A debate over raising the 500 plus childcare allowance to 800 zlotys per child continues to unfold in Poland’s parliament. The upper chamber, the Senate, signaled that the amendment may not be addressed during the current session, with Tomasz Grodzki, the Senate Marshal, explaining that the chamber would likely return to the proposal at a later date after customary committee work, consultations, and a plenary discussion. He also noted that the amendment was deemed unconstitutional by the Senate before the session began.
Earlier, the Sejm had passed the amendment to the state aid law concerning child-rearing support, approving the increase from 500 to 800 zlotys starting January 1, 2024. Observers are watching how the Senate, which runs on a structured timeline of committee work and inclusive debates, will handle the change and whether it will become law in the near term.
Higher benefits for families – status in the Senate’s queue
The Senate opened a two-day session on a Wednesday. During a pre-session press conference, President Grodzki was asked why the chamber would not take up the amendment immediately. He described the process as a careful, old-fashioned sequence of committee work, consultations, and then a plenary vote. He indicated that urgent matters usually have a 20-day window, while standard items have a 30-day window, and the current bill is not tagged as urgent, suggesting it will be discussed at the next session.
Grodzki emphasized that the aim is to raise the childcare allowance to 800 zlotys by January 1, 2024, noting there is ample time to implement the change.
From 500 plus to 800 plus
The amendment would lift the allowance to 800 zlotys per child. The first higher payment would be processed on February 29, 2024, with coverage retroactive to January 1, 2024. The bill’s justification highlights the need for additional technical provisions to ensure the social insurance institution can handle cases smoothly and without interruption.
In practical terms, the Social Insurance Institution (ZUS) will strive to guarantee continuous disbursement of the 800 zloty benefit, ensuring payments begin for eligible families with allowances due before January 2024 and continue into January 2024 and beyond. The adjustment is set to occur automatically, without the need for a new application from families.
The 500 plus benefit covers from a child’s birth until the child reaches 18 years old and applies to both biological and foster families alike.
Related discussions included commentary on further adjustments to the 500 plus program, with some signaling that the increase may be permanent and potentially revisited in the future.
Grodzki on the Commission for Investigating Russian Influence – Unconstitutional
During the session, the Senate debated the presidential amendment concerning the State Commission for the Study of Russian Influences on Poland’s internal security for 2007-2022. Grodzki, speaking to reporters, criticized the proposed structure as unconstitutional, arguing that it creates a body not authorized by the Polish legal framework and that such a body would operate with impunity. He contrasted this with democratic norms and warned that the Senate could not accept such solutions.
Asked about the likely fate of the legislation, Grodzki provided cautious commentary, prompting reporters to consider potential outcomes for the measure.
Law on establishing a commission to study Russian influence
On May 31, the law establishing the commission to examine Russian influence in Poland’s internal security for 2007-2022 took effect, following presidential signing and subsequent discussions about possible referral to the Constitutional Tribunal. On June 2, a draft amendment was submitted to the Sejm by President Duda and passed by the House in mid-June. The amendment states that current members of parliament cannot serve on the commission for investigating Russian influence, removes certain countermeasures from the existing law, and clarifies that the commission’s decisions could be appealed to the Court of Appeal in Warsaw.
Late in the week, the Senate committees overseeing Legislative issues, Human Rights, Rule of Law, and Petitions voted to reject the amendment to the law governing the State Committee for the Study of Russian Influences. The broader context of the discussion included calls for an independent review of Russian influence on Poland’s security and the mechanisms that support it.
Discussions also touched on remarks about the feasibility and timing of creating and launching such a committee, with officials noting the importance of careful design and legislative alignment with constitutional norms.
In ongoing coverage of this topic, commentators and lawmakers referenced additional statements from public figures urging the establishment of a body to investigate Russian influence, highlighting the relevance of the issue for Poland’s national security strategy and policy oversight. The debates illustrate the balance between urgency, legal constraints, and procedural safeguards within Poland’s parliamentary system.
All developments are tracked with official briefings and parliamentary votes as lawmakers weigh the best path forward for family benefits and national security investigations. (Citation: wPolityce).