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Taiwan Quick Take

■ Legislation
Lottery rules tightened
The legislature passed an amendment yesterday tightening the rules governing "public welfare lotteries." The law previously stipulated that lottery surpluses could only be spent on subsidies for national pensions, the national health insurance reserve and other social welfare or charity programs. However, some of the surpluses had been used to subsidize programs already funded by regular government budgets, duplicating services and wasting resources, said Democratic Progressive Legislator Wang Jung-chang (王榮璋), who initiated the amendment. The amendment stipulates that public welfare lottery funds may only go toward social welfare expenditures that are not already funded. It also changes the composition of supervisory committees responsible for allocating the surplus at both the central and local levels such that they must be comprised of government officials, experts and representatives from social welfare groups, with government officials making up not more than one-half of the seats. Major decisions must be made with a quorum comprised of not less than two-thirds of all committee members, and agreement of not less than half of all those who are present.

■ Legislation
Land restrictions eased
The legislature yesterday passed a bill easing restrictions on the use of 230,000 lots totaling 40,000 hectares in a bid to boost the real estate market. The Ministry of the Interior estimated that the total market value of the land could reach as high as NT$6 trillion (US$182 billion). "The passage of the bill will be a huge incentive to the real estate industry and will help local governments increase their revenue from the collection of land value increment tax," the ministry said. The plots of land were restricted from development because of controversy over their registration of "right of superficies," a problem left over from when Japan handed Taiwan over to the Republic of China.

■ Legislation
Addicts with AIDS get help
Drug addicts who have HIV or AIDS will no longer be excluded from addiction treatment centers, according to an amendment passed by the legislature yesterday. The legislation that regulates drug addiction treatment previously said that treatment centers should not accept drug abusers with statutory and government-designated infectious diseases or AIDS. The Ministry of Justice proposed the amendment out of concern that the rise in AIDS cases is closely connected to that of drug abuse because many drug users catch the disease through sharing needles.

■ Society
Henry Lee honored in US
The University of New Haven honored forensic expert Henry Lee (李昌鈺) by naming a college after him on Thursday. Speaking at the christening ceremony of the Henry Lee College of Criminal Justice and Forensic Sciences, Lee jokingly said that he joined the university in 1975 because the students had discerning eyes. Lee helped found the Connecticut university's forensic science program, which has since gained fame, attracting students from all over the US and nearly 40 countries over the past three decades. The college also has exchange and cooperation programs with police and education departments in Taiwan, China and Italy. Lee was born in China and grew up in Taiwan. When he and his wife arrived in the US in 1965, he had only US$50 and hardly knew any English, Lee has said.

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