Southern Legislation Introduction Thread (3rd version)

[President Punxsutawney Phil]

The problem here is not with the delegates but with the Speaker. The only thing that separates this session from every other is that there was such a long wait between when debate ceased and when voting began. You can go back and look and you'll see, having a few days of lively debate followed by minimal discussion is completely normal. What is not normal is the Speaker waiting weeks to call for final votes.

if things were 'normal' then people would have told me that there was a need to have final votes on most of those bills, directly in thread. Turns out people like you were too inactive to do such a thing.

[President Punxsutawney Phil]

I'd also like to state that we didn't have this problem a year ago in August and September. The Chamber functioned perfectly fine and would regularly vote on bills without prolonged periods of waiting.

well not every crop of delegates shows the same level of ability to be active, as a group; their life circumstances can differ wildly. Activity levels and the identity of the Speaker aren't really always linked. Your comparison makes for nice trivia fact, though.

[diptheriadan]

It is not the sole responsibility of the delegates to motion for a final vote. The Speaker can, after 72 hours of debate (I believe. I may be wrong), call for a final vote. I could understand you if the waits were only for a few days, but they weren't. They were regularly more than a week and sometimes more than two.

[President Punxsutawney Phil]

It is not the sole responsibility of the delegates to motion for a final vote. The Speaker can, after 72 hours of debate (I believe. I may be wrong), call for a final vote. I could understand you if the waits were only for a few days, but they weren't. They were regularly more than a week and sometimes more than two.

It is your job as Speaker to keep the Chamber moving. If the delegates stop debating and you do nothing, you are at fault because you are responsible for the Chamber. Accept it and resign instead of taking advantage of faulty rules to keep yourself in power.

I think you need to get out of the world of black and white and get into the real world, which portrays pretty clearly the reality that you need (or preferably have) both active delegates predisposed to being well active or being as active as they reasonably can be given how their lives are going, and an active Speaker. And the Speaker doesn't control every minutiae of the Delegates' minds and actions. I PMed Santander repeatedly and he never voted, to give one example.

[diptheriadan]

Oh my God, The delegates have been active! We've debated every single bill brought before us to a satisfactory level! Just because we did not motion for a final vote does not excuse the fact that you often waited for weeks on end to call for votes! You could have, at any time, called for a vote, but you didn't!

 

[Mr. Reactionary]

Protecting the Rights of  Citizens During Disasters Act

An act relating to carrying a concealed weapon or concealed firearm providing an exemption from criminal penalties for carrying a concealed weapon or a concealed firearm when evacuating pursuant to a mandatory evacuation order during a declared state of emergency

Be It Enacted:

1.) A person who carries a concealed weapon, or a person who may lawfully possess a firearm and who carries a concealed firearm, on or about his or her person while in the act of evacuating during a mandatory evacuation order issued during a  state of emergency declared by the Governor, pursuant to his or her power, or declared by a local authority pursuant to regional law,  shall not be guilty of violating any State or local ordinances pertaining to the unlicensed concealed carrying of a weapon or firearm.

2.) As used in this subsection, the term “in the act of evacuating” means the immediate and urgent movement of a person away from the evacuation zone within 48 hours after a mandatory evacuation is ordered. The 48 hours may be extended by an order issued by the Governor.

3.) This act does not preclude any prosecution for the use of a weapon or firearm during the commission of any criminal offense, other than the unlicensed concealed carry or the transportation of a weapon or firearm through an area that traditionally restricts the presence of such weapons or firearms.

4.) This act shall take effect immediately and retroactively apply to any evacuations in the year 2017.

[Mr. Reactionary]

Banning Dystopian Police Robot Bombs Act

Given that the actions of the Dallas Police Department in executing criminal suspect Micah Xavier Johnson with a remotely dentonated bomb delivered by a robot are alarming and worthy of condemnation, be it resolved that:

1.) It shall be unlawful for any Regional, State, or local law enforcement officer or employee to operate or otherwise order the use of a robot for the purpose of delivering an explosive device intended to be detonated near any person, except against enemy combatants during a foreign invasion.

2.) For the purposes of this act, an explosive device shall not include flash bangs or gas emitting devices intended solely to disorient a criminal suspect to enable live capture.

3.) Any person who violates this act, shall be guilty of 2nd degree murder if the suspect dies, and aggravated assault if the suspect is injured but does not die.

