Karnataka Assembly tables 12 bills: Drugs, Labour, Hate Speech, Rent

• Twelve Bills, including the Drugs and Cosmetics (Karnataka Amendment) Bill, 2025, were tabled in the Karnataka Legislative Assembly.
• The Drugs and Cosmetics Bill empowers the state to specify authorities for drug/cosmetic functions, places burden of proof on the accused, and makes offenses cognizable/non-bailable.
• The Karnataka Labour Welfare Fund (Amendment) Bill redefines "establishments" to include those with over 10 employees and introduces e-banking for contributions.
• The Karnataka Rent (Amendment) Bill seeks to decriminalize minor offenses and rationalize monetary penalties.
• The Karnataka Hate Speech and Hate Crimes (Prevention) Bill, providing for penalties and imprisonment, was also tabled.

Why It Matters: Karnataka bills will impact public health, labor, and hate speech regulations.