Dear friends and colleagues, As part of the PMRC mandate to inform our readers of the legislation affecting you,

and in light of the opening of The Second Session of the Eleventh Assembly of Parliament having commenced on February 19th 2013, below is the list of bills that have been presented, for debate and discussion and possible adoption. PRESENTATION OF GOVERNMENT BILLS

The Minister of Education, Science, Vocational Training and Early Education 1. The Higher Education - Bill to provide for the establishment of the Higher Education Authority and define its functions and powers; provide for quality assurance and quality promotion in higher education; provide for the establishment, governance and regulation of public higher education institutions; provide for the registration and regulation of private higher education institutions; repeal and replace the University Act, 1999; and provide for matters connected with, or incidental to, the foregoing. 2. The Teaching Profession - Bill to establish the Teaching Council of Zambia and define its functions and powers; provide for the regulation of teachers, their practice and professional conduct; provide for the accreditation and regulation of colleges of education; and provide for matters connected with, or incidental to, the foregoing. The Minister of Finance 1. The Bank of Zambia (Amendment) - Bill to amend the Bank of Zambia Act 2. The Millennium Challenge Compact - Bill to give effect to the Millennium Challenge Compact and Program Implementation Agreement; expand access to, and improve reliability of, water supply, sanitation and drainage services in select urban and peri-urban areas of the City of Lusaka in order to reduce the incidence of waterborne and water related diseases; generate time savings for households and businesses and reduce nonrevenue water in the water supply network by improving water supply and sanitation and drainage services; and provide for matters connected with, or incidental to, the foregoing. The Minister of Health 1. The National Health Research Bill to establish the National Health Research Authority and provide for its functions and powers; establish the National Health Research Ethics Board and provide for its functions and powers; provide a regulatory framework for the development, regulation, financing and coordination of health research and ensure the development of consistent health research standards and guidelines for ethically sound health research; provide for the establishment of health research ethics committees and the regulation and management of research institutions, health researchers and health establishments involved in or undertaking research; provide for the regulation of biological material for health research; provide for ethical approval for the conduct of clinical trials; provide for the use of traditional, complementary and alternative medicines in health research; provide for data management and intellectual property rights in health research; provide for the designation of bio banks; and provide for matters connected with, or incidental to, the foregoing. 2. The Medicines and Allied Substances Bill to continue the existence of the Pharmaceutical Regulatory Authority and re-name it as the Zambia Medicines Regulatory Authority; provide for the functions and powers of the Authority; provide for the registration and regulation of pharmacies, health shops and agroveterinary shops; provide for the registration and regulation of medicines and allied substances; provide for the regulation of the manufacture, importation, exportation, possession, storage, distribution, supply, promotion, advertising, sale and use of medicines and allied substances; provide for the regulation and control of clinical trials; repeal and replace the Pharmaceutical Act, 2004; and provide for matters connected with, or incidental to, the foregoing.