Government bill · 20th Knesset · published as law 7 June 2016
חוק להגנת הספרות והסופרים בישראל (הוראת שעה) (תיקון), התשע"ו-2016Law for the Protection of Literature and Writers in Israel (temporary provision) (Amendment), 2016 · automatic translation · suggest a correction
Status: התקבלה בקריאה שלישית
Official summary of the law (Knesset)
The Law for the Protection of Literature and Authors in Israel (Temporary Provision) (Amendment), 2016, provides that the provisions of the Law establishing protection for the prices of new books for a period of 18 months, the provisions regarding minimum royalties for authors, and the provisions regarding the obligation to sign discount agreements under the Law, which were set to expire on 6 February 2017, shall remain in force only until 31 August 2016. However, it was determined that already during the upcoming Hebrew Book Week, a bookstore may offer a discount on books subject to the protection period, by agreement between the publisher and the bookstore, without any limitation on the discount rate. In addition, the provisions prohibiting compensation to salespeople for recommending a particular book and the provisions dealing with the prohibition of discrimination in display areas, including the supervision and enforcement provisions required for their implementation, shall remain in force for an additional two years from the date of publication of this Law.
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Hebrew original
חוק להגנת הספרות והסופרים בישראל (הוראת שעה) (תיקון), התשע"ו–2016, קובע כי הוראות החוק הקובעות הגנה למחירם של ספרים חדשים למשך 18 חודשים, ההוראות בדבר תמלוגי מינימום לסופרים ובדבר חובת חתימת הסכמי הנחה לפי החוק, האמורות לפקוע ב-6 לפברואר 2017, יעמדו בתוקפן רק עד ליום 31 באוגוסט 2016. עם זאת, נקבע שכבר במהלך שבוע הספר העברי הקרוב חנות ספרים תהיה רשאית לתת הנחה על ספרים שחלה עליהם תקופת ההגנה, וזאת בהסכמה בין המוציא לאור לחנות הספרים בלא הגבלה על שיעור ההנחה. כמו כן, ההוראות האוסרות על תגמול למוכרים בשל המלצה על ספר מסויים והוראות העוסקות באיסור הפליה בשטחי תצוגה, לרבות הוראות הפיקוח והאכיפה הנדרשות ליישומן, יעמדו בתוקפן למשך שנתיים נוספות מיום פרסום חוק זה.
Sponsors
Yoav Kisch, Merav Ben Ari, Makhluf Miki Zohar, Anat Berko, Bezalel Smotrich, Uri Maklev, Eli Cohen, Elie Elalouf, Orly Levi-Abekasis, Nava Boker, Tali Ploskov, Yoel Hasson, Yehiel Hilik Bar
Also: Avi Dicter (joined), Micky Rosenthal (joined), Mickey Levy (joined), Moshe Gafni (joined), Roy Folkman (joined), Rachel Azaria (joined)
Readings
- 23 May 2016 · First reading · להעביר את הצעת החוק לוועדההצעת חוק להגנת הספרות והסופרים בישראל (הוראת שעה) (ביטול), התשע"ו-2016Bill for the Protection of Literature and Writers in Israel (temporary provision) (Repeal), 2016autoBill passed first reading45 for · 33 against · 1 abst.
- 30 May 2016 · Third reading · אישור החוקהצעת חוק להגנת הספרות והסופרים בישראל (הוראת שעה) (תיקון), התשע"ו-2016Bill for the Protection of Literature and Writers in Israel (temporary provision) (Amendment), 2016autoLaw passed34 for · 18 against · 1 abst.
What was said in the plenum
The original law limited discounts on new books to 18 months in order to protect authors and the diversity of publishing, and was set as a temporary provision for three years to be evaluated at the end of the period; the amendment/repeal bill submitted by the Minister of Culture and MK Kish effectively eliminated the discount restrictions midway through the period, before the trial evaluation was completed. The debate centered on whether the law benefited or harmed the book market, authors, and consumers, and on the manner in which the repeal was carried out - hastily and while concealing part of the recommendations of the advisory committee appointed by the minister.
