Brazil: Committee passes bill regulating quarantine and lockdowns

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – The term of restrictive measures may not exceed 30 days, but may be extended should the reasons that prompted its decree persist, and upon health authorities’ justification.

Restrictions on the circulation of public service workers, essential activities, and cargo transportation are prohibited.

The passed bill is a substitute of rapporteur Deputy Soraya Manato to bill 3315/20 by Deputy Luiz Philippe de Orleans e Bragança. The rapporteur eliminated the requirement of a 2/3 approval by the Legislature to impose restrictive measures, a point foreseen in the original bill.

“If a new variant were to emerge that required the prompt implementation of certain restrictions, to prevent the spread of the disease throughout the country, would it be reasonable to wait for each of the over 5,500 Brazilian legislative houses to approve such measures?” the rapporteur asked.

Soraya Manato also highlights that leaving the decision up to deputies and city councilors would politicize a decision that should be made based on technical criteria.

TRACKING

The bill mandates the sharing of essential data between federal, state, district and municipal public administration bodies and entities regarding the identification of infected people or those with suspected infection, with the sole purpose of preventing its spread.

The national management body of the Unified Health System (SUS) will keep updated public data on confirmed and suspected cases and those under investigation, related to the public health emergency situation, safeguarding the right to confidentiality of personal information.

PROCEEDING

The bill will be submitted to the Constitution and Justice and Citizenship Committee (CCJ) as a definitive measure.