Midwest Universal Alþing Proposal Introducing Thread

[hawkeye59]

x hawkeye59

[Barnes]

The Affordable Energy
and Environmental Protection Act

Article 1 – Establishing a “Cap and Trade System” for the Midwest
A.   A Cap and Trade System for Greenhouse Gasses is herby established in the Midwest.  This system shall designate the total amount of Greenhouse Gasses allowed in the Midwest Region.
B.   The cap shall be set between 2011 and 2050   
C.   The cap shall be initially placed at 2005 emission levels.
D.   The cap shall be systematically reduced over time by the Prime Verin, so that Greenhouse Gasses may be eliminated totally in the Midwest Region.

Article 2 – Tax credits and penalties
A.   Any company that reduces their greenhouse emissions, ahead of the regional standard, shall receive an annual tax credit of 15% of their annual revenue.
B.   Any company that reduces their greenhouse emissions, at the amount prescribed by the regional standard, shall receive an annual tax credit of 10% of their annual revenue.
C.   Any company that fails to reduce their greenhouse emissions, as set by the regional standard, shall be fined an amount equal to 10% of their annual revenue.
D.   As the cap is reduced by the Prime Verin, the credits and fines may be raised, but as not to exceed 45%.
E.   The fines collected through this Act shall be invested in the following way:
a.   The creation of environmentally-friendly and energy-efficient projects.  Such as, solar panels, wind farms, hydro power plants, nuclear power plants, and other forms of clean energy.
b.   Grants distributed to Midwest small businesses (employing 50 or less workers) to create clean energy projects.
c.   Grants given to the Automobile industry for converting carbon emitting vehicles into clean-energy vehicles.

Article 3 – Equipping homes for an energy-independent future
A.   All homes equipped to be at least 10% energy efficient by January 1, 2011, shall receive a rebate of $800.  The percentile shall increase by 5% every two years with the rebate also increasing by $400 every two years.
B.   Any home that purchases a clean energy device for their home, including, but not limited to, solar panels, a wind turbine, or tapping geothermal energy, shall receive a deduction of 10% on their regional income taxes for 2011 and 2012.

Article 4 – Establishing a tax on harmful environmental emissions
A.   A tax of 15% is hereby established on any business importing or exporting harmful environmental emissions to or from the Midwest.
B.   The revenue collected through this tax shall go directly into funding clean-energy projects.

Article 5 – Establishing a fund to research alternatives to ethanol
A.   A fund of $5,000,000 shall be set aside over the course of four years to research alternatives to ethanol fuel, which is currently the primary source of Alternative energy in the Midwest, but is not environmentally safe.

Article 6 – Implementation Dates
A.   Article Two of this Act shall take effect July 1, 2011.
B.   Article Three, Section B, of this Act shall tax effect twenty days after its passage into law.
C.   Article Five of the Act shall take effect September 1, 2011.

Article 7 – Miscellaneous items
A.   This Act is not to be implemented in such a way as to tamper with the implementation of the Atlasia Clean Energy Act of 2010 (F.L. 37-4) or The Green Homes Act (F.L. 40-1).

x Barnes

[hawkeye59]

x hawkeye59

[Barnes]

I withdraw the bill above. I'll have something out of far more importance out directly.

[hawkeye59]

I withdraw the bill above. I'll have something out of far more importance out directly.

?

[Barnes]

Third Midwest Constitution
Section I: The Alþing
1. The legislative body of the Midwest shall be the Midwest Universal Alþing, commonly know as the Alþing.
2. The Alþing is a universal body, and is thus composed of all registered citizens of the Midwest.
3. The Alþing may establish rules for its own proceedings, and with the concurrence of two-thirds of its voting number, suspend such rights of such members as it may deem appropriate, except in the case of voting on legislation.
4. The Alþing may elect a Presiding Verin pro tempore, who shall preside over the body in the case of the absence of the Prime Verin or Deputy Verin. The method of election, and the term of office, shall be determined by the Alþing.

Section II: The Verinship
1. The head of government of the Midwest shall be the Prime Verin, who is elected by the Alþing, and shall serve at its pleasure.
2. The Prime Verin shall preside over the Alþing, and be its official spokesperson.
3. The Deputy Verin shall be elected whenever there is also an election for Prime Verin.  The Deputy Verin shall preside over the Alþing in the case of the absence of the Prime Verin, and shall become Acting Prime Verin if the office is vacated.
 
