Fourteenth Pacific Legislative Council

[Ebowed]

The first order of business is electing a Speaker.  Any member who wishes to run for this position may now announce their intention.

[Simfan34]

You have 72 hours.

[Türkisblau]

Aren't we supposed to elect a speaker in a separate thread like the 13th did? If we're doing it here I'd like to nominate myself.

I'm introducing some legislation:

Secure Life for Future Generations Act

1. Repeal the "Public Funding for Abortion Act"

2. Those seeking abortion while age 16 or younger are required to first receive permission from their parents or legal guardians

3. All abortions in the third trimester, except for cases of rape, saving the life of the woman, and protecting the health of the woman, are outlawed

4. Any person who performs an illegal abortion will be sentenced to at least eighteen months in prison

Farm Relief Act

1. All individually-owned farms in the Pacific region suffering with drought and wildfire will be given enough relief funds to cover damage, as well as for preparation for the new growing season

2. $500 million shall be appropriated for this measure

3. The Farm Relief Bureau (FRB) is hereby created to administer these funds

Ensure Our Future Act

1. A scholarship program shall be created to provide $5,000 each to well qualified children with a GPA of 3.0 or above whose parents never received above a high school education, with the amount given rising based on qualifications

2. $500 million will be appropriated to this program, with additional funding accorded to the program through a public-private partnership by charitable donations and coordination with non-governmental organizations

3. A non-partisan commission will be created to mandate fair school districts to stop the practice redlining school districts

4. The "The Get Involved in School Act" shall hereby repealed

5. $50 million in block grants shall be provided for technology use in the classroom in under-performing schools

Restore our Rivers Act

1. The Ice Harbor Dam, Lower Monumental Dam, Little Goose Dam and Lower Granite Dam located in the Columbia River watershed shall be slated  for destruction at the earliest possible date

2. A commission shall be created to assess the environmental impact of other dams located in the Pacific Region, as well as the effect to the local community of the elimination of the dams

3. Dams identified by the earlier stated commission to be defunct/harmful to the wildlife in the river with the benefits not outweighing the costs, will be retroactively torn down according to the guidelines put forth by the committee

[Paleobrazilian]

I nominate Turkisblau,

[Paleobrazilian]

Mr. Speaker,

I'd like to introduce the following proposal:

NFL in Los Angeles Act

1. The Greater Los Angeles Area is hereby granted a waiver from the Pacific Sports Venue Funding Act so that the Pacific Region or interested local governments can fund the construction of a new football field on that area that fulfills all National Football League standards.

2. Temporary tax hikes for the construction of this field, if necessary, may only be approved by a referendum involving the affected taxpayers.

3. This bill shall enter in effect once the National Football League grants an expansion franchise to the Greater Los Angeles Area or authorizes the relocation of an existing franchise to that area.

[Paleobrazilian]

Mr. Speaker,

I'd like to introduce the following bill:

Tobacco Market Act

1. Section 1 of the Tobacco Market Regulation Bill is hereby repealed and replaced with the following:

"The sides and 50% of the back of packs of tobacco products must contain health warnings illustrating the physical effects of prolonged tobacco use."

2. Section 2 of the Tobacco Market Regulation Bill is hereby repealed and replaced with the following:

"Any publications distributed within the Pacific Region that is not destined exclusively for adults may not contain advertisements for tobacco products of any kind, with tobacco companies eligible for a minimum fine of $500,000 per violation."

[Türkisblau]

Sorry I've been inactive lately; I've just had my mind on other things. I'll get to introducing a new bill and starting votes tomorrow.

[Simfan34]

Keep it coming...

[Simfan34]

The Lieutenant Governor Amendment

Section 8 of Article III of the Pacific Constitution is amended to read:

1. The Governor, upon taking office, shall appoint a Lieutenant Governor, who, upon a vacancy in the office of Governor, shall succeed to that office.

2. The Lieutenant Governor shall be a resident of the Pacific Region.

3. In the declared absence of the Governor, the Lieutenant Governor shall assume the responsibilities of the Office of Governor, excluding the right of taking executive action on legislation, on an acting basis.

The Clarification of the Practise of Rights Amendment

Section 17 of Article IV of the Pacific Constitution is stricken from the document.

[Türkisblau]

I will be introducing three pieces of legislation this evening.

[Simfan34]

Early Newborn Support (Pacific) Act 2015

To ensure that all newly-born children, particularly those in low income households, are provided with the necessities conducive to a clean, healthy, safe, and comfortable infancy.

1. A package containing items conducive to healthy, sanitary, and safe child-rearing shall be distributed to the households of all newly born children in the Pacific Region.

2. If there are more than two children in a household, who have received the same number of Newborn Support Packages (NSPs), the parents and/or guardians may elect to receive a grant for every subsequent child, equal to no more than 80% of the cost of the NSP.

