The Budget Amendment

[Gabu]

Oops, I haven't voted yet.

Full year.

With six votes in favor of "full year" to no votes in favor of "four months", the first amendment has passed.

[12th Doctor]

Full year

[Platypus]

full year, although it's moot.

[Sam Spade]

So, now this is the present Budget Amendment.
Budget Amendment
§ 1. The Senate shall be responsible for drafting and approving a Budget at the opening of each Senate session after a Presidential election has been held, with the Preliminary Budget for the fiscal year being drafted and approved in March of the respective year, a Revision of the Budget being drafted and approved in July and the Final Version of the Budget being drafted and approved in November of the respective year.

§ 2.  The GM must provide the Senate with comprehensive economic figures (such as GDP estimates, estimates of tax revenue, or needed additional appropriations, etc.) at the above-specified times of drafting and approving each and every budget.

§ 3.  This yearly Budgetary work will comprise an entire Fiscal Year in Atlasia.  A Fiscal Year in Atlasia will comprise of one calendar year (12 months).

§ 4.  All Senate legislation passed in the four (4) months preceding an approval of the Revision or Final Version of the Budget must be included in the Budget of that same Fiscal Year.  Any Senate legislation passed after the Final Version of the Budget has been approved must be included in the Budget for the upcoming Fiscal Year.

§ 5. Each and every Budget must be approved by a majority vote of the Senate and then approved by the President.

§ 6. The Senate must approve each and every Budget before moving on to any other matter.

§ 7. After said Budget is approved by the Senate, the Senate shall appropriate money raised by the budget as it deems appropriate.

§ 8. The total overspent on each and every Budget and its Appropriations must not exceed 2% of the GDP except in those situations specified by Section 9.

§ 9. Section 5 shall not be in effect in a time of war or in a time of economic crisis.  A time of war shall be defined as a time when the Atlasian Senate has voted to declare war and a situation of war exists.  A time of economic crisis shall be defined as a time when the real GDP has been in decline for two or more quarters.

§ 10.  If any of the situations specified in Section 9 occur during  the four (4) months preceding an approval of the Revision or Final Version of the Budget, the leniency such provisions grant may be applied in the Budget of that same Fiscal Year.  If any of the situations specified in Section 9 occur after the Final Version of the Budget has been approved, the leniency such provisions grant may only be applied in the Budget for the upcoming Fiscal Year.
I would like to submit these other amendments listed below.

#1:  New Clause 5:
§ 5. Each and every Budget must be approved by a majority vote of the Senate.  Only the Final Version of the Budget must be approved and signed into law by the President.

#2:  New Clause 7:
§ 7. After the Final Version of the Budget is approved by the Senate and the President and signed into law, the Senate shall appropriate money raised by the Budget as it deems appropriate.

I don't think there will be anything else after this, Gabu, I promise. 

[Gabu]

I would like to submit these other amendments listed below.

#1:  New Clause 5:
§ 5. Each and every Budget must be approved by a majority vote of the Senate.  Only the Final Version of the Budget must be approved and signed into law by the President.

#2:  New Clause 7:
§ 7. After the Final Version of the Budget is approved by the Senate and the President and signed into law, the Senate shall appropriate money raised by the Budget as it deems appropriate.

Okay, I hereby open voting on these amendments.

All senators in favor, vote "aye"; all against, vote "nay".

I don't think there will be anything else after this, Gabu, I promise. 

Not at all; I'm happy to see so much effort being put into this, as I think that it's an important piece of legislation.

[Sam Spade]

Not at all; I'm happy to see so much effort being put into this, as I think that it's an important piece of legislation.

I agree.  Hopefully, the populace of Atlasia will approve of it.  Both the Crime and Budget bills are of extreme importance in my mind for Atlasia (as soon will be the voter law changes and the tax bills, among other things) and certainly I won't pay much attention to the next two bills (since they're Naso bills).

Aye, aye.

[Gabu]

Aye, aye.

[Nym90]

Aye, Aye

[WMS]

Aye, Aye.

[Colin]

Aye, Aye

[12th Doctor]

Aye, Aye

[Gabu]

With six votes in favor to none against, the two amendments have passed.

[Sam Spade]

I would like to motion that we bring this thing to a vote.

