Northeast Assembly Legislation Introduction Thread

[Jerseyrules]

I'd like to propose The Government Responsibility Act of 2012:

1). Hold total state spending growth at inflation rate
2). Require 2/3 majority to pass any further tax increases
3). Require that all members of the legislature return all of their leftover campaign funds to the treasury at the beginning of each new session
4). Require a balanced budget each Fiscal Year

[Jerseyrules]

bump?

[Jerseyrules]

Also, I'd like to propose the following, more moderate bill:

The Fair Taxation Act of 2012, which will:

1) Eliminate income tax for all citizens of the northeast who make below $15,000/year
2) Require 2/3 majority in legislature to raise taxes on citizens with annual income below 3 times the poverty line

[Governor Scott]

The Anti-Prohibition & Blue Law Repeal Act

A BILL to repeal and prohibit Northeastern laws that are found to be religiously motivated or otherwise unnecessary

1.) All existing laws which prohibit the consumption or sale of beer, wine, and spirits at neighborhood grocery and package stores on any day of the week are hereby repealed.

2.) All existing laws which prohibit gambling on any day of the week are hereby repealed.

3.) Town records may hereby be kept where liquor is sold.

4.) It is hereby legal to dispose of used razor blades.

5.) All legal firearms may be discharged in public highways, provided that they do not result in the harm of innocent citizens.

6.) Brothels are hereby legal in the Northeast.

7.) The sale of fireworks is hereby permitted to all Northeast residents above the age of seventeen.

8.) Hunting licenses and fishing licenses are no longer necessary to hunt or fish on one's own private property.

9.) On no day of any week are hunting or fishing prohibited activities.

10.) Players of professional sports shall not have to obtain a license to play on Sundays.

11.) "R"-rated movies are hereby allowed to be shown in drive-in theaters.

12.) The Northeast government may not prohibit activities on a given day of the week for religious reasons.

[Governor Scott]

The Food Labeling Act

A BILL to mandate that all food producers, retailers, and restaurants label their products with nutrition and ingredient facts

1.) 'Edible substances' shall be defined as any nourishing substance that is sold to be eaten or drunk.

2.) Food sellers, producers, retailers, and restaurants must label all edible substances and products.

3.) All food labels must contain the following information:

• Calories
• Total Fat
• Saturated Fat
• Trans Fat
• Cholesterol
• Sodium
• Total Carbohydrates
• Dietary Fiber
• Sugar
• Protein
• Vitamin A
• Vitamin C
• Calcium
• Iron
• Ingredients

4.) All genetically modified products must contain a label identifying them as such.

5.) Aforementioned information may be placed on labels, wrappers, packaging, windows, and walls.

6.) If aforementioned information is printed on a label, it must be bold and no smaller than 10-point size.

7.) Food sellers which fail to comply with this law shall be fined $150,000 per offense7

[Jerseyrules]

The Anti-Prohibition & Blue Law Repeal Act

A BILL to repeal and prohibit Northeastern laws that are found to be religiously motivated or otherwise unnecessary

1.) All existing laws which prohibit the consumption or sale of beer, wine, and spirits at neighborhood grocery and package stores on any day of the week are hereby repealed.

2.) All existing laws which prohibit gambling on any day of the week are hereby repealed.

3.) Town records may hereby be kept where liquor is sold.

4.) It is hereby legal to dispose of used razor blades.

5.) All legal firearms may be discharged in public highways, provided that they do not result in the harm of innocent citizens.

6.) Brothels are hereby legal in the Northeast.

7.) The sale of fireworks is hereby permitted to all Northeast residents above the age of seventeen.

8.) Hunting licenses and fishing licenses are no longer necessary to hunt or fish on one's own private property.

9.) On no day of any week are hunting or fishing prohibited activities.

10.) Players of professional sports shall not have to obtain a license to play on Sundays.

11.) "R"-rated movies are hereby allowed to be shown in drive-in theaters.

Is it okay if I submit the same bill with #12 removed?  Also, is this prohibiting the statewide banning or the banning of Blue Laws passed by individual communities?

[Governor Scott]

The Anti-Prohibition & Blue Law Repeal Act

A BILL to repeal and prohibit Northeastern laws that are found to be religiously motivated or otherwise unnecessary

1.) All existing laws which prohibit the consumption or sale of beer, wine, and spirits at neighborhood grocery and package stores on any day of the week are hereby repealed.

2.) All existing laws which prohibit gambling on any day of the week are hereby repealed.

3.) Town records may hereby be kept where liquor is sold.