3. The Newborn Support Package shall initially contain the following:

• One packaging box, of sufficient size to act as a safe bed
• One mattress fitted to the box
• One waterproof cover for the mattress
• One blanket
• Four pacifiers
• Two infant bodysuits
• Four swaddling blankets
• Four pairs of socks
• Two cloth bibs
• Three washcloths
• Three burp cloths
• One pair of mittens
• One knitted cap
• One bottle of shampoo
• One bottle of baby wash
• One box of baby wipes
• One bottle
• Five packages of disposable diapers
• One wooden teething ring
• One nasal aspirator
• One electronic thermometer
• Five disinfectant wipes
• One soft toothbrush
• One medicine pipette
• One container for the five aforementioned medical supplies
• One pamphlet/short book containing advice for parents, families, and child-rearing

4. The contents of the Newborn Support Package shall be modified over time as the regional health authority sees fit.

5. The contents of Newborn Support Package shall be acquired at a cost of approximately $275 or less per package, adjusted for inflation annually.

6. The sum of $165,000,000 shall be allocated for the Newborn Support Package program from the annual regional Budget.

[Türkisblau]

Early Newborn Support (Pacific) Act 2015

To ensure that all newly-born children, particularly those in low income households, are provided with the necessities conducive to a clean, healthy, safe, and comfortable infancy.

1. A package containing items conducive to healthy, sanitary, and safe child-rearing shall be distributed to the households of all newly born children in the Pacific Region.

2. If there are more than two children in a household, who have received the same number of Newborn Support Packages (NSPs), the parents and/or guardians may elect to receive a grant for every subsequent child, equal to no more than 80% of the cost of the NSP.

3. The Newborn Support Package shall initially contain the following:

• One packaging box, of sufficient size to act as a safe bed
• One mattress fitted to the box
• One waterproof cover for the mattress
• One blanket
• Four pacifiers
• Two infant bodysuits
• Four swaddling blankets
• Four pairs of socks
• Two cloth bibs
• Three washcloths
• Three burp cloths
• One pair of mittens
• One knitted cap
• One bottle of shampoo
• One bottle of baby wash
• One box of baby wipes
• One bottle
• Five packages of disposable diapers
• One wooden teething ring
• One nasal aspirator
• One electronic thermometer
• Five disinfectant wipes
• One soft toothbrush
• One medicine pipette
• One container for the five aforementioned medical supplies
• One pamphlet/short book containing advice for parents, families, and child-rearing

4. The contents of the Newborn Support Package shall be modified over time as the regional health authority sees fit.

5. The contents of Newborn Support Package shall be acquired at a cost of approximately $275 or less per package, adjusted for inflation annually.

6. The sum of $165,000,000 shall be allocated for the Newborn Support Package program from the annual regional Budget.

Is this inspired by the similar Finnish program? Love it!

[Simfan34]

Indeed it is! In the coming days, if I can find the time, I will introduce more legislation dealing with early childcare, lending support to parents, and facilitating the strengthening of families. Sounds vague, I know, but I have things in mind...

[Türkisblau]

Motion to remove Councilor Paleobrazilian from his position in accordance with Article IV Section III of our regional constitution - he has missed the past 4 votes and has not been active since the 10th of January.

[Türkisblau]

Aye

[Tetro Kornbluth]

aye

[Türkisblau]

Councilor Paleobrazilian has been expelled from the Pacific Council by a majority vote.

[Türkisblau]

I am suspending the activities of the council until after election results on the 12th have been certified; we have votes that need to be made with a full council (the Governor has declined to appoint anyone) and bills that I feel should be debated and passed with a council with a clear mandate.

[Simfan34]

In accordance with the wishes of the Speaker, and as per the Rules of Order of the Legislative Council as stated in Section 3.3, I hereby call the Legislative Council back into session until its conclusion at the end of 21 February.

[Simfan34]

I hereby propose the following, and carry it over to the next session if necessary.

You must be logged in to read this quote.

[Tetro Kornbluth]

Regeneration of Grant County Act

1. This house is committed to the economic recovery and regeneration of Grant County, Oregon

2. As part of this regeneration this house will commit over 5 years $100 million towards the construction of modern sports stadium capable of holding world class events in Gridiron Football, Baseball and Association Football

3. Once the funding has been set up, a plan will be drawn up to organize the construction of this stadium which will be overseen by a committee of this house

4. This committee will inform the rest of the house of all relevant developments in the construction of this stadium over the period of its construction.

[Simfan34]

Borrowed from the NE:

Mandatory Arts Lessons Act (Pacific) 2015
1. Students shall take part in arts lessons (art, music or drama) at least one a week as part of the curriculum

[Türkisblau]

Borrowed from the NE:

Mandatory Arts Lessons Act (Pacific) 2015
1. Students shall take part in arts lessons (art, music or drama) at least one a week as part of the curriculum

You have to open the Speaker elections first, plus I think Gully still has to swear in.