4.) This act does not prohibit the use of robots to disarm bombs, including the safe dentonation of bombs which cannot be safely disabled without dentonation.

5.) Any Officer or employee who violates this act shall not have qualified immunity for civil litigation arising from the violation.

6.) This act shall take effect immediately.

[Mr. Reactionary]

Amendments to the Chamber Rules Act

An act to prevent stagnation of the legislative process

Be it enacted:

1.) The following rule shall be added to Section 1 of the Southern Chamber rules:

"6.) Upon a motion of any Delegate, a vote of no confidence in the Speaker of the Chamber shall be entertained. Debate shall last no more than 72 hours, unless a majority of Delegates vote to extend the time. No Speaker shall be removed at-will, except upon the vote of 2/3rds of the Delegates. No Speaker shall be removed for-cause, except upon the vote of a majority of the Delegates. Upon a successful vote, the Deputy Speaker or if there is no Deputy Speaker, the Dean of the Chamber, shall become acting Speaker. A new election for Speaker shall commence within 24 hours using the same process for electing a Speaker at the beginning of the Session. A Successful no-confidence vote shall not result in the expulsion of a Speaker who is also an elected Delegate, merely the forfeiture of the office of Speaker."

2.) The following amendments shall be made to Section 4 of the Southern Chamber rules:

"Section IV: Introducing and Managing Legislation
1.) If the Speaker determines that a piece of legislation is functionally impractical, frivolous, or is directly unconstitutional, they may, in a public post on the Legislation Introduction thread, remove said legislation from the Chamber queue. The sponsoring Delegates of the legislation shall have seventy-two (72) hours to challenge this action in a public post, and with the concurrence of a majority (3/5) of office-holding Delegates in the affirmative (excluding the Speaker), may override the actions of the Speaker.
2.) 6 8 threads about legislation may be open for voting and debate simultaneously.
a) The first 4 6 open threads shall be open to all legislations initially regarding bills, resolutions or constitutional amendments. If the sponsor already has two 3 or more pieces legislation on the Chamber floor, legislation from Delegates who do not shall take priority until all such other legislation is completed. The Speaker shall be the presidenting officer for these open threads.
b) The fifth seventh open thread shall be reserved for bills submitted by civilians in the Public Consultation and Legislation Submission thread. The Speaker shall be the presidenting officer for this open thread.
c) The sixth eighth open thread shall be reserved for legislation related to regional emergencies declared by the Governor of the South. The Speaker shall introduce legislation to this thread as directed by the Governor, but only when the Governor has declared a state of regional emergency.
3.) A piece of legislation is no longer on the Chamber Floor when it has been withdrawn, tabled, rejected, or passed by the members of the Chamber of Delegates.
4.) If at any time the original sponsor vacates their office as Delegate, all legislation introduced in the Legislation Introduction Thread shall, within a week of the next session, be declared withdrawn by the Speaker by public post, if no Delegate sponsors the legislation. If a piece of legislation has been introduced on the Chamber floor, any office-holding Delegate may assume sponsorship.
5.) 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 Delegates may assume sponsorship of the legislation within 72 hours after the original sponsor has motioned to withdraw. Once a motion to assume sponsorship has been filed by a Delegates, Delegates shall have 24 hours to object to this motion. If any Delegate objects, the Speaker shall open a vote on the motion lasting until a majority has voted for or against the motion, but not more than 72 hours. If the motion is rejected, the bill shall be removed from the floor."

3.) The following amendments shall be made to Section 5, Paragraph 6 of the Southern Chamber rules:

"6.) When debate on legislation has halted for longer than 24 hours and the legislation has been on the floor for more than 72 hours, any Delegates may call for a vote on said legislation. The presiding officer shall open a vote if no other member of the Chamber of Delegates objects within 24 hours of the call for a vote. When debate on legislation has halted for longer than 24 hours and the legislation has been on the floor for more than 72 hours but no more than 336 120 hours, any Delegates may motion for cloture. Upon the concurrence of two-thirds of the Chamber of Delegates, the Chamber of Delegates shall end debate. If the legislation has been on the floor for more than 336 120 hours, a simple majority is needed in order to end the debates. The presiding officer shall then open a final vote."

4.) The following rule shall be added to Section 8 of the Southern Chamber rules:

"4.)Any Delegate may enforce the rules of this chamber."



*Rules located here: https://uselectionatlas.org/FORUM/index.php?topic=261766.0*

[Mr. Reactionary]

Freedom of Farmers to Farm Freely Act

An act relating to the removal of unfair regulations and burdens which harm small farms.

