MKs Aliza Lavie, Adi Kol and Ofer Shelach (Yesh Atid) want to change the kashrut laws of Israel.
The current kashrut laws require the Rabbanut to give basic kashrut certification to anybody who wants it, as long as they adhere to a basic set of standards, at minimum. As well, no institution (store, restaurant, etc) is allowed to take private certification without first having Rabbanut certification. If they do, they will have transgressed the kashrut fraud laws. This law basically ensures that even private kashrut organizations are sticking to at least the same basic standards, and unexpectedly improving on them, as the Rabbanut - but not going less than that. Any private kashrut certification can only be employed above and beyond the Rabbanut certification - and not instead of the Rabbanut certification.
The new law proposal that would amend this law has two parts to it:
1. it sets some sort of uniformity in kashrut rules, such as the method of employment of mashgichim (to get rid of any conflict of interests) as well as publicizing on the internet details about the certification.
2. it would recognize private kashrut organizations as valid service providers as alternatives to the Rabbanut - one would be able to employ the private organization instead of the Rabbanut, rather than in addition to the Rabbanut.
This law, if it passes, would break the monopoly of the Rabbanut on kashrut. That might seem like a good thing, as competition is always better for the consumer. In this case though, it opens up kashrut to a system of no standards at all. It might give great upside, but on the downside anybody will be able to say "kosher" with no minimal standards.
And that's basically why some rabbis have come out against this law proposal. They are worried that this will open the door for Reform or Conservative kashrut organizations to get their feet in the door, without using halachic standards of kashrut.
As well, taking kashrut out of the hands of the Rabbanut is another nail in the coffin of the Rabbanut. With all the authority being taken out of their hands, the government might as well just shut the Rabbanut down.
Another problem if the law will pass will be that there will be no system of fraud reporting. If anybody can give any level of kashrut they want, who is going to be able to stop any kashrut fraud - it will be institutionalized as acceptable instead of deemed as fraud!
source: NRG and Srugim
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