Senate Bill: Political Party Organization Amendment (Rejected)

[DemPGH]

Political Party Organization Amendment

Article V, Section 1, Clause 7 of the Constitution is hereby repealed and Article V of the Constitution is hereby amended to add the following section:
"Section 3: Political Parties
"1. Any political party of ten or more members shall be classified as an organized political party.
"2. A political party with fewer than ten members shall also be classified as an organized political party if it meets or exceeds a conditional threshold of membership and submits to the Registrar General documentation demonstrating its organization. The conditional threshold for major party status shall be set at three members unless otherwise defined by statute. Guidelines for the demonstration of party organization shall be set by the Registrar General.
"3. Should a political party with ten or more members fall below ten members but not below the conditional threshold for organized party status, it shall not be required to provide documentation in order to maintain its organized party status unless such documentation is specifically requested by the Registrar General."

With the defeat of the RDA, this is now up for consideration and has the full support of the administration.

Sponsor: Senator Gass3268

[DemPGH]

I agree with Gass' rationale here for at minimum some debate, but we already have one vote to the Negative, or so it appears, and no discussion. I know it's vacation time and all, but. . . I hate to call for a final vote because I would like to see some debate / engagement. Last call.

Edit: I'll give another 24 hours from the time this post was originally made.

[DemPGH]

Okay, let's go ahead and move this to a final vote - there are a couple of viewpoints on the table at least, and thanks, guys. I don't see that it changes things that much, and a small party being asked to present homely with some evidence of organizational structure doesn't seem especially burdensome to me, but that's me.

[DemPGH]

We're 6-1 against on this with one abstention. We have 24 hours to change votes, and then this one can be put to bed as well.

[DemPGH]

This is rejected with 6 N, 3 Y, and 1 A.