Executive Yuan moves to combine welfare legislation

The Executive Yuan yesterday approved the draft bill integrating the Children's Welfare Law (兒童福利法) and the Teenagers' Welfare Law (少年福利法) to cover the wellbeing of those under the age of 18.

Addressing the press conference held after the weekly closed-door Cabinet affairs meeting yesterday morning, Cabinet spokesman Chuang Suo-hang (莊碩漢) said that integrating the two laws would cut down on redundancy.

"It doesn't make sense to have two different laws enacted for two different age groups when they're so similar in nature and yet slightly different in details," Chuang said.

To safeguard the welfare of children under the age of 12, the government legislated the Children's Welfare Law in 1973. It was amended in 1993 to include protection measures for abused children.

In 1989, the government enacted the Teenagers' Welfare Law to ensure the welfare of those aged between 12 and 18. Under the draft bill, the parent or guardian must protect and rear all their children under the age of 18.

They should forbid them from drinking, smoking, chewing betel nut, using drugs or other illegal substances -- as well as reading, listening to or watching violent or pornographic content.

Violators would face a fine of between NT$10,000 and NT$50,000. Those who provide tobacco, alcohol, or betel nuts to those under the age of 18 would face a fine of between NT$3,000 and NT$15,000.

Those who provide narcotics or illegal substances to those under the age of 18 would face a fine of between NT$60,000 and NT$300,000.

Those who provide violent or pornographic publications, pictures, films, video tapes or optical media products to those under the age of 18 would face a fine of between NT$6,000 and NT$30,000.

The bill also stipulates that children and teenagers under the age of 18 should not enter escort bars or cafes, restricted video arcades or venues featuring gambling, pornography or violence.

Parents or guardians who fail to prevent their children from entering such venues would face a fine of between NT$10,000 and NT$50,000.

Proprietors of such venues who allow access to clients under the age of 18 would face a fine of between NT$20,000 and NT$100,000 and have their names published in the media.