China's top legislature, the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC), opened its bimonthly session Monday to read a variety of draft law amendments concerning civil procedure, military service and other areas.

A report on the results of review of the draft amendment to the Military Service Law said that the draft amendment has perfected the resettlement system for demobilized servicemen, who will be given preference when they register for the civil servant examination.

Licensing authorities for construction projects will be given criminal sanctions if their actions violate the law, according to the draft amendment to the Law on Occupational Illness Prevention and Control submitted to the NPC Standing Committee for its second reading at Monday's session.

Legislators also reviewed, for the first time, the draft amendment to Civil Procedure Law, which allows the government and non-governmental organizations to represent the public in filing lawsuits concerning violations of public interests.

Wang Shengming, deputy director of the Commission of Legislative Affairs of the NPC Standing Committee, said that the present law made in 1991 "cannot adapt to reality" after two decades of economic expansion. He said the draft amendment will focus on seven aspects, including ensuring litigants' litigation rights, enhancing legal supervision and perfecting the implementation procedure.

Health Minister Chen Zhu introduced a draft to the Mental Health Law to legislators, saying that the major concern for the draft law is to ensure that the legal rights of people with mental illnesses are not violated through illegal compulsory hospitalization.

Presided over by top legislator Wu Bangguo, chairman of the NPC Standing Committee, the six-day session is the 23rd of its kind for Standing Committee of the 11th NPC.

Legislators also reviewed a draft amendment to the Resident Identity Card Law, which was introduced by Vice Minister of Public Security Yang Huanning, who was entrusted by the State Council, China's cabinet.

Yang said the draft amendment proposes adding fingerprints to residents' identity cards to prevent counterfeiting and terrorism.