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Hebrew original
החוק המקורי הגביל ל-18 חודשים מתן הנחות על ספרים חדשים כדי להגן על הסופרים ועל גיוון ההוצאה לאור, ונקבע כהוראת שעה לשלושה שנים הניתנת להערכה בסוף התקופה; הצעת התיקון/הביטול שהגישו שרת התרבות וחבר הכנסת קיש ביטלה בפועל את ההגבלות על הנחות באמצע התקופה, בטרם הסתיימה בחינת הניסוי. הדיון נסב על השאלה אם החוק הועיל או הזיק לשוק הספרים, לסופרים ולצרכנים, ועל האופן שבו בוצע הביטול - בחיפזון ותוך הסתרת חלק מהמלצות הוועדה המייעצת שמינתה השרה.
Arguments for
- The law led to a decline in book sales, an increase in the average price, and harm to consumers who cannot purchase books cheaply.שרת התרבות והספורט מירי רגב
- The law specifically harmed debut authors and children's literature, and reduced the diversity and opportunity for new authors to break into readers' awareness.שרת התרבות והספורט מירי רגב, Yoav Kisch (Likud)
- The law failed to achieve its goal of ensuring fair compensation for authors and did not succeed in reducing the power of the large book chains (the duopoly).שרת התרבות והספורט מירי רגב
- The real problem in the market is the cross-ownership between publishers and bookstore chains, and therefore the price restriction should be repealed and the ownership structure addressed separately, alongside the establishment of support funds for authors and debut books.שרת התרבות והספורט מירי רגב, Yoav Kisch (Likud)
- This is an unnecessary regulatory intervention in a free market that harmed both bookstores and the public, and it is appropriate to repeal failed regulation and return to free competition.Yoav Kisch (Likud), Israel Eichler (United Torah Judaism)
Arguments against
- The law was deliberately set as a temporary provision for three years in order to gather data and examine its results, and there is no reason or substantive justification to repeal it midway through the period before the trial has been completed.Nachman Shai (Zionist Union), Omer Barlev (Zionist Union), Yoseph Yonah (Zionist Union), Manuel Trajtenberg (Zionist Union)
- The report of the advisory committee appointed by the minister herself recommended not repealing the law, but the minister concealed the report and tried to charge a high fee for it, and did not act transparently.
- Data from the advisory committee show that book sales rose rather than fell, that the listed price did not increase, and that bookstores and book chains recovered as a result of the law, contrary to the minister's claims.Tamar Zandberg (Meretz)
- The law is intended to protect original literary work and authors' livelihoods, since a sharp drop in prices harmed mainly them and not the publishers, and repealing it would harm authors again.
- Repealing a law enacted in the previous Knesset through a hasty and insufficiently thorough process, without adequate reasoning, undermines public trust in the Knesset and in the public decision-making process.
Who spoke (21)
| Member | Faction | Readings | Speeches | In the final vote |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| שרת התרבות והספורט מירי רגב | — | First reading, Third reading | 17 | — |
| Yoav Kisch | Likud coalition | First reading, Third reading | 2 | for |
| Nachman Shai | Zionist Union opposition | First reading | 1 | no record |
| Merav Ben Ari | Kulanu coalition | First reading, Third reading | 5 | for |
| Israel Eichler | United Torah Judaism coalition | First reading | 1 | for |
| Menachem Eliezer Moses | United Torah Judaism coalition | First reading | 1 | for |
| Tamar Zandberg | Meretz opposition | First reading, Third reading | 5 | against |
| Ilan Gilon | Meretz opposition | First reading | 2 | no record |
| Esawi Frej | Meretz opposition | First reading, Third reading | 7 | against |
| Omer Barlev | Zionist Union opposition | First reading | 3 | no record |
| Yoseph Yonah | Zionist Union opposition | First reading | 1 | against |
| Stav Shaffir | Zionist Union opposition | First reading | 3 | against |
| Yoel Hasson | Zionist Union opposition | First reading | 3 | against |
| Ahmad Tibi | Joint List opposition | First reading | 2 | no record |
| Oren Asaf Hazan | Likud coalition | First reading | 1 | for |
| Yifat Shasha Biton | Kulanu coalition | First reading | 1 | no record |
| Itzik Shmuli | Zionist Union opposition | Third reading | 1 | against |
| Manuel Trajtenberg | Zionist Union opposition | Third reading | 1 | against |
| Erel Margalit | Zionist Union opposition | Third reading | 3 | against |
| Abd Al Hakeem Haj Yahya | Joint List opposition | Third reading | 1 | against |
| Dov Khenin | Joint List opposition | Third reading | 1 | against |
An automatic summary of the plenum transcripts: the debate on the bill at every reading it was voted on. Arguments are given as the speakers made them; this is not an assessment. The list of speakers comes from the transcript, without a model. Transcripts of the sittings: 1, 2
Reservations to the second reading
1 reservation was filed: proposed changes to the text the committee brought to the second and third reading.
