The Public Health and Wellbeing Amendment (Pandemic Management) Bill is on the top of the upper house's agenda when parliament resumes on Tuesday for the last scheduled sitting week of the year.
The legislation, which gives the premier and health minister the power to declare a pandemic and the ability to enforce restrictions, is set to replace the state of emergency which expires on December 15.
Voting on the bill was delayed by the attorney-general to allow for negotiations with key crossbenchers - Transport Matters MP Rod Barton and Sustainable Australia's Clifford Hayes - in an effort to break a deadlock.
Overnight, the state government agreed to six amendments after securing a vote on the bill from Mr Barton.
The amendments include the creation of a cross-parliamentary committee as soon as practicable after a pandemic declaration is made, the committee can also recommend the disallowance of pandemic orders.
Parliament will be able to disallow pandemic orders by an absolute majority in a joint sitting of both houses, under the changes.
Additionally, a two-year review, carried out by independent legal and health experts, will start within 18 months of a pandemic declaration.
A new independent merits review scheme for detention orders will replace the current Detention Review Officer Panel, and the amendments will remove the aggravated offence clause.
The changes will also clarify that complaints about detention can be made to the Victorian Ombudsman, and parliament or a committee can refer a matter for investigation.
Mr Barton said he decided to agree to the amended bill since the December 15 deadline was fast-approaching.
"We had two choices, one the government introduce a state of emergency, and I don't think that's palatable for anybody, or we go to a situation where we have no pandemic powers at all," he told reporters.
"I think we resolved everything, we have flogged this very thoroughly."
He said he had met with several bodies who held concerns about the bill, including the Victorian Ombudsman and Law Institute of Victoria, and believed they would agree with the changes.
"I'm hoping that they are going to be happy with what's been put forward now because this is a far better bill than what we had, and we have curbed the powers of this government," he said.
Mr Barton rejected opposition suggestions he had struck a deal with the government, saying he did "what had to be done, which was right".
The other key crossbencher, Mr Hayes, said he would not support the amended bill because he believed the changes did not go far enough to protect human rights and civil liberties.
He opposes the amendment permitting a disallowance vote in joint house sittings since the government held a majority, and "the absence of a clear plan to relieve mandates in a highly vaccinated population".
Premier Daniel Andrews declined to comment on specific amendments to the bill, but said "these are extraordinary arrangements because a pandemic is an extraordinary thing."
He also the government would continue to assess vaccine mandates, but they "won't be here forever".
Attorney-General Jaclyn Symes said the bill would be put to a vote later on Tuesday.
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