The Hebei government may be getting close to new rulings on air pollution, school bus safety, and drinking water as it looks for laws dealing with these concerns within the next five years. The legislature is working out plans for the next five years, the government’s legislative affairs office reported on April 10, with 137 legal projects proposed for the next five years, 14 of them already in process thanks to suggestions from the public. They include controls on air pollution, improving drinking water safety, greater supervision of foods and medicines, cultural heritage protection, and greater school bus and taxi controls.

One legislative affairs official said that 22 projects in 2013 will focus on environmental protection and improving people’s livelihood, and include a draft of laws preventing the waste of food and controls on heating. The official went on to explain that the new laws will put education and guidance ahead of punishment, especially in the case of fines, which will be avoided as much as possible.

They will also contain clauses on making better use of supervisors and more comprehensive ways to stop illegal behavior, and reducing the chances that law enforcement officials leave any problems unsolved.