A bill that would allow local rabbis to oversee conversions will be introduced to the parliament after passing a Knesset committee.

Under the measure advanced Sunday by the Ministerial Committee for Legislation, a city rabbi could convene a beit din, or rabbinical court, for conversions under his jurisdiction.

Conversions are handled in Israel by the Chief Rabbinate. The country now now has four conversion courts; the bill would provide for about 30 more, each comprised of three rabbis.

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The chief rabbis of Israel oppose the bill, saying it is not stringent enough on some areas of conversion, Haaretz reported. The bill “puts the halachic [Jewish legal] validity of conversions in Israel at risk,” the chief rabbis said in a statement, the newspaper reported.

Elazar Stern, a Modern Orthodox lawmaker from the Hatnua party, submitted the bill and said he plans to involve non-Orthodox denominations in adjusting the legislation.

The bill may undergo some changes before it reaches the Knesset for a preliminary reading, according to reports.

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