Military families' card passes Sejm, but volunteer firefighters get only some benefits

In brief

• The Sejm passed the Military Family Card act with 431 votes in favour, nine against and three abstentions.
• Professional uniformed service members and their families get the full set of benefits.
• Volunteer firefighters from OSP are included but excluded from long-distance rail discounts and queue-free medical access.
• The act now goes to the Senate.

Parliament backs the bill

The Sejm approved the act on the Military Family Card on Friday, 6 November. Of the deputies voting, 431 supported it, nine opposed it and three abstained (Karta Rodziny Mundurowej uchwalona. Nie wszyscy dostaną takie same uprawnienia – wm.pl) (Karta Rodziny Mundurowej przyjęta przez Sejm. Oto, co zakłada ustawa – Polskie Radio 24) (Karta Rodziny Mundurowej uchwalona. Strażacy OSP tylko z częścią ulg i uprawnień – RMF24). Before the final vote, deputies adopted 13 minor editorial amendments proposed by the Civic Coalition. The bill was drafted jointly by the Civic Coalition, the Polish People's Party and the Left. It now goes to the Senate.

Who is covered

The card is aimed at soldiers and officers of services subordinated to the defence and interior ministries, their families, veterans, disability pensioners, and the families of service members who have died or gone missing. According to the explanatory memorandum, the aim is to support those serving the state and to strengthen the positive image of the armed forces and uniformed services.

Benefits on offer

Card holders are to get queue-free access to medical care in military and agency facilities, priority admission of their children to kindergartens after a change of address, and discounts on rail travel and passports.

Background

The card was one of the commitments in an agreement signed on 6 March 2025 between a police trade union and the interior ministry, which ended a nationwide protest that had started in December 2024 (Karta Rodziny Mundurowej przyjęta przez Sejm. Kolejny krok w realizacji porozumienia wywalczonego przez NSZZ Policjantów – Niezależny Samorządny Związek Zawodowy Policjantów). Police unions had long argued that benefits for officers of interior services should match those of soldiers.

What happens next

The Senate will consider the act next. Once signed by the president and published, it would take effect on a date set in the law. Officials say the card is meant to cover about 2 million people.