MOSCOW, November 21 - RAPSI. The Federation Council (Russian Parliament's Upper House) will consider a law on the new system for its formation at a plenary hearing on November 28, a source in the Federation Council told RIA Novosti.
On Tuesday, the State Duma adopted the law on a new system for forming the Federation Council in the final reading.
President Vladimir Putin submitted the bill to the State Duma in June.
The law retains the upper house's status as a non-partisan body, but future senators will have to be voted in via regional elections.
Currently, each region sends two of its representatives to the Federation Council - one from a governor and one from the region's legislative assembly. Only a State Duma deputy (from the same region where he or she was elected to the State Duma), a regional legislative assembly deputy, or a deputy of the region's representation body can be a senator.
According to the newly adopted law, only a deputy of the region's legislative assembly is eligible to be a senator from the region's legislative body's side. The chairman of the legislative assembly, any faction, or one fifth of the legislative assembly can nominate candidates.