4.) It is hereby legal to dispose of used razor blades.

5.) All legal firearms may be discharged in public highways, provided that they do not result in the harm of innocent citizens.

6.) Brothels are hereby legal in the Northeast.

7.) The sale of fireworks is hereby permitted to all Northeast residents above the age of seventeen.

8.) Hunting licenses and fishing licenses are no longer necessary to hunt or fish on one's own private property.

9.) On no day of any week are hunting or fishing prohibited activities.

10.) Players of professional sports shall not have to obtain a license to play on Sundays.

11.) "R"-rated movies are hereby allowed to be shown in drive-in theaters.

Is it okay if I submit the same bill with #12 removed?  Also, is this prohibiting the statewide banning or the banning of Blue Laws passed by individual communities?

You can amend that #12 be removed when it comes to the floor, but I would consider that amendment unfriendly and it would have to go to the floor for a vote.  My bill is intended to prohibit blue laws in all Northeastern communities.

For the future, please discuss upcoming legislation in the protest thread.  We are technically violating SOAP rules by discussing this here.

[Governor Scott]

Because we still don't have a budget to consider, I'm just going to go ahead and propose my tax plan now.  I will halt my legislation and amend it to the budget instead if one comes up beforehand.

The Northeast Revenue Act of 2012

A BILL to implement a tax code into the 2012 budget

Section 1.) Corporate Tax rates shall be as follows

Corporate Taxes, Income
0%   $0 - $10,000
2%   $10,000 - $50,000
9%   $50,000 - $75,000
13%   $75,000 - $100,000
20%   $100,000 - $335,000
24%   $335,000 - $10,000,000
28%   $10,000,000 - $15,000,000
30%   $15,000,000 +

Section 2.) Income Tax rates shall be as follows

Income Taxes, Single Individual
0%   $0 - $9,500
9%   $9,501 - $35,000
15%   $35,001 - $80,000
19%   $80,001 - $170,000
23%   $170,001 - $367,700
25%   $367,701 - $1,000,000
28%   $1,000,001 - $2,500,000
30%   $2,500,001 +

Section 3.) All tax rates in this bill shall expire at the start of the next fiscal year.

[Jerseyrules]

If your income range is between $0 and $10,000, your tax rate on every dollar of income earned is 1%.
If your income range is between $10,000 and $20,000, your tax rate on every dollar of income earned is 2%.
If your income range is between $20,000 and $25,000, your tax rate on every dollar of income earned is 4%.
If your income range is between $25,000 and $35,000, your tax rate on every dollar of income earned is 6%.
If your income range is between $35,000 and $50,000, your tax rate on every dollar of income earned is 8%.
If your income range is between $50,000 and $1,000,000, your tax rate on every dollar of income earned is 9%.
If your income range is $1,000,001 and over, your tax rate on every dollar of income earned is 10%.

All rates indexed to inflation, so as to avoid the poor being forced into higher brackets in the future.  Reminding that this is in addition to federal taxation

[Jerseyrules]

I propose the Anti-Prohibition Act of 2012:

1) Complete decriminalization of all illegal drug substances
2) Repeal of gun control laws in the northeast
3) Complete legalization of prostitution

[Jerseyrules]

I hereby propose the Line of Succession Amendment:

If the office of the Speaker of the Assembly, the Lieutenant Governor, and the Governor of the Northeast is vacant, then the Northeast Assembly may designate a new speaker by a simple majority vote.

[Jerseyrules]

In light of both tax plans failing to secure passage, I propose the following:

The Fair Taxation Act of 2012:

A 5% sales tax on all regional transactions.  Period.

[Senator Napoleon]

1. Proposed Legislation Thread
A. The Lt. Governor shall open a new Northeast Assembly Proposed Legislation Thread at the start of each Northeast Assembly session.
B. Representatives, the Governor and any concerned Northeast citizen shall post the full text of any proposed legislation in a response to the Northeast Assembly Proposed Legislation Thread for the current session. Each response shall contain only one piece of proposed legislation.
C. Nothing shall be posted to the Northeast Assembly proposed legislation thread except proposed legislation or a Northeast citizen's signature for proposed citizen legislation.

