The Council of State signed off yesterday on amendments to the Criminal Procedures Act, which among other things seeks to expedite the prosecution of terror cases judicial sources tell Youm7. The bill — which is also expected to safeguard suspects’ rights to a phone call, a lawyer, and fair treatment — is being sent back to the Ismail Cabinet for review and, once approved, will go to the House of Representatives.

As we noted yesterday, the Ismail Cabinet also received the Universal Healthcare Act, which the Council of State sent back with a single reservation regarding the gradual rollout of the law across governorates, which that would violate constitutional clauses the equality of all citizens. The Health Ministry had planned to roll the new system out in phases with the goal of achieving nationwide application by 2030, starting with canal governorates. The act is expected to improve the public’s access to quality healthcare by expanding coverage to bread earners and their families. It could also carry the seeds of price control and stricter regulation of the non-pharma end of the healthcare industry.