The Saeima has published an amendment to the Law on Social Services and Social Assistance

The Amendment to the Social Services and Social Assistance Law adopted by the Saeima was officially announced on September 30, 2026, when it was published in Latvijas Vēstnesis No. 188 with the publication reference OP 2026/188. The document type in the publication’s table of contents is listed as Law, and it is included in the “CONSTITUTIONAL INSTITUTIONS” section under the publisher Saeima. With this publication, the amendment becomes officially available and announced to the public.

The Social Services and Social Assistance Law determines the system of social services and social assistance in the state, including the responsibility of local governments for support to residents. The amendment was published in a single issue with two other Saeima laws — Amendments to the Law on Limiting the Price Increase of Petroleum Products and an Amendment to the Energy Law —, which together form three legislative units in the September 30 issue.

Saeima Laws in the September 30 Issue

• 1. Amendments to the Law on Limiting the Price Increase of Petroleum Products — Law
• 2. Amendment to the Energy Law — Law
• 3. Amendment to the Social Services and Social Assistance Law — Law

Binding Regulations of Local Governments in the Same Issue

In the “LOCAL GOVERNMENTS” section of the publication on September 30, binding regulations of several local governments were published, which establish the local social and educational support procedures:

• Jelgava City Council: binding regulations No. 20 and No. 21
• Jēkabpils Municipality Council: binding regulations No. 15
• Salaspils Municipality Council: binding regulations No. 11/2026
• Sigulda Municipality Council: binding regulations No. 10, No. 11, and No. 12
• Ventspils Municipality Council: binding regulations No. 9

Support for Social Work Specialists in Sigulda

The Sigulda Municipality Council published binding regulations No. 11 in the September 30 issue regarding the awarding of scholarships to students who are studying in a state-accredited higher education study program and are obtaining the professional qualification required for social work specialists. This local government decision complements the state-level amendment in the field of social services, as the availability of social services depends on the specialists available to the local governments.

Official Reference and Publication Structure

• Publication: Latvijas Vēstnesis, September 30, 2026, No. 188
• Publication reference: OP 2026/188
• Section: CONSTITUTIONAL INSTITUTIONS, publisher Saeima, item 3
• Document type: Law
• Public link: https://www.vestnesis.lv/url/16988?content=1
• Volume of official notices in the issue: Various announcements (4), Auctions (28), Property relations of spouses (2), Inheritance notices (54), Revocations of powers of attorney (6), Doctoral theses (2), Invitations to settle obligations (3), Enterprise Register notices (7)

The amendment to the Law on Social Services and Social Assistance is significant for everyone receiving municipal social services or social assistance, as the law defines the legal framework for this support. The official publication in Latvijas Vēstnesis is the moment from which the amendment is publicly available and holds official legal status.

Official source: Latvijas Vēstnesis, September 30, 2026, No. 188, OP 2026/188 — “Amendment to the Law on Social Services and Social Assistance” (Law), Saeima. Public reference: https://www.vestnesis.lv/url/16988?content=1