Section III: Elections
1. The Prime Verin shall continue his verinship for so long as he shall retain the confidence of the Alþing. After 3 months in office, the Alþing must hold an election for the Prime Verinship.
2. When the office of Prime Verin is vacated, a new election shall take place within five days of the vacancy occurring.
3. During an election for the Verinship, all citizens of the Midwest shall be considered nominees for Prime and Deputy Verin unless they specifically say otherwise.
4. Voting shall occur in the Alþing thread.
5. The election shall last for seventy-two (72) hours. Voting will be preferential and counted by means of the Condorcet method.
6. Voters will be entitled to vote ‘None of the Above’ as per any other candidate. Should NOTA be deemed the winner of the election, nominations shall be re-opened but such candidates as lost to NOTA shall be disqualified from being nominated on that occasion.
7. Reasonable determination of voter intent shall apply in construing ballots for counting purposes.

Section IV: Motions of Confidence
1. When a confidence motion is proposed for or against an officer, it shall take precedence amongst the order of business of the Alþing
2. A motion must have the signatures of at least three (3) Midwest citizens.
3. If the Alþing resolves confidence in an officer, such citizens which may have proposed no confidence in the officer will be prohibited from proposing a further confidence motion against the same officer for a period of three (3) weeks.
4. The Deputy Verin shall have responsibility for the officiating of confidence motions brought against the Prime Verin.

Section V: The Judiciary
1. The Supreme Court of Atlasia shall be the judiciary of the Midwest Region.

Section VI: Amending Procedure
1. An amendment to this Constitution must be proposed in the Alþing and must have the signatures of at least five (5) citizens.
2. The proposed amendment shall then be debated in the Alþing like a regular piece of legislation.
3. Once debate has concluded, the Prime Verin shall open a separate voting booth for the approval or rejection of the amendment.  The booth shall stay open for five (5) days.
4. To be successfully approved, the amendment must be voted on by an absolute majority (50% + 1) of the registered Midwest population, and must have an absolute majority (50% + 1) of votes in favor.
x Barnes

This makes very little changes from the laws we already have on the book, but it consolidates them into one document, and we can replace that old, ugly second constitution!

[hawkeye59]

x hawkeye59

[Hans-im-Glück]

Third Midwest Constitution
Section I: The Alþing
1. The legislative body of the Midwest shall be the Midwest Universal Alþing, commonly know as the Alþing.
2. The Alþing is a universal body, and is thus composed of all registered citizens of the Midwest.
3. The Alþing may establish rules for its own proceedings, and with the concurrence of two-thirds of its voting number, suspend such rights of such members as it may deem appropriate, except in the case of voting on legislation.
4. The Alþing may elect a Presiding Verin pro tempore, who shall preside over the body in the case of the absence of the Prime Verin or Deputy Verin. The method of election, and the term of office, shall be determined by the Alþing.

Section II: The Verinship
1. The head of government of the Midwest shall be the Prime Verin, who is elected by the Alþing, and shall serve at its pleasure.
2. The Prime Verin shall preside over the Alþing, and be its official spokesperson.
3. The Deputy Verin shall be elected whenever there is also an election for Prime Verin.  The Deputy Verin shall preside over the Alþing in the case of the absence of the Prime Verin, and shall become Acting Prime Verin if the office is vacated.
 
Section III: Elections
1. The Prime Verin shall continue his verinship for so long as he shall retain the confidence of the Alþing. After 3 months in office, the Alþing must hold an election for the Prime Verinship.
2. When the office of Prime Verin is vacated, a new election shall take place within five days of the vacancy occurring.
3. During an election for the Verinship, all citizens of the Midwest shall be considered nominees for Prime and Deputy Verin unless they specifically say otherwise.
4. Voting shall occur in the Alþing thread.
5. The election shall last for seventy-two (72) hours. Voting will be preferential and counted by means of the Condorcet method.
6. Voters will be entitled to vote ‘None of the Above’ as per any other candidate. Should NOTA be deemed the winner of the election, nominations shall be re-opened but such candidates as lost to NOTA shall be disqualified from being nominated on that occasion.
7. Reasonable determination of voter intent shall apply in construing ballots for counting purposes.

Section IV: Motions of Confidence
1. When a confidence motion is proposed for or against an officer, it shall take precedence amongst the order of business of the Alþing
2. A motion must have the signatures of at least three (3) Midwest citizens.
3. If the Alþing resolves confidence in an officer, such citizens which may have proposed no confidence in the officer will be prohibited from proposing a further confidence motion against the same officer for a period of three (3) weeks.
4. The Deputy Verin shall have responsibility for the officiating of confidence motions brought against the Prime Verin.

Section V: The Judiciary
1. The Supreme Court of Atlasia shall be the judiciary of the Midwest Region.

