This is the 15670th most frequent Russian word.
принимались
"Принимались" means "were accepted" or "were undertaken."
In this sentence, "принимались" is in the past tense, passive voice, indicating that laws were being accepted or adopted.
Законы принимались на основе общественного мнения.
Laws were adopted based on public opinion.
Here, "принимались" shows the implementation of actions in a passive construction.
Все меры принимались в интересах безопасности.
All measures were taken in the interest of safety.
In this usage, "принимались" highlights the process of making decisions in a formal manner.