Israeli Constitution Committee Debates Splitting Government Legal Adviser Bill Amid Tight Schedule

The chairman of the Knesset Constitution Committee, Simcha Rothman, is set to hold a discussion on Sunday regarding the division of the bill to split the role of the Government Legal Adviser. This move comes amid concerns that the legislation may not pass before the Knesset dissolves due to a tight legislative timetable.

The proposed split would allow significant parts of the bill to be advanced through second and third readings more quickly. These parts include changing the legal adviser's opinions from binding to advisory, enabling private representation in the Supreme Court, and increasing oversight of the legal adviser. The committee has already reviewed these sections, facilitating an expedited approval process.

Under the proposal, the Government Legal Adviser's opinion would become non-binding for government ministries. The adviser would be appointed by the government and the Justice Minister without a selection committee. The adviser's term would automatically end with the government's term, and the government could terminate the adviser's tenure prematurely.

Additionally, the bill introduces stricter conditions for initiating criminal investigations and indictments against public officials, including the Prime Minister and ministers. The Attorney General would need approval from a district court to open criminal investigations against Knesset members, judges, rabbis, and other officials. Filing indictments against senior officials would require approval from a special committee.

This legislative effort follows the Supreme Court's order to hold repeat elections for the State Comptroller position and coincides with the 20th anniversary of the Class Action Law. The Constitution Committee aims to navigate the legislative challenges before the Knesset's dissolution to ensure key reforms are enacted.