Section VI: Amending Procedure
1. An amendment to this Constitution must be proposed in the Alþing and must have the signatures of at least five (5) citizens.
2. The proposed amendment shall then be debated in the Alþing like a regular piece of legislation.
3. Once debate has concluded, the Prime Verin shall open a separate voting booth for the approval or rejection of the amendment.  The booth shall stay open for five (5) days.
4. To be successfully approved, the amendment must be voted on by an absolute majority (50% + 1) of the registered Midwest population, and must have an absolute majority (50% + 1) of votes in favor.
x Barnes

This makes very little changes from the laws we already have on the book, but it consolidates them into one document, and we can replace that old, ugly second constitution!

X Hans-im-Glück

[Fuzzybigfoot]

x Mr. Fuzzleton

[Barnes]

The Official Oath of Office Act

The oath of office taken by Midwest Citizens before entering a regional office shall be as follows:

"I (insert name) do swear in solemnity that I will perform with good faith the office of (insert office), as best I can, and feel like on a certain day, and will, as much as I want, preserve, protect, and defend the Constitutions of the Midwest, and of Atlasia, so help me Cake.  And Dave."

x Barnes

[hawkeye59]

The Official Oath of Office Act

The oath of office taken by Midwest Citizens before entering a regional office shall be as follows:

"I (insert name) do swear in solemnity that I will perform with good faith the office of (insert office), as best I can, and feel like on a certain day, and will, as much as I want, preserve, protect, and defend the Constitutions of the Midwest, and of Atlasia, so help me Cake.  And Dave."

x Barnes

x hawkeye59

[Thomas D]

The Official Oath of Office Act

The oath of office taken by Midwest Citizens before entering a regional office shall be as follows:

"I (insert name) do swear in solemnity that I will perform with good faith the office of (insert office), as best I can, and feel like on a certain day, and will, as much as I want, preserve, protect, and defend the Constitutions of the Midwest, and of Atlasia, so help me Cake.  And Dave."

x Barnes

x hawkeye59

x Thomas D

[Fuzzybigfoot]

Give Gustaf a Hug Act

1.)  All Midwest citizens are encouraged to give Gustaf a hug, because he seems to need one or many. 

2.)  Any person who gives Gustaf a hug will recieve a piece of cake. 

[Barnes]

Give Gustaf a Hug Act

1.)  All Midwest citizens are encouraged to give Gustaf a hug, because he seems to need one or many. 

2.)  Any person who gives Gustaf a hug will recieve a piece of cake. 

x Barnes

And Fuzzy, you can sign your own bills too.

[Thomas D]

Give Gustaf a Hug Act

1.)  All Midwest citizens are encouraged to give Gustaf a hug, because he seems to need one or many. 

2.)  Any person who gives Gustaf a hug will recieve a piece of cake. 

x Thomas D

[Fuzzybigfoot]

Give Gustaf a Hug Act

1.)  All Midwest citizens are encouraged to give Gustaf a hug, because he seems to need one or many.  

2.)  Any person who gives Gustaf a hug will recieve a piece of cake.  

x Barnes

And Fuzzy, you can sign your own bills too.

Oh, okay.  


And:

X Mr Fuzzleton

[ilikeverin]

Midwestern Irridentialist Act, Take Eleventymillion

1. The Midwest claims the state now known as "Oceania" as its 12th state, Nirvana.
2. Should the Midwest gain sovereignty over Nirvana, the Midwest pledges to make Samoan and Chamorro official languages of the Midwestern Region.
3. The Midwest reminds Atlasia that it also claims the state now known as "New Mexico" as its 11th state, according to previous Irridentialist laws.

[hawkeye59]

Midwestern Irridentialist Act, Take Eleventymillion

1. The Midwest claims the state now known as "Oceania" as its 12th state, Nirvana.
2. Should the Midwest gain sovereignty over Nirvana, the Midwest pledges to make Samoan and Chamorro official languages of the Midwestern Region.
3. The Midwest reminds Atlasia that it also claims the state now known as "New Mexico" as its 11th state, according to previous Irridentialist laws.

x hawkeye59

[Fuzzybigfoot]

Midwestern Irridentialist Act, Take Eleventymillion

1. The Midwest claims the state now known as "Oceania" as its 12th state, Nirvana.
2. Should the Midwest gain sovereignty over Nirvana, the Midwest pledges to make Samoan and Chamorro official languages of the Midwestern Region.
3. The Midwest reminds Atlasia that it also claims the state now known as "New Mexico" as its 11th state, according to previous Irridentialist laws.

x Fuzzy