COVID-19 Response (Urgent Management Measures) Legislation Act 2020

1: Title
This Act is the COVID-19 Response (Urgent Management Measures) Legislation Act 2020.
2: Commencement
This Act comes into force on the day after the date on which it receives the Royal assent.
1: Amendment to Education Act 1989
3: Amendment to Education Act 1989
This Part amends the Education Act 1989 2020-03-26 Education Act 1989
4: New Part 33A inserted
After Part 33
33A: Directions relating to COVID-19
476A: Application and purpose of Part
1: This Part applies while an epidemic notice is in force for COVID-19 under section 5 of the Epidemic Preparedness Act 2006.
2: The purpose of this Part is to provide a response to the outbreak of COVID-19, and a recovery from it, that—
a: avoids, remedies, or mitigates the actual or potential adverse effects of the outbreak; and
b: facilitates co-ordinated processes and planning.
476B: Interpretation
In this Part, unless the context otherwise requires,— education entity
a: a registered school (as defined in section 2(1)):
b: a service provider (as defined in section 309):
c: a hostel (as defined in section 2(1)):
d: a private training establishment (as defined in section 159(1)):
e: an institution (as defined in section 159(1)):
f: an educational body (as defined in section 320) governing authority
476C: Power for Secretary to direct institutions in relation to COVID-19 measures
The Secretary may, for the purpose of this Part, direct the governing authority of an education entity (or the governing authorities of a class of education entities) to comply with any specified requirements—
a: to close or open the education entity or any part of it (including in relation to all, or any specified category, class, or year group, of students):
b: for the operation, control, or management of the education entity:
c: to provide education or instruction through the education entity in any specified ways (for example, through distance or online learning).
476D: Effect of directions
1: Every education entity to which a direction applies must give effect to the direction on the date on which the direction is given or on any later date that is specified in the direction.
2: A direction overrides every other provision of this Act (apart from the provisions in this Part).
476E: Publication and review of directions
1: As soon as practicable after a direction is given, the Secretary must ensure that it is published in the Gazette
2: A direction expires on the earlier of—
a: its expiry date:
b: the end of the period for which the epidemic management notice for COVID-19 is in force.
476F: Academic freedom unaffected
Nothing in this Part limits the academic freedom of institutions set out in section 161.
2: Amendment to Epidemic Preparedness Act 2006
5: Amendment to Epidemic Preparedness Act 2006
This Part amends the Epidemic Preparedness Act 2006 2020-03-26 Epidemic Preparedness Act 2006
6: Section 24 amended (Judges may modify rules of court during epidemic)
After section 24(2)﻿(b)
ba: a District Court Judge:
3: Amendment to Local Government Act 2002
7: Amendment to Local Government Act 2002
This Part amends the Local Government Act 2002 2020-03-26 Local Government Act 2002 Note for Compiler, inserted section 25B will need amends-noting per 25B(7): “This clause is repealed when the Epidemic Preparedness (COVID-19) Notice 2020 expires or is revoked.”
8: Schedule 7 amended
In Schedule 7, after clause 25A
25B: Modifications to clause 25A while epidemic notice in force for COVID-19
1: Subclauses (2) to (4)
2: A member of a local authority, or of a committee of a local authority, has, unless lawfully excluded, the right to attend any meeting of the local authority or committee by means of audio link or audiovisual link.
3: To that end, a member may attend a meeting by means of audio link or audiovisual link despite—
a: clause 27(5)﻿(a); and
b: any limitation or condition on the use of an audio link or audiovisual link that is contained in the local authority’s standing orders; and
c: anything else to the contrary in the local authority’s standing orders.
4: For a Civil Defence Emergency Management Group, the reference in subclause (3)
5: Subclause (6)
6: A member of the local authority or committee who attends a meeting by means of audio link or audiovisual link, in accordance with this clause, is to be counted as present for the purposes of clause 23.
7: This clause is repealed when the Epidemic Preparedness (COVID-19) Notice 2020 expires or is revoked.
4: Amendments to Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act 1987
9: Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act 1987
This Part amends the Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act 1987 2020-03-26 Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act 1987 Note for Compiler, inserted sections 46B, 47A, and 51AA will need amends-noting per respective subprovision (3)s: “This section is repealed when the Epidemic Preparedness (COVID-19) Notice 2020 expires or is revoked.”
10: New section 46B inserted (Modifications to section 46A while epidemic notice in force for COVID-19)
After section 46A
46B: Modifications to section 46A while epidemic notice in force for COVID-19
1: Despite section 46A(2), (3), and (10), an agenda and any associated report referred to in that section may be made available free of charge on the local authority’s Internet site (instead of at the locations referred to in that section).
2: A member of the public may still request a copy of the agenda or report in accordance with section 46A(5) (and that copy must be provided by post).
3: This section is repealed when the Epidemic Preparedness (COVID-19) Notice 2020 expires or is revoked.
11: New section 47A inserted (Modifications to section 47 while epidemic notice in force for COVID-19)
After section 47
47A: Modifications to section 47 while epidemic notice in force for COVID-19
1: For the purposes of section 47, open to the public
a: if it is reasonably practicable, enables access to the meeting by broadcasting live the audio or video of the meeting (for example, by broadcasting it on an Internet site); and
b: does 1 or both of the following as soon as practicable after the meeting ends:
i: makes an audio or a video recording of the meeting available on its Internet site:
ii: makes a written summary of the business of the meeting available on its Internet site.
2: The local authority must provide the live broadcast, and make the recording or summary available, free of charge.
3: This section is repealed when the Epidemic Preparedness (COVID-19) Notice 2020 expires or is revoked.
12: New section 51AA inserted (Modifications to section 51 while epidemic notice in force for COVID-19)
After section 51
51AA: Modifications to section 51 while epidemic notice in force for COVID-19
1: Despite section 51(1), meeting minutes referred to in that section may be made available free of charge on the local authority’s Internet site (instead of at the local authority’s office).
2: A member of the public may still request a copy of the minutes in accordance with section 51(2) (and, subject to section 51(3), that copy must be provided by post).
3: This section is repealed when the Epidemic Preparedness (COVID-19) Notice 2020 expires or is revoked.
5: Amendments to Residential Tenancies Act 1986
13: Residential Tenancies Act 1986
This Part amends the Residential Tenancies Act 1986 2020-03-26 Residential Tenancies Act 1986
14: New section 145 inserted (Provisions relating to outbreak of COVID-19)
After section 144
145: Provisions relating to outbreak of COVID-19
The provisions of Schedule 5
15: New Schedule 5 inserted
After Schedule 4 Schedule 5 Schedule