[United Torah Judaism MK Moshe] Gafni’s original bill stated that immersion in a public mikve could be conducted only in accordance with the instructions of the Chief Rabbinate and that preventing someone from doing so would not be a criminal act. […]

During Monday’s hearing, Gafni said that the new version of his bill dealt only with the issue of Reform and Masorti use of mikvaot for conversions and would not change the current procedures in practice for women performing their monthly immersion. […]

Gafni said explicitly that he expects coalition MKs to back the bill, since the High Court decision constituted a change in the status quo on matters of religion and state.

The UTJ-Likud coalition agreement says that this status quo must be preserved, which Gafni and UTJ now interpret as meaning that should the High Court of Justice change the status quo the coalition parties are obligated to support legislation reversing the court’s decision.

However, a representative of the justice minister said during the hearing that the law would be effectively unconstitutional if steps were not taken to provide alternative arrangements for progressive conversion ceremonies.