Pacific Legislature Official Thread

[Ebowed]

Infant Abandonment Bill

1. Any woman who gives birth may abandon the infant to medical personnel, or to a police station or fire station, without financial or legal penalty up to four weeks after birth.

Mothers' Rights Bill

1. No local law may be enacted to restrict the right of a mother to breastfeed her infant in public.
2. No public establishment may discriminate on the basis of public breastfeeding.

[Ebowed]

Accuracy in Balloting Bill

1. Xahar shall henceforth appear as "Chode" on all regional ballots.

[Ebowed]

Aye
Aye
Aye

[Ebowed]

HIV/AIDS Bill of Rights
1. It is the policy of the Pacific government that no person may be discriminated against in entitlements programs (including welfare, education, and health care services) on the basis of being infected with HIV.
2. The Pacific government shall not discriminate in employment against persons infected with HIV.
3. The Pacific government urges the federal government to repeal the ban on the immigration of HIV-positive persons.
4. The Pacific government will guarantee that no unreasonable burden shall be placed on access to prescribed medical cannabis for AIDS patients (as well as others afflicted with conditions where cannabis may be used medicinally).
5. The Pacific government will ensure, in all areas where the status of someone as HIV-positive is known, complete confidentiality.

Drug War Phase-Out Act
1. The Pacific government, effective immediately upon the passage of this act, shall no longer retain criminal or civil penalties for the manufacture, possession, consumption, distribution, or sale (or intent to do any of the above) of psilocybin- and psilocin-containing mushrooms, Peyote, mescaline, ibogaine, 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA), 3,4-methylenedioxy-N-ethylamphetamine (MDE/MDEA), 3,4-methylenedioxyamphetamine (MDA), or gamma-hydroxybutyrate (GHB) for anyone who is 18 years or older.
2. The Pacific government will lift restrictions on research into the efficacy of LSD and psilocybin in the treatment of cluster headaches; the use of MDMA, MDA, MDE/MDEA, LSD, psilocybin, psilocin, and mescaline in psychotherapy; and the use of ibogaine in treating drug dependence.

Private Prison Ban Act
1. No prison where persons are sent to be incarcerated within the Pacific Region may be privately owned or operated.

Abolition of Life Imprisonment Without the Possibility of Parole Act
1. The possible sentence of life imprisonment without the possibility of parole is hereby abolished.
2. Statute outlining the sentence abolished above shall be amended to read "life imprisonment with the possibility of parole after twenty years."

[Ebowed]

Aye
Aye
Aye
Aye

[Ebowed]

Aye

[Ebowed]

Reduction of Regressive Taxation Act

1. Currently existing excise consumption ("sin") taxes existing on tobacco, alcohol, cannabis, and pornography products are hereby abolished.
2. The sales tax on food and grocery items is hereby abolished.
3. The sales tax on books is hereby abolished.
4. The provisions of this act will take effect two weeks after this becomes law.

Alkyl Nitrites Deregulation Act

1. Any regional and local laws to prohibit the sale, consumption, distribution, or manufacture of alkyl nitrites ("poppers") is repealed.
2. Sale of alkyl nitrites to persons under the age of 18 will remain illegal.

[Ebowed]

Crazy Hat Day Act: Aye

[Ebowed]

Where will we get the money to cover the reduction in sales taxes?

We have a high progressive income tax and an estate tax.

[Ebowed]

Reduction of Regressive Taxation Act - Aye
Alkyl Nitrites Deregulation Act - Aye
The Awesome Recognition Act - Aye

[Ebowed]

Aye on both

[Ebowed]

Bgwah
CultureKing
Meeker
Marokai Blue
Lunar

[Ebowed]

Aye

[Ebowed]

As long as the scholarship plan is based on income needs rather than solely merit - no point using this money to subsidize the rich.

[Ebowed]

Affirmative Action Ban Repeal Bill

The Affirmative Action Bill is hereby repealed.


For reference:

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[Ebowed]

Official Regional Name Bill: Aye
Renaming of San Luis Opisbo County Bill: Aye
Affirmation of the Pacific Region's Right to Continue Existing Bill: Aye
Official Regional Plant Bill: Aye
Government Furniture Bill: Aye
School Bus Bill: Aye
Salad Bar Bill: Aye
Affirmative Action Ban Repeal Bill: Aye

[Ebowed]

Signed into law on October 13, 2008:

Reduction of Regressive Taxation Act

1. The sales tax on food and grocery items is hereby abolished.
2. The sales tax on books is hereby abolished.
3. The provisions of this act will take effect two weeks after this becomes law.

[Ebowed]

Signed into law on October 13, 2008:

Reduction of Regressive Taxation Act

1. The sales tax on food and grocery items is hereby abolished.
2. The sales tax on books is hereby abolished.
3. The provisions of this act will take effect two weeks after this becomes law.

This is a general sales tax elimination.

I'm aware of that, and no one has yet explained the necessity of such an idea.

Most of the sales taxes which directly affect poor the most have long been nonexistent in the Pacific Region.  Of course I had also hoped to remove sin taxes on tobacco and alcohol products - some of the most regressive taxation we have - but you are not supportive of removing those sorts of sales taxes.  So forgive me if I have trouble accepting that you want to completely abolish the sales tax solely to help the poor.

[Ebowed]

The proposition has received much support from both parties and will be helpful to the Pacific region.

Are you and I talking about the same proposition?

Because the one you suggested above is about as coherent as the hopes and dreams of a dead squirrel.

[Ebowed]

No, this is very simple.  The sorts of sales tax which would disproportionately affect the poor have already been removed.  By proposing to remove the rest of them, (i.e. the sales tax on yachts, cars, perfume, etc) you in fact disproportionately help the rich.

[Ebowed]

AIDS Prevention Act Funding Extension

1. In accordance with the AIDS Prevention Act, whereby funding was only committed to FY 2008, the Pacific Government pledges $10 million towards condom distribution programs effective FY 2010.
2. The Pacific Government pledges $10 million towards needle exchange programs effective FY 2010.

x Ebowed

[Ebowed]

Where is the money coming from?

From that fantastic budget surplus we have always had.

[Ebowed]

I'd like to see some real funding data,

lol, and do what with it?  Stare at it for a couple minutes?

perhaps an outline of this budget and where funds will be allocated from.

An interesting view given that you proposed a bill to fund research into medicine for bees.  (Notably, without determining how much funding this research would receive.)

Funds, of course, will be allocated from tax revenue, like any other spending proposal.

[Ebowed]

Taxes on cigarettes I find helpful to the poor in that they discourage consumption, therefore an incentive for quitting

This is one of those really good ideas that has never been proven not to work.

[Ebowed]

Indeed, I motion to strike sections 3 & 4.