted by the article

principal Act.

words "shall apply mutatis mutandis with the exception of the

hypothecation of his own property required by article 167 and 199 of

the Civil Code. Without".

In article 32 of the principal Act, immediately after sub-article Amendment of

article 32 of the

(4) there shall be added the following new sub-article

principal Act.

"(5) The Minister shall designate a person to act as

Secretary to the Review Board and such person shall, as part of

his duties, be responsible for the keeping of the relevant records

and shall carry out such other work related to the functions of the

Review Board as may be instructed by the Chairperson

Provided that the Secretary to the board shall have no

vote.".

In sub-article (6) of article 51 of the principal Act Amendment of

immediately after the words "a direction from the Review Board" there article

principal Act.

shall be added the words "which direction is to be given by not later

than ten working days".

In sub-article (1) of article 61 of the principal Act Amendment of

immediately after paragraph (j) there shall be added the following new article

principal Act.

paragraphs

"(k) the right to open a bank account in the name of the

minor, which they shall administer as a bonus paterfamilias;

(l) the receiving of any relevant information, including

medical information, about the minor being placed in their care

and ensuring that any such information is kept confidential;

(m) ensuring that the minor attends to any treatment

which the Review Board may determine as needed for the well-

being of the minor;

(n) attendance together with the minor for reviews by the

Review Board and updating that board on the progress being

done by the minor and on any other significant event;

(o) respecting and facilitating the right of the minor to

practice a religion of his own choice.".

In sub-article (9) of article 65 of the principal Act, the words

"Court of Appeal" shall be substituted by the words "Court of Appeal

(Inferior Jurisdiction)" and the words "article 41(6)" shall be

substituted by the words "article 41(9)".

Article 66 of the principal Act shall be amended as follows

(a) in sub-article (1) thereof, the words "Court of

Appeal" shall be substituted by the words "Court of Appeal

(Inferior Jurisdiction)" and the words "article 41(6)" shall be

substituted by the words "article 41(9)"; and

(b) in the second proviso to sub-article (1) thereof the

word "always" shall be substituted by the word "also".

Passed by the House of Representatives at Sitting No. 363 of the

22nd July, 2020.

ANĠLU FARRUGIA

Speaker

RAYMOND SCICLUNA

Clerk of the House of Representatives

€0.54

Meta tidher persuna li toffri ruħha li taċċetta l-ħatra ta’

kuratur wara l-ħruġ tal-bandi, tista’ tiġi konfermata bħala kuratur

tal-ġenituri mill-Qorti skont l-artikolu 933 tal-Kodiċi ta’

Organizzazzjoni u Proċedura Ċivili.".

6. Fis-subartikolu (1)(ċ) tal-artikolu 19 tal-Att prinċipali Emenda tal-

minnufih wara l-kliem "ġenituri tal-minuri" għandhom jiżdiedu l- artikolu

Att prinċipali.

kliem "jew il-minuri".

7. Fis-subartikolu (4) tal-artikolu 21 tal-Att prinċipali l-kliem Emenda tal-

"tutela u kurazija u bla" għandhom jiġu sostitwiti bil-kliem "tutela u artikolu

Att prinċipali.

kurazija bl-eċċezzjoni tal-ipoteka ta’ ħwejjiġha kif meħtieġ taħt l-

artikolu 167 u 199 tal-Kodiċi Ċivili. Bla".

8. Fl-artikolu 32 tal-Att prinċipali minnufih wara s-subartikolu Emenda tal-

artikolu 32 tal-

(4) għandu jiżdied is-subartikolu ġdid li ġej

Att prinċipali.

"(5) Il-Ministru għandu jaħtar persuna biex taġixxi bħala

Segretarju tal-Bord ta’ Reviżjoni u dik il-persuna għandha, bħala

parti minn dmirijietha, tkun responsabbli biex iżżomm id-

dokumenti rilevanti u għandha tagħmel kull xogħol ieħor relatat

mal-funzjonijiet tal-Bord ta’ Reviżjoni skont kif tista’ tkun

imqabbda miċ-Chairperson

Iżda s-Segretarju tal-bord ma jkollux vot.".

9. Fis-subartikolu (6) tal-artikolu 51 tal-Att prinċipali minnufih Emenda tal-

wara l-kliem "direzzjoni mingħand il-Bord ta’ Reviżjoni" għandhom artikolu

Att prinċipali.

jidħlu l-kliem "liema direzzjoni għandha tingħata mhux aktar tard

minn għaxart ijiem utili".

10. Fis-subartikolu (1) tal-artikolu 61 tal-Att prinċipali, minnufih Emenda tal-

artikolu 61 tal-

wara l-paragrafu (j) għandhom jiżdiedu l-paragrafi ġodda li ġejjin

Att prinċipali.

"(k) li jkollhom id-dritt jiftħu kont bankarju f’isem il-

minuri u li huma għandhom jamministraw bħala missier tajjeb

tal-familja;

(l) li jirċievu kull informazzjoni rilevanti, inkluż

informazzjoni medika, dwar il-minuri li ser jitqiegħed taħt il-

ħarsien tagħhom u jiżguraw li dik l-informazzjoni tinżamm

kunfidenzjali;

(m) li jiżguraw li l-minuri jattendi għal xi trattament li l-

Bord ta’ Reviżjoni jista’ jiddeċiedi li hu meħtieġ għall-ġid tal-

minuri;

(n) li jattendu flimkien mal-minuri għar-reviżjonijiet

quddiem il-Bord ta’ Reviżjoni u jżommu lil dak il-bord aġġornat

dwar il-progress li l-minuri ikun qed jagħmel u dwar kull ġrajja

oħra sinifikanti;

(o) li jirrispettaw u jiffaċilitaw id-dritt tal-minuri li

jipprattika reliġjon tal-għażla tiegħu.".

11. Fis-subartikolu (9) tal-artikolu 65 tal-Att prinċipali, minflok

il-kliem "Qorti tal-Appell" għandhom jidħlu l-kliem "Qorti tal-Appell

(Kompetenza Inferjuri)" u minflok il-kliem "l-artikolu 41(6)"

għandhom jidħlu l-kliem "l-artikolu 41(9)".

12. L-artikolu 66 tal-Att prinċipali għandu jiġi emendat kif ġej

(a) fis-subartikolu (1) tiegħu minflok il-kliem "Qorti tal-

Appell" għandhom jidħlu il-kliem "Qorti tal-Appell

(Kompetenza Inferjuri)" u minflok il-kliem "l-artikolu 41(6)"

għandhom jidħlu l-kliem "l-artikolu 41(9)"; u

(b) fit-tieni proviso għas-subartikolu (1) tiegħu minflok

il-kelma "dejjem" għandha tidħol il-kelma "wkoll".

Mgħoddi mill-Kamra tad-Deputati fis-Seduta Nru 363 tat-22 ta’

Lulju, 2020.

ANĠLU FARRUGIA

Speaker

RAYMOND SCICLUNA

Skrivan tal-Kamra tad-Deputati