[Gabu]

Okay, here is the amendment in its final form:

Budget Amendment

§ 1. The Senate shall be responsible for drafting and approving a Budget at the opening of each Senate session after a Presidential election has been held, with the Preliminary Budget for the fiscal year being drafted and approved in March of the respective year, a Revision of the Budget being drafted and approved in July and the Final Version of the Budget being drafted and approved in November of the respective year.

§ 2.  The GM must provide the Senate with comprehensive economic figures (such as GDP estimates, estimates of tax revenue, or needed additional appropriations, etc.) at the above-specified times of drafting and approving each and every budget.

§ 3.  This yearly Budgetary work will comprise an entire Fiscal Year in Atlasia.  A Fiscal Year in Atlasia will comprise of one calendar year (12 months).

§ 4.  All Senate legislation passed in the four (4) months preceding an approval of the Revision or Final Version of the Budget must be included in the Budget of that same Fiscal Year.  Any Senate legislation passed after the Final Version of the Budget has been approved must be included in the Budget for the upcoming Fiscal Year.

§ 5. Each and every Budget must be approved by a majority vote of the Senate.  Only the Final Version of the Budget must be approved and signed into law by the President.

§ 6. The Senate must approve each and every Budget before moving on to any other matter.

§ 7. After the Final Version of the Budget is approved by the Senate and the President and signed into law, the Senate shall appropriate money raised by the Budget as it deems appropriate.

§ 8. The total overspent on each and every Budget and its Appropriations must not exceed 2% of the GDP except in those situations specified by Section 9.

§ 9. Section 5 shall not be in effect in a time of war or in a time of economic crisis.  A time of war shall be defined as a time when the Atlasian Senate has voted to declare war and a situation of war exists.  A time of economic crisis shall be defined as a time when the real GDP has been in decline for two or more quarters.

§ 10.  If any of the situations specified in Section 9 occur during  the four (4) months preceding an approval of the Revision or Final Version of the Budget, the leniency such provisions grant may be applied in the Budget of that same Fiscal Year.  If any of the situations specified in Section 9 occur after the Final Version of the Budget has been approved, the leniency such provisions grant may only be applied in the Budget for the upcoming Fiscal Year.

I hereby open voting on this amendment.

All senators in favor, vote "aye"; all against, vote "nay".

---

Aye.

[Sam Spade]

Aye.

[Platypus]

This is actually really good!

Aye.

[MAS117]

Aye

[12th Doctor]

Aye

[Sam Spade]

It doesn't. Many of the amendments would actually contradict the new version, and the Constitution states in pertinent part: "When this Constitution becomes operative it shall replace any Constitution, and amendments thereof, in place prior to it."

I am however, more than happy to have some comprimise on this matter: If the Senate is able to pass something reasonably quickly I would ask Colin to have the Convention consider it and hopefully tack it on as another section somewhere.

If it gets stuck in limbo (i.e. too late, or after the new Constitution goes to public vote), there are other ways around the problem: The PPT can just refuse to certify the vote as finished until the new Constitution is in effect and then submit it as an Amendment to the new Constitution.

Flagging this to Gabu.  We might want to consider one of the two solutions above to the issue raised by Peter Bell, now that we have an amendment that's going to get passed.

[Gabu]

It doesn't. Many of the amendments would actually contradict the new version, and the Constitution states in pertinent part: "When this Constitution becomes operative it shall replace any Constitution, and amendments thereof, in place prior to it."

I am however, more than happy to have some comprimise on this matter: If the Senate is able to pass something reasonably quickly I would ask Colin to have the Convention consider it and hopefully tack it on as another section somewhere.

If it gets stuck in limbo (i.e. too late, or after the new Constitution goes to public vote), there are other ways around the problem: The PPT can just refuse to certify the vote as finished until the new Constitution is in effect and then submit it as an Amendment to the new Constitution.

Flagging this to Gabu.  We might want to consider one of the two solutions above to the issue raised by Peter Bell, now that we have an amendment that's going to get passed.

Noted.  Is it too late to add this to the new Constitution?  If so, the latter solution probably would work fine.

[Sam Spade]

Well, until the constitution is finalized and they sign it and present it to the voters, we can still present it to Peter, I guess.  Otherwise, we do the other.

Right now it's 5-0.  We need two more votes before we have 2/3rds majority.

[Gabu]

Well, until the constitution is finalized and they sign it and present it to the voters, we can still present it to Peter, I guess.  Otherwise, we do the other.

Okay, we'll go with that.

[Nym90]

Aye

[Colin]

Aye

[WMS]

Aye.