End to Districts Amendment, mk II [Passed]

[Verily]

By powers vested in me by some clause of some section of the OSPR, I'm moving this legislation up the docket to the Emergency slot by request of the President.


End to Districts Amendment

That the following changes shall be made to the Atlasian Constitution:

1. Article I, Section 1, Clause 1 of the Atlasian Constitution shall be amended to read as follows:
The Senate shall be composed of ten Senators, each with a term of four months.

2. Article I, Section 1, Clause 2 of the Atlasian Constitution shall be amended to read as follows:
No Person shall be a Senator who has not attained a hundred or more posts and, in the case of Regional Senators, is not a registered voter in the Region that they represent.

3. Article I, Section 4, Clause 1 of the Atlasian Constitution shall be amended to read as follows:
The Senate shall be divided into two classes: Class A, which shall comprise the Senators elected from the Regions, and Class B, which shall comprise Senators elected by a form of proportional representation.

4. Article IV, Section 4 of the Atlasian Constitution shall be repealed.


(Sponsor: Ebowed)

[Verily]

As previously, this Amendment has my full and complete support.

[Јas]

As the author of the Amendment and it's accompanying Act, I, of course, strongly support the proposal. I am willing to take any questions there may still be on it.

Personally, I have been hesitant about the timing of bringing this forward as I'm unsure about whether or not the numbers are there to see it through and whether any attitudes have changed, but I remain hopeful and am sure that a lively debate will ensue again.

[minionofmidas]

The DoFA's attitude towards this amendment is the same as the EU's attitude towards its treaties. Just keep voting on it until a majority is attained.

[Jake]

I'd ask anyone with substantive complaints against this legislation (outside of a Governor losing redistricting powers) to make them known.

[Colin]

Thank you Verily for moving this forward.

I think my opinion on this amendment has been spoken for many times. To Jas I have to say, if not now when? To all others I would like to echo Jake in stating that anyone who has a critique of this bill or a complaint should come forward, as long as it is a seperate issue to already known Governors losing their redistricting powers aspect. I hope for a lively debate and will do everything in my power to help the dream of proportional representation become a reality.

[Хahar 🤔]

Thank you Verily for moving this forward.

[Verily]

Jas posted this in the Protest and Analysis thread (it was originally from the PR Bill thread, with which this conjuncts.)

In short, the PR Bill, passed in the Twenty-first Senate, would institute STV voting in a single, nationwide district to replace the districts. Five Senators would be elected using STV. The PR Bill is not in effect already because Districts are in the Constitution and because it contains a specific clause that requires the President to declare it in effect (and until this Amendment passes, the President can't do that).

Those unfamiliar with STV may find benefit from the following links:

Wikipedia

• Single Transferable Vote
• History and Use of STV
• Counting STV

[Speed of Sound]

I voted for this amendment in the common voting booth, as well as fight for in the forum colloquial, and I plan to stick up for it here in the senate just as strongly.

[Colin]

(and until this Amendment passes, the President can't do that).

Theoretically I could, which would basically force everybodies hand and completely mess up elections if this is not passed.

[Verily]

(and until this Amendment passes, the President can't do that).

Theoretically I could, which would basically force everybodies hand and completely mess up elections if this is not passed.

No, it would just get the PR bill declared unconstitutional.

[Small Business Owner of Any Repute]

I, of course, support the amendment as well.  I hope the Senate can act quickly to pass this (again) and hopefully avoid the narrow 1 vote loss in ratification the last incarnation suffered.

[Sensei]

I voted for this amendment in the common voting booth, as well as fight for in the forum colloquial, and I plan to stick up for it here in the senate just as strongly.

I will definitely vote for passage. And then when the time comes for my vote as a citizen, I will vote in the affirmative, also. Let's hope we can get one of those two regions on the right side.

[Colin]

One minor problem, is Clause Two supposed to read "and, in the case of Regional Senators, is not a registered voter in the Region that they represent." I don't think there is supposed to be a negation on that since having regional seantors who are not registered voters in the region they represent would be pretty weird.

[Verily]

One minor problem, is Clause Two supposed to read "and, in the case of Regional Senators, is not a registered voter in the Region that they represent." I don't think there is supposed to be a negation on that since having regional seantors who are not registered voters in the region they represent would be pretty weird.

It's a double negative. "No Person ... who ... is not ..." In other words, no one who doesn't reside in the Region can be a Regional Senator. I guess it has to be that way for parallel structure to function, though it is rather complicated. That's what the current Constitution looks like as well.

[Colin]

One minor problem, is Clause Two supposed to read "and, in the case of Regional Senators, is not a registered voter in the Region that they represent." I don't think there is supposed to be a negation on that since having regional seantors who are not registered voters in the region they represent would be pretty weird.

It's a double negative. "No Person ... who ... is not ..." In other words, no one who doesn't resign in the Region can be a Regional Senator. I guess it has to be that way for parallel structure to function, though it is rather complicated. That's what the current Constitution looks like as well.

Alright thanks for clearing that up. I'm was rather sure that Jas wouldn't make a mistake, and that no one would catch it, but I just wanted to bring it up just in case I was actually right, which is never very likely. Now I see the no at the beginning.

[Verily]

Given that no one has piped up to speak against this Amendment's second passage, I will now call for a final vote.

[Verily]

We are now voting on the final passage of the following legislation:

End to Districts Amendment

That the following changes shall be made to the Atlasian Constitution:

1. Article I, Section 1, Clause 1 of the Atlasian Constitution shall be amended to read as follows:
The Senate shall be composed of ten Senators, each with a term of four months.

2. Article I, Section 1, Clause 2 of the Atlasian Constitution shall be amended to read as follows:
No Person shall be a Senator who has not attained a hundred or more posts and, in the case of Regional Senators, is not a registered voter in the Region that they represent.

3. Article I, Section 4, Clause 1 of the Atlasian Constitution shall be amended to read as follows:
The Senate shall be divided into two classes: Class A, which shall comprise the Senators elected from the Regions, and Class B, which shall comprise Senators elected by a form of proportional representation.

Please vote Aye, Nay or Abstain.

[Verily]

Aye

[Small Business Owner of Any Repute]

Aye.

[Ebowed]

Aye

[Speed of Sound]

Aye

[Friz]

Aye

[Хahar 🤔]

Hooray! Enough votes to pass!

[Hatman 🍁]

aye