Be it enacted:

1.) This law shall be referred to as the Freedom of Farmers to Farm Freely Act or FFFFA.

2.) For the purposes of this act, a farmer is any person or persons engaged in the growing of plants for private use or resale (excluding trees harvested for timber but including edible mushrooms) or engaged in the raising, breeding, or collection of animals or animal products for private use or resale.

3.) No farmer shall be required to join any marketing board in order to participate in farming activities. Nor shall any farmer be required to make any mandatory payment to a marketing board for any purpose.

4.) No farmer shall be required to comply with any marketing orders issued by a marketing board, including but not limited to price setting, minimum and maximum product weight, product packaging, product advertising, or territorial restrictions on sale. This subsection does not preclude the government from enforcing laws prohibiting fraudulent advertisement or laws prescribing minimum safety and cleanliness standards for the sale of plant or animal products.

5.) No farmer shall be required to withhold from commerce any portion of their plant or animal products nor be required to deposit any amount of their plant or animal product in a collective reserve pool.

6.) No farmer shall be required to implant in their animals any form of tracking chip or associated technology in order to engage in commerce. 

7.) No farmer shall be required to grow plants from a patented seed, unless the farmer voluntarily enters into a multi-year contract with the patent holder. If it is discovered that patented seeds are growing on a farm not under a licensing agreement, the Circuit Court shall have jurisdiction to determine the origin. If it is determined by clear and convincing evidence that the unlicensed seeds were illegally purchased by a farmer, the farmer shall be liable to the patent holder for the cost of the seed, the cost of court filings, and the reasonable costs of the investigation. If however it is shown by preponderance of the evidence that the farmer did not purposefully acquire and then plant the patented seeds, the patent holder shall be liable to the farmer for all legal expenses as well as treble damages on the value of the crop yield.

8.) Farmers on farms employing 15 or fewer full-time employees who allow their child or children to assist in farm activities shall not be guilty of violating any Regional or local law against child labor, provided the child or children are not truants or operating heavy machinery for which they have not been properly trained.

9.) Farmers who own a milk-producing cow or goat may sell raw or unpasteurized milk, provided the milk is contained in packaging which clearly states that the product has not been pasteurized. Ownership includes subscribers to a cow or goat sharing agreement which involves subscribers pooling money to collectively own an animal or animals as well as a fixed percentage of any milk.

10.) During a declared state of emergency resulting from a disastrous infestation of crop destroying insects, no farmer shall be prosecuted under Regional law for the reasonable use of the pesticide DDT in reclaiming infested fields.

11.) A study shall be conducted on the cost of sponsoring a partnership with local farmer's markets to subsidize farmers up to 10 cents per $1 of farm products sold.

[Mr. Reactionary]

Revenue Enhancement study act

Be it enacted:

1.) A study shall be conducted on how much potential revenue can be generated were the Southern Region to bid on the obligation to dispose of trash, mining waste, and low level nuclear waste from the Regional, State, or local governments of Freemont and Lincoln. Such study shall also include the additional costs to the South of complying with national environmental laws.

2.) The definition of low level nuclear waste in this act is the same as in the Nuclear Waste Policy Act, and shall not include fuel rods or waste water used in the cooling or storing of nuclear fuel rods.

3.) A study shall be conducted on which States and localities within the Southern Region currently have limitations on uranium mining activities. Such study shall also include an analysis of how much revenue could be generated if these restrictions were repealed, as well as the added costs of complying with national environmental regulations. This study shall also determine the estimated quantity and location of unmined uranium reserves in the southern region.

4.) Additionally, the study shall determine how many potential local jobs would be created were the Coles Hill deposit in Pittsylvania County, Virginia to be purchased by the southern region and the mineral rights auctioned.

5.) A study shall be conducted on how much potential revenue can be generated were the Southern Region to allow 20% more billboards on Regional maintained land along Regional highways.

6.) A disbursement of $900 from the general treasury is hereby authorized and appropriated to the Southside Virginia Wildlife Center.

7.) A study shall be conducted on how much potential revenue would be generated were the Southern Region to create and administer a lottery.

[Mr. Reactionary]

Occupational Licensing Reform Act 

Be it enacted:

1.) The right to pursue a career or occupational is fundamental to the sovereignty of an individual.

