Competences (legislative and non-legislative), legal bases and policy areas where the regional parliament is active  

Legislative:The legislative competences of the Federation and the Regions (Länder) are regulated in detail by the Basic Law (Grundgesetz). Articles 70-74 govern the distribution of legislative powers between the Länder and the Federation.

• In the fields subject to the exclusive legislative power of the Federation (Article 73 Basic Law), the Länder shall have power to legislate only when and to the extent that they are expressly authorised to do so by a federal law. The Federation holds exclusive legislative competence inter alia in the following fields: all foreign policy issues, defense, civil protection, citizenship, currency and monetary system, customs duties and foreign trade, and cooperation between the Federation and the Länder concerning criminal police work.
• In fields subject to concurrent legislative powers (Articles 72 and 74 Basic Law), the Länder shall have power to legislate so long as and to the extent that the Federation has not exercised its legislative power by enacting a law (Article 72 (1) Basic Law). Yet, a difference has to be made between areas concerned by the necessity clause (Erforderlichkeitsklausel) or not. Indeed, Article 72 (2) Basic Law states that [t]he Federation shall have the right to legislate on matters falling within clauses 4, 7, 11, 13, 15, 19a, 20, 22, 25 and 26 of paragraph (1) of Article 74, if and to the extent that the establishment of equivalent living conditions throughout the federal territory or the maintenance of legal or economic unity renders federal regulation necessary in the national interest. These matters requiring necessity include inter alia the public welfare, the promotion of research and the transfer of land. Those that are not concerned by this necessity clause include inter alia civil law, criminal law, registration of birth, death and marriages, law of association, land distribution and labour law. Finally, Article 72 (3) Basic Law indicates that Länder may enact laws at variance with federal legislation for matters listed in this provision. Hunting, protection of nature and management of water resources are all among these fields.
• The Länder shall have the right to legislate insofar as the Basic Law does not confer legislative powers on the Federation (Article 70 Basic Law). Therefore the State Parliament holds the sole right of legislation in the areas not addressed in Articles 70-74 of the Basic Law. These matters include inter alia culture, schools and education, local authorities, police, right of assembly, public service law, nursing home law, hotel and catering law, press, broadcasting and new media.
• Furthermore, the State Parliament is responsible for adopting the regional budget.

Non-legislative: The Parliament is responsible for controlling the State Government, electing the Minister President, and for electing the members of the Constitutional Court and of the Court of Audit of Saarland. For further information, see here.

List of committees/sub-committees or working groups in the regional parliament
The Parliament includes Standing Committees inter alia on:

• Data Protection and Freedom of Information;
• Science, Research and Technology;
• Internal Affairs and Sport;
• Finances and Budget;
• European Affairs and Questions of the Inter-Regional Parliamentary Council;
• Education, Culture and Media;
• Social Affairs, Health, Women and Family;
• Economy, Labour, Energy, Traffic and Mine Safety;
• Environment and Consumer Protection;
• Justice, Constitutional and Legal Affairs, Examination of the Elections.

For further information, see here.

Committees in charge of scrutinising subsidiarity   
Committee on European Affairs and Questions of the Inter-Regional Parliamentary Council.

Staff in charge of subsidiarity scrutiny  
Two staff members of the administration of the Parliament assist the Committee, namely:
(1) one member of the Unit information service (who summarises the EU draft legislation), and;
(2) one member of the Unit session service (who acts as Secretary for the Committee on European Affairs and Questions of the Inter-Regional Parliamentary Council).

Subsidiarity check  
Nature (selective/systematic): Systematic.
Procedure: The Committee on European Affairs and Questions of the Inter-Regional Parliamentary Council analyses all EU draft legislation transmitted by the State Government and decides which drafts shall be subject to a more in-depth examination. There is no prior selection by the State Government or the administration of the Parliament. The Committee closely analyses those drafts that have a significant impact on the Land of Saarland. The plenary assembly of the Parliament may also be involved in the process, depending on the importance and the urgency of the situation. The decision of the Parliament is transmitted to the State Government, which defends the position within the Federal Council (Bundesrat)  without, however, being bound by the Parliaments position.

• a network between the Chairmen of the Committees on European Affairs of all 16 state parliaments in Germany and
• a network between the legal officers of all 16 state parliaments in Germany and representatives of the administration of the nine Austrian regional parliaments (to exchange information and experiences, notably on subsidiarity issues).