Tuesday 25 / February / 2025
Muscat: The Shura Council on Tuesday referred to the State Council the draft law on ‘State Dues Collection’ and the draft law on ‘Rights of Persons with Disabilities’. Both the draft laws were submitted by the government for review.
Additionally, the Shura Council approved the proposal for the draft law on combating tobacco and its derivatives.
The sitting commenced with an opening address by Khalid bin Hilal Al Ma’awali, Chairman of the Shura Council, who congratulated His Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tarik on the the arrival of the blessed month of Ramadan.
In his remarks, he wished His Majesty to celebrate many more Ramadans, and showered with abundant blessings, good health, happiness, and a long life, and also conveyed his greetings of prosperity and blessings to the Omani people and the Islamic nation.
In his address, he called upon the honourable Council members to submit views and proposals that align with national objectives, thereby unifying efforts to channel available capabilities towards the public good.
Draft Law on ‘State Dues Collection’
Subsequently, Ahmed Saeed Al-Sharqi, Chairman of the Financial and Economic Committee and the session’s rapporteur, presented the committee’s report on the draft law on State Dues Collection referred to the Council.
In his report, he detailed the committee’s efforts in reviewing the draft law and noted that nearly 30 years have elapsed since the implementation of the system for collecting taxes, fees, and other dues owed to state administrative units, as established by Royal Decree (23/49).
The draft law, consisting of 79 articles arranged into five chapters, was studied in depth by the committee, which hosted several specialists from government bodies to obtain a comprehensive perspective.
A joint meeting with the Legislative and Legal Committee was also held, during which a harmonised version of most articles was agreed upon.
Extensive discussions ensued regarding various articles of the draft law. Ahmed Saeed Al-Sharqi addressed several technical interventions raised by the esteemed Council members and provided justifications for the amendments approved by the committee.
Furthermore, Dr. Talal Saeed Al-Muharibi, rapporteur of the Legislative and Legal Committee, responded to members’ comments concerning the penalties provision, offering explanations for the proposed modifications.
Thereafter, the draft law was approved and referred to the State Council to complete the legislative cycle, in accordance with Article (49) of the Oman Council Law, which states: “Draft laws are referred from the Council of Ministers to the Shura Council, which must decide on the draft by either approving or amending it within a maximum period of three months from the date of referral; thereafter, it is submitted to the State Council, which must decide on it by approving or amending it within no more than forty-five days from the date of its referral.”
Draft Law on ‘Rights of Persons with Disabilities’
During the session, Mansoor Zahir Al-Hajri, Chairman of the Health and Social Committee and the session’s rapporteur, presented the committee’s report on the draft law on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.
In its study, the committee held a series of meetings and consultations with various civil society organisations—including the Omani Down Syndrome Association, the Al-Noor Association for the Blind, the Omani Association for Persons with Disabilities, and the Omani Association for Persons with Hearing Disabilities—to benefit from their insights regarding the draft law.
The committee also met with officials from the Ministry of Social Development to examine the justifications and objectives underlying the proposal.
In addition, Dr. Ahmed Ali Al-Saadi, Chairman and rapporteur of the Legislative and Legal Committee for the draft law, presented the committee’s views on the penal provisions of the draft law and responded to the observations submitted by the esteemed members.
Following these deliberations, the draft law was approved in its harmonised form and referred to the State Council in line with the legislative cycle provided by the Oman Council Law.
Proposal for the draft law on combating tobacco and its derivatives
The sitting also witnessed the approval of the proposal for the draft law on combating tobacco and its derivatives.
The Health and Social Committee had previously conducted extensive studies on this proposal, hosting several relevant entities, while the Legislative and Legal Committee examined its legal drafting and compatibility with existing laws in the Sultanate of Oman.
Mansoor bin Zahir Al-Hajri, Chairman of the committee and the session’s rapporteur for the draft law, presented the committee’s report to the esteemed members, detailing the justifications, objectives, and societal impact of the proposal.
He clarified that the proposal is consistent with other applicable regulations in the region governing this sector. The proposal was subsequently approved and referred to the State Council to complete the necessary legislative cycle for its enactment in accordance with the Oman Council Law.
It is noteworthy that this proposal aims to establish regulatory controls to curb the spread of tobacco and its derivatives, thereby protecting the community from the adverse effects of this phenomenon.
The initiative to propose such a draft law is in keeping with the legislative role of the Shura Council, as stipulated in Article (48) of the Oman Council Law, which provides that the Oman Council may propose draft laws and refer them to the government for review, with a return to the Council within a maximum period of one year. Upon approval, the same procedures outlined in Article (47) of the law shall apply.
The decions were taken during the sixth regular session of the second ordinary conjuncture (2024–2025) of the tenth term (2023–2027), chaired by Khalid bin Hilal Al Ma’awali, Chairman of the Shura Council, and attended by the members of the Council.
The Council will convene its Seventh Regular Sitting on Wednesday, which will be dedicated to discussing the statement of the Minister of Education.