2.) It is the policy if the Southern Region that Occupational licensing not be required to hold a job, unless the public health, safety, or welfare requires it.

3.) No person in the Southern Region who engages in any of the following occupations shall be required to hold a license in order to practice that occupation:

A) Barbers, Hair Sylists, or Hair Braiders

B) Cosmetologists, nail technicians, or eyebrow threaders

C) Teeth Whitening Services, provided no form of dentistry is practiced

D) Body piercing

E) Masseuse or Athletic Training

F) Florists or Interior Decorators 

G) Funeral Directors or Coffin Salespersons

H) Upholsterers

I) Painters 

J) Swimming Pool maintenance or repair

K) Auctioneers

L) Gardeners or Landscapers

M) Tour Guides

4.) This act shall take effect immediately.

[Mr. Reactionary]

I love Fig Newtons Act

Be it enacted:

1.) As diets rich in fiber are important towards maintaining good health and

2.) As fig newtons are soft, delicious and filled with healthy fruit

3.) The fig newton is hereby declared the official cookie of the Southern Region.

4.) Any citizen of Southern Region who is at least 19 years old and eligible to purchase a firearm, may purchase a handgun from a private seller who is also a citizen of Southern Region.

[Mr. Reactionary]

Of Course My Rights Apply When Voting Act

Be it enacted:

1.) It shall be unlawful for any election official, poll worker, or government employee to deny any person eligible to vote in any election in the Southern Region the freedom to take a voluntary photograph or recording of their ballot.

2.) It shall be unlawful for any election official, poll worker, or government employee to deny any person eligible to vote in any election in the Southern Region the freedom to carry a weapon or firearm into a polling place, provided that person is otherwise legally eligible to carry a weapon or firearm, and the weapon or firearm is not brandished in a menacing or threatening manner.

3.) Any person who brandishes a weapon or firearm within 200 feet of a polling place with the intent to scare, influence, intimidate, or disrupt any voter, shall be guilty of a class 6 felony,  and shall be imprisoned for not more than 6 months and fined not more than $2,500.

[Mr. Reactionary]

More Doctors and Hospitals Act

Be it enacted:

1.) No State in the Southern Region may require any hospital or other healthcare provider to acquire a certificate of need in order to operate.

2.) No State in the Southern Region may prohibit the corporate practice of healthcare.

3.) No State in the Southern Region may prohibit fee-sharing agreements between healthcare providers or between healthcare providers and insurers.

4.) It shall be unlawful for any licensed healthcare provider to refer patients to themself or to a party in which the provider maintains a fee sharing agreement. Violation of this rule shall result in fines or loss of license to practice.

5.) Any licensed healthcare provider in the Southern Region shall be required to annually report the minimum, maximum, and average costs of all procedures for which they bill to the Regional Insurance Commissioner. The Commissioner shall publish these rates on an online price database.

6.) Any licensed healthcare provider in the Southern Region shall be required to contact or attempt to contact any patient seeking treatment for chest pain, hypertension, asthma complications, anaphylactic shock, or diabetes complications within 2 weeks of treatment. Failure to do so shall result in fines.

7.) No State in the Southern Region may limit the scope of practice of Nurse practioners or optometrists in areas for which they are adequately trained.

8.) State Attorneys General Offices shall be empowered to investigate healthcare provider billing practices within their borders. They shall be entitled to keep a portion of any improprieties found. Fraudulent providers shall be fined or have their license to practice suspended.

9.) Non-profit healthcare facilities which provide at least 15% of all on-site services annually to indigent care, shall be free from property taxes.

10.) Any Doctor, nurse, or healthcare worker providing essential ancillary services, who is licensed to perform healthcare services in the Southern Region shall be prohibited from striking.

11.) A study shall be conducted on how much it would cost to operate Telemedicine portals in select public schools after hours which allow doctors to treat patients. The study shall include potential revenue from licensed insurers who wish to have network doctors treat subscribers.

12.) A study shall be conducted on how much it would cost for each State in the Southern Region to construct and operate a government hospital which prioritizes financially stressed citizens. The study shall assume that cost growth for treatment only increases at the rate of inflation. The study shall also include the costs and benefits of the Regional Government negotiating bulk drug purchases for distribution to admitted patients at State hospitals.

13.) A study shall be conducted on how much it would cost the Southern Region to increase funding to State Medical Schools by 15%. The study shall also include the cost of offering an annual scholarship program for general practice medical students, which covers the tuition of 50 students. The study shall also include the costs of waiving state medical school debt for any medical school graduates who elect to work in a State Hospital or impoverished area for 5 years.

