00:00Members of the Senate returned to the Red House on Friday, September 11.
00:03Both Houses of Parliament have been on recess since July,
00:07and while the Parliament website indicates that Senators will be back out to work this week,
00:11there had not yet been any word on when the House of Representatives will have its first meeting.
00:18According to the Senate's order paper, one of the bills for second reading
00:21is an amendment to the Maternity Protection Act
00:24to be piloted by the Minister of Labor, Small and Microenterprise Development.
00:29The bill aims to expand maternity protection to include paternity and parental leave
00:34for both natural and adoptive parents, among other objectives.
00:39There are three questions on the order paper by Independent Senator Dr. Marley Nats,
00:44two of which deal with the closure or restructuring of the CPEP program.
00:49The Independent Senator's third question concerns student attendance and dropout levels
00:55in primary and secondary schools during the period of June 2025 to May 2026.
01:01Also on the Senate's order paper for Friday is a motion by Independent Senator Dr. Desiree Murray
01:06for the Government to introduce into Parliament, within 12 months,
01:10comprehensive legislation to give effect to a national framework for medical records and health data.
01:17Whenever the House of Representatives resumes its sittings,
01:20the Finance Minister is expected to announce a date
01:22for the presentation of the Government's budget for fiscal 2027.
01:27And if there is to be another extension of the state of emergency,
01:30Government will have to seek the approval of the members of the House of Representatives
01:35and the Senate in accordance with the Constitution.
01:39Jewel Brown, TV6 News.
01:46Jewel Brown, TV6 News.
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