Legislation Introduction Thread

[Jake]

If I have my way, there wouldn't. I imagine when it's all said and done, we'll maintain a vanguard force (Striker Brigade and air assets).

[Jake]

If we leave a Striker Brigade, then that will act as a readily deployable force, along with any air assets left. Any remaining bases we choose to keep, as well as any stores of equiptment left, will be maintained by their current base support units.

[Jake]

Make sure you say that it is in FY 2006.

[Jake]

I believe that the death penalty has already been abolished at the federal level.

Indeed. I remember Hugh did it back in summer '04.

[Jake]

Palestinian Authority Aid Elimination Act

1. No money or supplies paid for by the government of Atlasia shall reach the Palestinian Authority.
2. This does not affect private aid organizations, so long as their aid does not provide assistance to terrorist organizations.

I fully support this act.

[Jake]

The Palestinian Authority Aid Elimination Bill needs new sponsors.

I'll sponsor it.

[Jake]

Amendment to Introduce a Parliamentary System to Atlasia

I. The following sections of the Constitution are hereby amended to read:

Article I, Section 1:

1. The Senate shall be composed of twelve Senators, each elected for a four month term from six Districts.

2. No person shall be a Senator if they have not attained a hundred or more posts, and is not a registered member of the District that they represent.

3. The Prime Minister of Atlasia shall be the Presiding Officer of the Senate.

4. The Senate shall choose their other officers, and a Speaker of the Senate, who shall act as Presiding Officer in the absence of the Prime Minister. The Senate may provide for the election of these officers. All elections shall be by public post.

5. The Senate shall sit for two month terms, beginning with the inauguration of the newly elected Senators at noon on the first Friday in the month following their election. Each term shall end with the beginning of a new term. All officers of the Senate shall remain in office until a replacement is elected.

Article I, Section 3:

1. The Senate may establish rules for its own proceedings, and with the concurrence of two-thirds of its number, expel a Senator.

2. The Senate shall have fulfilled a quorum if a majority of its members are capable of discharging their offices and sworn into office. A quorum of Senators shall have voted on any Resolution, Bill, Impeachment or Constitutional Amendment for it to be considered valid.

3. For any Bill or Resolution to pass the Senate, it shall have gained a majority in a valid vote.

Article I, Section 4:

1. The Senate shall be divided into two classes, Class A, which shall comprise all Senators elected for terms beginning in February, June, and October, and Class B, which shall comprise all Senators elected for terms beginning in April, August, and December.

2. Elections for the seats in Class A shall be held in the months of February, June and October; Elections for the seats in Class B shall be held in the months of April, August and December. 

3. Elections shall be held from noon Eastern Standard Time on the second to last Thursday of a given month and shall conclude exactly 72 hours later, except in the month of December, in which case elections shall be held from midnight Eastern Standard Time on the second Thursday of the month and conclude exactly 72 hours later.

4. If a vacancy shall occur in a Senate seat, then a special election shall be called to fill the remainder of the vacated term within one week of the vacancy occurring; such special election shall be held from noon Eastern Standard Time on the first Thursday and shall conclude exactly 72 hours later. However, if a vacancy shall occur when there is a person due to assume that office within two weeks, then no special election shall be necessary.

5. The Senate shall have necessary power to determine regulations for the procedure of and the form of Senate elections and shall have necessary power to determine a procedure for declaration of candidacy for such elections. All elections to the Senate shall be by public post.

6. Those elected in ordinary elections to the Senate shall take office at noon Eastern Standard Time on the first Friday in the month after their election. Those elected in special elections to the Senate shall take office as soon as the result of their election has been formally declared.

Article I, Section 8:

1. The Senate shall be responsible for drafting and approving a Budget at the opening of each Senate session beginning in  May and November. The Preliminary Budget for the upcoming fiscal year shall be drafted in October, and the Final Budget shall be prepared in November.

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.

6. After the Final Version of the Budget is approved by the Senate, the Senate shall appropriate money raised by the Budget as it deems appropriate.

