Chaired by Speaker of the Senate of the Parliament of the Republic of Kazakhstan Maulen Ashimbayev, a meeting of the Chamber was held, during which a number of laws were considered and senators were elected to joint commissions of the Chambers of Parliament on draft constitutional laws.
As Maulen Ashimbayev noted, as part of the implementation of the new Constitution adopted in the national referendum on March 15, 2026, four constitutional bills have been submitted to Parliament for consideration: "On the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan," "On the Kurultai of the Republic of Kazakhstan and the Status of its Deputies," "On the Administrative-Territorial Structure of the Republic of Kazakhstan," and "On the Status of the Capital of the Republic of Kazakhstan." According to the Rules of Procedure, the laws must be considered at a joint session of the Chambers. Therefore, during the Senate meeting, deputies elected senators to serve on joint commissions of the Chambers of Parliament on draft constitutional laws and rapporteurs.
The next item on the Chamber meeting agenda was the Law "On Amendments and Additions to Certain Legislative Acts of the Republic of Kazakhstan on Responsible Treatment of Animals." During the Senate discussion of the Law, the most sensitive provisions of the document were thoroughly reviewed. In addition to deputies and government representatives, the working group also included animal rights activists, NGO representatives, environmentalists, scientists, and regional experts. While conceptually agreeing with the Law's amendments, the deputies nevertheless decided to introduce their own amendments aimed at a more humane approach and developed within the framework of implementing the objectives set by the President of the country during his speech at the "Taza Kazakhstan" environmental campaign.
"President Kassym-Jomart Kemelevich Tokayev prioritizes fostering a culture of responsible animal care and preventing cruelty, including through the "Taza Kazakhstan" environmental campaign. The law under consideration today improves legislation to protect pets while ensuring public safety, and clarifies the rights and responsibilities of pet owners. During the review process, senators introduced additional amendments to certain provisions, and we hope the law will help build an effective system in this area," said Maulen Ashimbayev, commenting on the law.
First of all, as noted by the deputies, the Senate rejected the use of the term euthanasia in Article 15 of the Law when regulating the population of stray animals, and also proposed abandoning the five-day period, which had been widely discussed by the public. The exact procedure and timeframe for regulating the population of stray animals were proposed to be determined by the maslikhats of each region independently, taking into account the specific local situation.
Another amendment by the senators concerns the definition of "stray animal." According to the deputies, the absence of a microchip does not always mean that the animal has no owner. This could lead to situations where pets are mistakenly classified as strays, with all the attendant negative consequences. At the same time, the deputies made substantive and technical amendments to a number of other provisions of the law.
Thus, the senators introduced a number of fundamental changes to the Law and returned it to the Mazhilis.
The meeting also reviewed and approved the Law of the Republic of Kazakhstan "On Civil Service of the Republic of Kazakhstan" and the accompanying Law "On Amendments and Additions to Certain Legislative Acts of the Republic of Kazakhstan on Civil Service Issues." According to the deputies, these laws are intended to improve the efficiency of the civil service system, address the shortage of qualified industry specialists in the civil service, improve the quality and accessibility of state services, increase public satisfaction with the work of civil servants, and strengthen public trust in the civil service.
"The head of state has repeatedly emphasized the need to improve the public administration system and develop a new management culture. A key element of these reforms is a professional government apparatus, which is why the law approved today comprehensively improves the institution of civil service. The amendments optimize selection and service procedures, strengthen social guarantees, and enhance accountability for civil servants. Particular attention was also paid to improving the quality of public services and their digitalization. We hope that the approved laws will contribute to enhancing the efficiency of the civil service system and the quality of public service delivery," the Speaker of the Chamber of Parliament concluded.
The senators also voiced their parliamentary inquiries.
Galiaskar Sarybayev criticized the lack of public review in the selection of the Almaty metro supplier and called on the government to consider the procurement of metro cars with a focus on improving transportation safety.
Zhanna Asanova proposed revising the rules for conducting design and estimate documentation reviews. According to her, the lack of a body to verify the conclusions of state and private experts leads to the inefficient use of budget funds. The deputy called on the government to consider establishing independent oversight in this area.
Nurlan Bekenov demanded funding for clearing the Koluton River in the Akmola region to prevent the threat of flooding in the villages of Stary Koluton, Yenbek, and Koluton station, where approximately 1,500 people live.
(Press Office of the Senate, 74-72-27. Photo by: N.Baibullin)