2. Movement of Legislation to the Northeast Assembly Floor
A. Three bills shall be allowed on the floor concurrently, to be referred to as Legislative Slots.
   Legislative Slot 1: Priority shall be given to the People. Legislation proposed by concerned Northeast citizens shall be placed in this slot. If there is no new legislation proposed by concerned Northeast citizens in the Northeast Assembly Proposed Legislation Thread, the Speaker shall place the earliest introduced legislation in this slot.
Legislative Slot 2: Priority shall be given to the Speaker. Legislation shall be placed in this slot at the Speaker’s discretion. Proposed legislation must be placed in this slot if it is open.
Legislative Slot 3: Priority shall be given to the Governor. Legislation proposed by the Governor shall be placed in this slot. If there is no new legislation proposed by the Governor in the Northeast Assembly Proposed Legislation Thread, the Speaker shall place the earliest introduced legislation in this slot.
B. Each piece of legislation on the floor shall receive its own thread.
   Threads shall be titled as follows: NE1: Name of bill, where 1 is substituted to designate the Legislative Slot the bill occupies and the Name of bill shall be the Title of the Bill given by its sponsor in the Northeast Assembly Proposed Legislation Thread. Each thread shall remain open until the Bill either (a) becomes law via the Governor’s signature, lack of Gubernatorial action, or veto override or (b) fails to receive majority support from Representatives.

3. Legislative Debates and Voting
A. Except as otherwise provided in subsection (h), all proposed legislation shall be open for debate for no less than seventy-two (72) hours after the Speaker places it in a Legislative Slot.
B. During debate, Representatives may suggest amendments to proposed legislation. If the sponsor of the proposed legislation publicly deems the amendment friendly, no vote on the amendment shall be required. If the sponsor of the proposed legislation does not publicly deem the amendment friendly, a vote on the amendment shall be taken twenty-four (24) hours after being proposed unless there is less than twenty-four (24) hours of debate remaining on the bill. If there is less than twenty-four (24) hours of debate remaining on the bill, a vote on the amendment shall be taken before proceeding to a final vote on the bill. Such vote shall be open for twenty-four (24) hours, or until all Representatives have voted, if earlier. An amendment shall pass if a majority of Representatives vote in favor of it (with abstentions and absences not counted as votes).
C. The sponsor of a proposed amendment may remove it from the Assembly floor by tabling it at any time before a vote on the amendment is started.
D. The sponsor of a piece of proposed legislation may remove it from the Assembly floor by tabling it at any time before a final vote is taken on the proposed legislation.
E. A final vote on the proposed legislation shall take place after the Speaker certifies the vote on any proposed amendments (or, if there are no such amendments, at the end of the debate period). Such votes shall be open for twenty-four (24) hours, or until all Representatives have voted, if earlier. A piece of proposed legislation shall pass if a majority of Representatives vote in favor of it (with abstentions and absences not counted as votes).
F. The Speaker shall certify the results of any vote within twenty-four (24) hours of the end of the voting period.
G. Any Representative may make a motion to suspend section 3A of this Standing Order to increase or decrease the time of the debate or voting period. The motion shall be immediately put to a vote on the Northeast Assembly floor. Such vote shall be open for twenty-four (24) hours, or until all Representatives have voted, if earlier. If the motion passes by a vote of the majority of all Representatives (with abstentions and absences counted as nay votes), the relevant period shall be changed.

4. Terminology
A. All legislation regarding the rules of the Northeast Assembly shall be called Standing Orders.
B. All proposed legislation that requires the signature of the Governor shall be called a Bill until signed and thereafter an Act.

5. Miscellaneous
A Northeast Assembly Protest and Analysis Thread shall be created and made open to Northeast citizens for the discussion of legislative proposals, debates, votes, and all other matters that relate to the Northeast government.

[LINCOLN REPUBLICAN]

Repeal of the Anti-Prohibition Act of 2012:

1) Complete decriminalization of all illegal drug substances
2) Repeal of gun control laws in the northeast
3) Complete legalization of prostitution

This bill goes way over the top.  Any society has the right to be protected against the abuse that would be generated as a result of the above completely irresponsible legislation. 

[Senator Napoleon]

Article II Section 9 is hereby amended as:

 

9. The Governor is obligated to present the Legislative Assembly a budget every month he or she is in office. The structure and procedure for the budget process are to be determined by law. The budget of all government activities is to be voted on by the Assembly after a normal debate period. The Governor is obligated to ensure that the budget does not provide for any deficits excepting times of emergency or war, a condition the Legislative Assembly must successfully endorse.

[crypto-fascist superhero]

Amendment to new SOPA

The sections under "Legislative Slot 2" and "Legislative Slot 3" shall be deleted and replaced with the following:

Legislative Slot 2: Any legislation proposed by an Assemblyman or the Governor shall be placed in this slot, in the order that it is proposed.

[Senator Snowstalker]

Before I make a law, what are the current laws relating to unions in the Northeast and Atlasia?