Article II, Section 1:

1. The executive authority shall be vested in the Prime Minister. He shall be elected by the Senate

2. No person shall be elected Prime Minister who is not a member of the Senate.

3. The Prime Minister shall be the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Atlasia.

4. The Prime Minister shall appoint the Principal Officers of the executive departments, who shall constitute the Cabinet, with the advice and consent of the Senate, who shall all be registered voters. The Prime Minister shall have the power to dismiss any member of the Cabinet.

5. When vacancies arise on the Supreme Court, the Prime Minister shall nominate a replacement, with the advice and consent of the Senate.

6. Following his election, the Prime Minister shall prepare a plan of government, which shall be delivered to the Senate, recommending such measures as he sees necessary and expedient.

Article II, Section 2:

1. The Prime Minister shall be elected by a majority vote of the full Senate at the beginning of each Senate term. He shall take office immediately following the certification of his election.

2. Should a vacancy occur in the office of the Prime Minister, the full Senate shall immediately elect a new Prime Minister. Until such time, the Speaker of the Senate shall act as Acting Prime Minister.

3. The Senate shall have necessary power to determine regulations for the procedure and form of the Prime Minister elections. All elections for Prime Minister shall be by public post.

Article II, Section 3:

1. Whenever the Prime Minister transmits to the Speaker of the Senate his written declaration that he is unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office, and until he transmits to them a written declaration to the contrary, such powers and duties shall be discharged by the Speaker of the Senate as Acting Prime Minister.

2. Whenever a majority of Senators transmit to the Speaker of the Senate their written declaration that the Prime Minister is unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office, the Speaker of the Senate shall immediately assume the powers and duties of the office as Acting Prime Minister. Thereafter the Prime Minister shall resume the powers and duties of his office upon his declaration that he is capable of discharging the said powers and duties, or when the Senate annuls their previous declaration.

Article II, Section 4:

1. Whenever a majority of Senators transmit to the Speaker of the Senate their written declaration that they support removal of the Prime Minister, the Speaker of the Senate shall immediately begin a vote for removal of the Prime Minister. The Senate shall have the power to establish procedures for this vote. All votes shall be made by public post. A majority of the full Senate must vote to remove the Prime Minister for his removal to become official

Article II, Section 5:

1. The Cabinet shall be comprised of the executive officers of the Department of Forum Affairs, the Department of Foreign and Military Affairs, and the Department of Domestic Affairs. The principal officers of these departments shall be Secretaries.

Article IV, Section 4:

1. The Districts used for the purposes of electing Senators need not be contiguous. However, there can be no more than one State dividing the States in a District.

2. The Governors of the five Regions shall apportion the various States to the Districts by a two-thirds majority every four months according to the census of those registered voters who voted in the last scheduled federal election which shall be carried out as the Senate may specify with appropriate legislation.

3. The difference between the number of those registered voters who voted in the last scheduled federal election in any two Districts shall be no more than three more than the minimum possible difference.

4. Districts shall be numbered from one to six in any way that the Governors shall see fit.

5. For the purposes of this Section, the District of Columbia shall be treated as a State.

6. Should a State lack land borders with other States, then the Senate may establish reasonable contiguity borders for the purposes of this Section by appropriate legislation.

[Jake]

Article VII, Section 2:

Upon application of the citizens of a majority of the Regions, the Senate shall call a Constitutional Convention to amend or replace this Constitution. The Convention shall be constituted under regulations determined by the Senate. Such amendments or the replacement proposed by the Convention shall become operative when ratified by two-thirds of the Convention and the citizens of three-quarters of the Regions, in a public poll administered by the Governor or other officer as Regional Law may provide. All public polls mandated under this section shall be via public post and shall last for exactly one week.

Article VIII, Section 2:

1. The Department of Forum Affairs shall be responsible for administering all elections to the Senate.

2.The candidacy declaration deadline for election to the Senate shall be seven days, except for special elections to the Senate, in which case the candidacy declaration deadline shall be two days.

3. The procedure for absentee voting will be to make such declaration publicly to the Department of Forum Affairs, and then for the absentee voter to email their vote to the Chief Justice, Secretary of Forum Affairs and Secretary for Domestic Affairs.

4. The Senate shall have appropriate power via legislation to repeal or amend anything in this Section.