Withdrawal Resolution [Passed]

[Sam Spade]

Withdrawal Resolution

To add a new appropriatley numbered section to the OSPR stating the following:
1. Any bill that he has reached the senate floor may be withdrawn by the sponsor at any time
2. Another senator has seventy-two (72) hours to pick up sponsorship of the bill, otherwise the bill is no longer valid.

(Sponsor: DWTL)


I changed the title from Act to Resolution, since this only deals with Senate rules.

I will have some amendments on this one.

[DownWithTheLeft]

I have an amendment as well that I just thought about:

To add a Section 3 stating:
"The original sponsor may object to responsorship and to override this decision takes a 60% vote"

Consider it friendly unless there is an objection

[Sam Spade]

I have an amendment as well that I just thought about:

To add a Section 3 stating:
"The original sponsor may object to responsorship and to override this decision takes a 60% vote"

Consider it friendly unless there is an objection

I object.

[Ebowed]

I have an amendment as well that I just thought about:

To add a Section 3 stating:
"The original sponsor may object to responsorship and to override this decision takes a 60% vote"

Consider it friendly unless there is an objection

I object.

I second the objection.  The system being devised here is, IMO, needlessly complex, nor respecting of previous procedural law.  "60%" is not, to my knowledge, the amount of support needed for any other type of vote: there is simply a majority, and then a two-thirds majority.  Adding a three-fifths majority to the mix would be unnecessary.

That's more of a minor quibble though, as I don't support anyone's right to tell another Senator what they can or cannot sponsor.

[Sam Spade]

We are now voting on the following amendment:

I have an amendment as well that I just thought about:

To add a Section 3 stating:
"The original sponsor may object to responsorship and to override this decision takes a 60% vote"

Please vote Aye, Nay or Abstain.


Nay.

[Brandon H]

Nay.

[PBrunsel]

Nay

[Ebowed]

Nay

[Јas]

Current Tally on DWTL's Amendment
Aye: 0
Nay: 4 (Sam; Brandon; PBrunsel; Ebowed)
Absent: 3 (Lewis; Al; Earl)
Yet to Vote: 3 (DWTL; Phil; Rob)

I would state that that the amendment is defeated but Lewis could be back today, so a 4-4 is theoretically possible. (Though, I don't see myself approving this in the unlikely event of a tie - rendering the whole thing a moot point anyway.)

[DownWithTheLeft]

I'll vote Nay on the amendment to fail.  I would also like to state that I have the utmost belief that Sam will not pull any stunts in his term as PPT, however, we must take precautions if a PPT like Ebowed were to come back and abuse the rules where there is no clear one.  The purpose is to create a clear rule that everyone can look to and see how the procedure should be handled.  It is important that this has a clear majority of the senate as well.

[Keystone Phil]

Nay, for the record.

[Јas]

Tally on DWTL's Amendment
Aye: 0
Nay: 6 (Sam; Brandon; PBrunsel; Ebowed; DWTL; Phil)
Absent: 3 (Lewis; Al; Earl)
Didn't Vote: 1 (Rob)

The amendment fails.

[minionofmidas]

Nay ftr.

[Sam Spade]

I should hopefully have my amendment to this legislation done by tomorrow.

[DownWithTheLeft]

I propose an amendment to strike Section 2 to which I hope there is no objection and motion to move toward cloture.  This isn't supposed to be complicated, it is only supposed to make a longstanding forum policy official so it cannot be abused.

[minionofmidas]

I propose an amendment to strike Section 2 to which I hope there is no objection and motion to move toward cloture.  This isn't supposed to be complicated, it is only supposed to make a longstanding forum policy official so it cannot be abused.

Except that there is no such longstanding forum policy.
There is a longstanding forum policy to withdraw unamended bills that have no chance of passing and should never have been introduced at all, nothing more really.

The bill as it now stands is something that we can talk about. The thing you're proposing now is as hilarious as it is outrageous.

[DownWithTheLeft]

I propose an amendment to strike Section 2 to which I hope there is no objection and motion to move toward cloture.  This isn't supposed to be complicated, it is only supposed to make a longstanding forum policy official so it cannot be abused.

