Jordanian senate passes judiciary draft legislation

The Senate on Tuesday endorsed the 2014 judiciary independence draft law in the form passed by the Lower House, during a session chaired by Senate President Abdul Raouf Rawabdeh.
According to the raison d'être given, the bill's passage was to ensure implementation of the recently-approved constitutional amendments, a reaffirmation of the independence of the judicial authority in line with paragraphs 2 and 3 of article 98 of the Constitution, and in response to paragraph "2" of article 128 of the Constitution.
Its purpose was also to enhance a judge's status and reputation and provide the judicial apparatus with qualified staff as well as to train judges and ensure job security for them.
According to one key amendment, a senior judge's service would be extended until the age of 74, while other judges would retire at the age of 68. The law also sets up a fund for judges and their assistants as its revenues would come from law suits' fees and other procedural and executive judicial matters under the court fee system.
The Senate also approved the Lower House's decisions regarding the 2012 juvenile law and the 2014 public-private sector partnership draft referred to it by the House.
The lawmakers had insisted on the establishment of a juvenile police administration under the juvenile law in lieu of the Public Security Law, in addition to some articles related to the enforcement of provisions on juveniles and the naming of healthcare and juvenile homes.
The Senate members were also notified of the Lower House's endorsement of the 2013 investment draft law as amended by the Senate based on article 54 of the Senate's bylaws.
At the outset of the session, the Senate's secretary-general, Khaled al-Lozi, recited a royal decree issued last week proroguing parliament's extraordinary session as of September 30, 2014.