[LINCOLN REPUBLICAN]

I propose the Northeast School Uniforms Act

All students in Northeast schools will wear uniforms K-12.
Uniforms for girls will consist of a blazer, white shirt, tie, skirt or slacks. 
Uniforms for boys will consist of a blazer, white shirt, tie, slacks. 

Each school will be free to choose colors for the uniforms.

[Senator Snowstalker]

Article II Section 9 is hereby amended as:

9. The Governor is obligated to present the Legislative Assembly a budget every month he or she is in office. The structure and procedure for the budget process are to be determined by law. The budget of all government activities is to be voted on by the Assembly after a normal debate period. All budgets must include a plan for revenue and taxation.

[Ѕenator Αverroës]

Northeast Dog Control Act

1. It shall be unlawful for any owner of any dog in the Northeast Region to allow such dog to:

• A. Engage in habitual loud howling, barking, or whining or otherwise conduct itself in such a manner so as to unreasonably disturb the comfort or repose of any person other than the owner of such dog;
  
• B. Chase, jump upon, or otherwise harass any person in such a manner as to cause intimidation or fear or to put such person in apprehension of bodily harm or injury;
  
• C. Chase or run alongside of motor vehicles or bicycles while on a public street.
  

2. Any person violating this law shall be fined $100.00 for a first violation, $200.00 for a second violation within sixty months, and $500.00 for a third violation within sixty months.
 
 

[crypto-fascist superhero]

Free Enterprise Zones Act

1. Upon the request of a municipal administration, or the petition of 10% of a municipality's registered voters, a referendum may be held on the next municipal or regional election day to declare said municipality a "Free Enterprise Zone."

2. a. Upon a majority of voters voting "yes" on the referendum, the municipality shall be designated a "Free Enterprize Zone."

b. The Northeast Region must respect the results of all such referenda.

3. "Free Enterprize Zones" shall be assessed no regional taxes, be exempt from all regional regulations, and receive no funds from the Region.

4. a. The Governor shall nominate and the Assembly shall approve an independent Auditor General to oversee all Free Enterprise Zones.

b. The Auditor General shall be empowered to assess fines to entities within Free Enterprize Zones which cause permanent environmental damage to the surrounding area, equal to the value of the damage caused.

c. The Auditor General shall be empowered to revoke the Free Enterprise Zone status of a municipality if it is found that the public or private services provided within the Zone are significantly and pervasively deficient or discriminatory, compared to the status of public services prior to the establishment of the Free Enterprise Zone.

d. All decisions of the Auditor General may be appealed through the courts and shall be treated as civil cases.

e. Municipalities having their Free Enterprise Zone status revoked by the Auditor General may restore their status via a referendum as outlined in sections 1 and 2, but a two-thirds majority in the affirmative is required.  After a period of 5 years, a municipality may restore its Free Enterprise Zone status via the normal procedure.

[crypto-fascist superhero]

Choice in Health Act

Registered organ donors may additionally designate that they do not wish to donate their organs to currently or formerly-serving elected or appointed government officials.

(inspired by http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/03/25/us-usa-cheney-idUSBRE82N0FK20120325)

[Senator Snowstalker]

The Friendship Act

The state-endorsed televison show of the Northeast Region shall be My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic.

[LINCOLN REPUBLICAN]

I am presenting the following bill

Northeast Region Distracted Drivers Act

All vehicle opertors while driving in the Northeast Region shall be restricted from the following activities:
 
-using hand-held cell phones
-texting or e-mailing
-using electronic devices like laptop computers, video games, cameras, video entertainment displays and programming portable audio players, e.g. MP3 players
-entering information on GPS units
-reading printed materials in the vehicle
-writing, printing or sketching
-personal grooming
-smoking
-drinking of any beverage
-eating of any food

Applies to all vehicles, including bicycles
Applies to all roads in both urban and rural areas of the Northeast Region

The penalty for the first offence shall be a fine of $200.00

The penalty for the second offence shall be a fine of $400.00

The penalty for the third offence shall be a fine of $600.00, suspension of the driver's license, and confiscaton of the vehicle until such time as the driver has completed a distracted drivers course and a safe driving course

Any further offences will result in charges being laid, cancellation of the driver's license with the driver being forbidden to operate a vehicle in the Northeast Region for such a period of time as determined by the courts

[Senator Napoleon]

Animals are our Friends Act

All public animal shelters in the Northeast region shall institute a no-kill policy for animals deemed to be adoptable after a temperament test, unless the animal is in irreversible chronic pain or terminally ill.