The sole reservation submitted requested postponing the effective date set in Section 2 of the bill from the end of August 2016 to the end of December 2016, and correspondingly updating the parallel date in Section 3.
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Hebrew original
ההסתייגות היחידה שהוגשה ביקשה לדחות את מועד התחולה הקבוע בסעיף 2 של הצעת החוק מסוף אוגוסט 2016 לסוף דצמבר 2016, ובהתאמה לעדכן גם את התאריך המקביל בסעיף 3.
By faction
- Zionist Union opposition · 1 reservation · 24 members
A joint reservation counts for every faction whose members filed it.
Who proposed what
- קבוצת המחנה הציוני · 1קבוצת המחנה הציוני הציעה לדחות את מועד הקבוע בסעיף 2 מ-27 באב התשע״ו (31 באוגוסט 2016) ל-2 בטבת התשע״ז (31 בדצמבר 2016), ובהתאם לתקן גם את המועד המקביל בסעיף 3.Sections: לסעיף 2Isaac Herzog, Tzipi Livni, Shelly Yachimovich, Stav Shaffir, Itzik Shmuli, Omer Barlev, Yehiel Hilik Bar, Amir Peretz, Merav Michaeli, Eitan Cabel, Manuel Trajtenberg, Erel Margalit, Micky Rosenthal, Revital Swid, Yoel Hasson, Zouheir Bahloul, Eytan Broshi, Michal Biran, Nachman Shai, Ksenia Svetlova, Ayelet Nahmias-Verbin, Yoseph Yonah, Eyal Ben Reuven, Yael Cohen Paran
Asked to speak: Yoav Kisch (Likud), Merav Ben Ari (Kulanu), Zehava Galon (Meretz), Ilan Gilon (Meretz), Esawi Frej (Meretz), Michal Rozin (Meretz), Tamar Zandberg (Meretz), Ayman Odeh (Joint List), Masud Ganaim (Joint List), Jamal Zahalka (Joint List), Ahmad Tibi (Joint List), Aida Touma Sliman (Joint List), Abd Al Hakeem Haj Yahya (Joint List), Hanin Zoabi (Joint List), Dov Khenin (Joint List), Talab Abu Arar (Joint List), Yousef Jabareen (Joint List), Basel Ghattas (Joint List), Osama Saadi (Joint List), Abdullah Abu Maaruf (Joint List)
Proposers and reservation numbers are extracted automatically from the committee version, and the count is checked against the numbers printed in it. The descriptions are an automatic summary. The reservation numbers in this document cannot be read as text, so the count was not checked against it automatically. Committee version for the second and third reading (PDF)
Reservations, sections and other votes (3)
In order. Votes on reservations and individual sections are shown separately from the vote on the bill as a whole.
- 30 May 2016 · Second reading · קריאה שנייההצעת חוק להגנת הספרות והסופרים בישראל (הוראת שעה) (תיקון), התשע"ו-2016Bill for the Protection of Literature and Writers in Israel (temporary provision) (Amendment), 2016auto38 for · 13 againstVote on sections of the bill
- 30 May 2016 · Second reading · הסתייגותהצעת חוק להגנת הספרות והסופרים בישראל (הוראת שעה) (תיקון), התשע"ו-2016Bill for the Protection of Literature and Writers in Israel (temporary provision) (Amendment), 2016auto18 for · 34 againstVote on a reservation (amendment)
- 30 May 2016 · Second reading · קריאה שנייההצעת חוק להגנת הספרות והסופרים בישראל (הוראת שעה) (תיקון), התשע"ו-2016Bill for the Protection of Literature and Writers in Israel (temporary provision) (Amendment), 2016auto34 for · 18 againstVote on sections of the bill