NE2: Another SOAP amendment (Law)

[cinyc]

Another SOAP amendment

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Sponsor: Representative Cincinnatus

Debate on this bill will remain open for 72 hours, or until around 12:30AM on Saturday, February 15, unless modified or extended.  The sponsor, Rep. Cincinnatus, is encouraged to speak on behalf of the bill within the next 36 hours.  If he does not, there will be no penalty, as there is no other proposed legislation in the proposed legislation thread.

The floor is open for debate.

[Deus Naturae]

Looks good to me.

[Cincinnatus]

Thank you Mr. Speaker,

The first two amended subsections are fairly straightforward, only addressing shortcomings in the original procedures.  The amended procedure for amending the SOAP was introduced as a response to earlier discussion in the Assembly.  It should be only the Assembly that dictates the procedures and guidelines it must follow, and the requirement of an executive signature gives the Governor unnecessary power over how we govern this body.

As a side note, if anyone has any other interesting or compelling ideas to improve the SOAP, feel free to share.

[cinyc]

Is it the sponsor's intent that someone can change their vote after 48 hours if the Speaker doesn't certify the vote until later.  That's a bit odd, as 48 hours is long enough of a voting period for changes.

[Cincinnatus]

Is it the sponsor's intent that someone can change their vote after 48 hours if the Speaker doesn't certify the vote until later.  That's a bit odd, as 48 hours is long enough of a voting period for changes.

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My intent is fairly clear here.  Regardless of agreement with this purpose or not, how would one enforce a rule otherwise?  Even if someone had edited their post after the 48 hours and before your official acknowledgement that the voting period is over, you wouldn't be able to deny their Aye or Nay without proof. 

[cinyc]

Is it the sponsor's intent that someone can change their vote after 48 hours if the Speaker doesn't certify the vote until later.  That's a bit odd, as 48 hours is long enough of a voting period for changes.

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My intent is fairly clear here.  Regardless of agreement with this purpose or not, how would one enforce a rule otherwise?  Even if someone had edited their post after the 48 hours and before your official acknowledgement that the voting period is over, you wouldn't be able to deny their Aye or Nay without proof. 

I could invalidate a vote edited after the 48-hour voting period has ended and deny any vote changed in a new post.

I don't like extending the voting period past 48 hours for vote changes.  I try to open votes at a time when I think I'll be around to close it at 48 hours, but it doesn't always end up that way - like in this case, if the vote ends up closing at 12:30AM, I may or may not be around to close it then.  48 hours is plenty of time to cast or change a vote.  We don't need to add more time if the Speaker (who has 24 hours to certify a vote) isn't around to close it exactly on time.

[Cincinnatus]

Is it the sponsor's intent that someone can change their vote after 48 hours if the Speaker doesn't certify the vote until later.  That's a bit odd, as 48 hours is long enough of a voting period for changes.

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My intent is fairly clear here.  Regardless of agreement with this purpose or not, how would one enforce a rule otherwise?  Even if someone had edited their post after the 48 hours and before your official acknowledgement that the voting period is over, you wouldn't be able to deny their Aye or Nay without proof. 

I could invalidate a vote edited after the 48-hour voting period has ended and deny any vote changed in a new post.

I don't like extending the voting period past 48 hours for vote changes.  I try to open votes at a time when I think I'll be around to close it at 48 hours, but it doesn't always end up that way - like in this case, if the vote ends up closing at 12:30AM, I may or may not be around to close it then.  48 hours is plenty of time to cast or change a vote.  We don't need to add more time if the Speaker (who has 24 hours to certify a vote) isn't around to close it exactly on time.

Ok, so let's clarify that we will invalidate a vote edited after that period.  Regardless, language specifying our intent is necessary. 

[cinyc]

How about:

This text shall not be interpreted as to deny Representatives the right to change their vote before the Speaker has officially closed voting via a post in the appropriate legislation thread unless the 48 hour voting period has passed.

I think we also need to amend the last sentence of Section 2(b) of the SOAP to take into account the new veto override procedures:

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, fails to receive a motion for a veto override vote within 48 hours after a veto, or fails a veto override vote.

[Lincoln Republican]

I support the Cincinnatus SOAP amendment.

It is important the Assembly determine the rules governing the Assembly without any outside approval required.  The approval of the Governor should in no way be required.

I also agree that if members of the Assembly can change their vote, it must clearly be within the 48 hour parameter, and must be strictly enforced.  Personally, I am a proponent of once a vote is cast it is cast, but if a majority believe vote changing should be allowed, then it must be within a strict, and enforced, time frame.     

[Cincinnatus]

Is this the agreeable text at the moment, cinyc?

Another SOAP amendment

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[cinyc]

That seems about right.  I don't think we need the two "ors" in the amendment to 2(b), so that should read:

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, fails to receive a motion for a veto override vote within 48 hours after a veto, or fails a veto override vote.

[Cincinnatus]

The amendment is friendly, FTR.

[cinyc]

The debate period is now over.  It is now time to vote on the bill, as amended:

Another SOAP amendment

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This vote shall remain open for the earlier of 48 hours or when all Representatives have voted.

[cinyc]

Aye

[Napoleon]

Aye

[Lincoln Republican]

Aye

[Cincinnatus]

Aye

[Deus Naturae]

Aye

[cinyc]

By a 5-0 vote, the bill passes and goes to the governor's desk for his signature or veto.

[sentinel]

I don't have to sign these anyway, ya'll have been putting em on my desk!

[cinyc]

The Governor has signed the bill into law.  We will no longer have to ask for the governor's consent to change the SOAP - something we probably never should have had to do so in the first place.

We will remain in session until February 26 when the legislature lapses.  However, there is nothing left in the queue and we're running out of time to propose new legislation, anyway.  If this is the last bill of the session, I'd like to thank my fellow Assemblymen for their diligence during this very productive legislative session.

[Lincoln Republican]

It has been my pleasure to work with each of you.

I will now be going into political retirement for awhile.

I will, of course, continue to vote in elections and referendums.

Who knows, I may try to make a political comeback someday.