Except that there is no such longstanding forum policy.
There is a longstanding forum policy to withdraw unamended bills that have no chance of passing and should never have been introduced at all, nothing more really.

The bill as it now stands is something that we can talk about. The thing you're proposing now is as hilarious as it is outrageous.

There is absolutley no reason we should not have a clear-cut rule on withdrawing bills.  This has nothing to do with withdrawing bils immediatley, but with withdrawing bills after they have been amended by the opposition to achieve a different goal.

[Sam Spade]

I would like to ask the good Senator from Maryland to postpone his cloture vote until I can bring a couple of important amendments to the legislation.  Thank you.

[DownWithTheLeft]

I would like to ask the good Senator from Maryland to postpone his cloture vote until I can bring a couple of important amendments to the legislation.  Thank you.

No problem

[minionofmidas]

I propose an amendment to strike Section 2 to which I hope there is no objection and motion to move toward cloture.  This isn't supposed to be complicated, it is only supposed to make a longstanding forum policy official so it cannot be abused.

Except that there is no such longstanding forum policy.
There is a longstanding forum policy to withdraw unamended bills that have no chance of passing and should never have been introduced at all, nothing more really.

The bill as it now stands is something that we can talk about. The thing you're proposing now is as hilarious as it is outrageous.

There is absolutley no reason we should not have a clear-cut rule on withdrawing bills. 

That's what we agree on... and where our agreement ends.

[minionofmidas]

You must be logged in to read this quote.

Amendment to replace the full text with:

To add a new appropriatley numbered section to the OSPR stating the following:
Any bill that has reached the senate floor may be withdrawn by the originaly sponsor at any time except during a vote or until after an amendment to it has been passed by a vote. A bill may still be withdrawn after a friendly amendment.

I'd like to see this amendment voted on irrespective of whether DWDL's amendment to strike section 2 passes.

Oh, and I have a friendly amendment to strike the word "he" from section 1.

[Sam Spade]

Oh, and I have a friendly amendment to strike the word "he" from section 1.

Senators have 24 hours to object to this friendly amendment.

[Sam Spade]

You must be logged in to read this quote.

Amendment to replace the full text with:

To add a new appropriatley numbered section to the OSPR stating the following:
Any bill that has reached the senate floor may be withdrawn by the originaly sponsor at any time except during a vote or until after an amendment to it has been passed by a vote. A bill may still be withdrawn after a friendly amendment.

I'd like to see this amendment voted on irrespective of whether DWDL's amendment to strike section 2 passes.

Oh, and I have a friendly amendment to strike the word "he" from section 1.

This amendment looks better than DWTL's bill, but are still some issues.

[minionofmidas]

I propose an amendment to strike Section 2

When will the vote on this start?

[Sam Spade]

Amendment to replace the bill with the following:

Three new appropriately numbered clauses shall be added to Article 4, Section 1 with the following text:

1. After a piece of legislation is introduced on the Senate floor, the original sponsor may motion to withdraw the legislation under consideration at any point prior to a final vote on passage or after the President has vetoed the legislation, but the original sponsor may not motion to withdraw the legislation if the Senate is presently voting on any Amendments to the legislation or is presently voting on a motion for cloture.

2. Co-sponsors of legislation under consideration shall have no power to withdraw legislation nor contest withdrawal of legislation by the original sponsor.  Any office-holding Senator may assume sponsorship of the legislation within 72 hours after the original sponsor has motioned to withdraw, but only by unanimous consent of the Senate (excluding the original sponsor).  Once a motion to assume sponsorship has been placed by the Senator who wishes to sponsor the legislation, Senators shall have 48 hours to object to this motion.  The bill shall be withdrawn from the Senate floor if any Senator objects to this motion.

3. For the purposes of Articles 3, 4 and 5, the original sponsor shall be defined as the Senator who introduced the legislation in the Legislation Introduction Thread.

Article 3, Section 2, Clause 4, Subsection d shall be amended as follows:

d. 72 hours after a motion to withdraw by the original sponsor or after a motion to assume sponsorship has failed unanimous consent.


This is not perfect, but it is the best I could come up with on short notice.