Other proposals for amendments

Domestic violence: Courts would be required to hear requests for protection by victims of domestic violence and to make a determination within 48 hours, under China's first draft law covering domestic violence. China Daily

? Chinese citizens running for seats as lawmakers should not receive any kind of election-related support from foreign organizations or individuals, according to the latest proposal of a draft amendment to the election law of the National People's Congress.

? The top legislature will discuss a draft law to regulate the awarding of national honors and medals of honor. According to the draft, award ceremonies for national honors will be held with certain procedures during major festivals or on memorial days.

? Amendments to three laws, on education, higher education and the promotion of privately run education, were sent to the National People's Congress Standing Committee for a first reading. The amendments aim to ban those caught cheating from taking future tests and to punish those facilitating such cheating. Currently, education institutions are authorized to disqualify cheaters and render their scores invalid. In severe cases, education administrators can ban cheaters from attending such exams for one to three years.

? Lawmakers proposed formulating a provision in the ninth amendment to the Criminal Law to curb assaults on police officers. They suggested that the law should stipulate that anyone who violently attacks a police officer will face a harsher penalty if they are convicted of impeding the public service of police officers.

? Driving while drugged is excluded from the draft of the ninth amendment to the Criminal Law because the study in this regard was insufficient. Lawmakers hold different opinions on how to define drugged driving and what penalties should be applied for the offense. The issues was postponed until the next legislative discussion, according to the Legal Affairs Committee of the Congress.