14.) A State or private healthcare provider may impose a surcharge of up to 5% on non-southerners who consume healthcare services in the Southern Region.

[Mr. Reactionary]

The Keyword in Disabled People is People Act

Be it enacted:

1.) It shall be the official policy of the Southern Region, whenever possible, to offer 10% of Regional contracts for the purchase of goods or services, to firms that are either owned by a person who qualifies as physically disabled under National law, or to firms which maintain a policy of reserving up to 10% of qualifying jobs for capable workers who qualify as physically disabled under National law.

2.) A qualifying job under the Act, is defined as any job for which a physically disabled person can adequately perform the necessary tasks.

3.) Any person receiving payments from a government program who elects to have a fiduciary receive those payments under the regulations of that government program, shall not be considered mentally incompetent for the purpose of purchasing or owning firearms, unless that person has been adjudicated as mentally incompetent by a Judge in an independent judicial proceeding where the person if afforded full due process of law. Nothing in this subsection grants any Court additional jurisdiction to hear requests for a declaration of mental incompetency.

4.) It shall not be considered unlawful discrimination for any private club, gymnasium, hotel, or motel swimming pool to lack a mechanized lift designed for the purpose of lowering the physically disabled into the swimming pool.

5.) $2,000 from the general treasury is hereby authorized and appropriated to the City of Gaffney, South Carolina to assist in the rennovation of their water tower commonly known as the Peachoid.

6.) This act shall take effect 1 year from the date of passage.

[Leinad]

Me and Mr. Reactionary want to introduce this:

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Since this is non-controversial I request the 48-hour rule be waived.

[Coraxion]

Stop Harming Minorities Act

an act to repeal criminal laws which disproportionately and unfairly target racial minorities

Be it enacted:

1.) It shall not be unlawful for a citizen of the Southern Region who is eligible to own a firearm to own, possess, or carry a switchblade knife.

2.) It shall not be unlawful for a citizen of the Southern Region who can lawfully own a switchblade knife to sell a switchblade knife to another citizen of the Southern Region who is eligible to own a switchblade knife.

3.) Any person lawfully selling a switchblade knife in the Southern Region may access the NICS database to request a background check to determine if a potential customer is eligible to own the switchblade knife.

4.) Any person who attends an organized fight between two or more animals shall not be  prosecuted for animal cruelty, felony animal fighting, or conspiracy to commit the aforementioned crimes, unless that person was active in organizing or conducting the animal fight, or provided animals to be used in the fight.

5.) The sentencing guidelines for possession of rock cocaine, commonly known as crack, shall be equalized at the same weight as prescribed in the sentencing guidelines for powder cocaine.

6.) Any Regional or State ban on possessing Diisopropyltryptamine, Jimson Weed, Khat, or Salvia is hereby repealed.

7.) Any State or local ban on motorists operating their vehicles on the road while having no intended destination, commonly known as cruising, is hereby repealed.

8.) It shall be the official position of the Southern Region that Atlasia President Fhtagn offer a posthumous pardon to Jack Johnson for his unfair 1913 conviction under the awful White-Slave Traffic Act.

9.) It shall be the official position of the Southern Region that the National government of Atlasia repeal the censorship guidelines for content broadcast over National radio frequencies. This censorship restricts free speech and butchers the artistic vision of hip hop and other music genres.

10.) It shall be the official position of the Southern Region that Black lives matter.

11.) This act shall take effect immediately.

Always classy.

[TheSaint250]

Effective Highway Evacuation Act

Be it enacted:

1.) All Southern highway routes shall open the shoulders of the roads to those fleeing disasters in the event of mass evacuations.

2.) This act shall take effect immediately.

[Leinad]

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[/quote]

[President Punxsutawney Phil]

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[/quote]
Any particular reason why you think the Chamber should be shrunk?

[diptheriadan]

I'd be in favor of having some sort of exception somewhat along the lines of "If the Governor and x percent of the legislature agree, the Chamber size can decrease back to five seats" or something like that. With the two other seats being vacant, of course.

[Vern]

Can we bump this up ahead of all of the other 70000 bills?


Amendments  to the Constitution

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[Mr. Reactionary]

Can we bump this up ahead of all of the other 70000 bills?


Amendments  to the Constitution

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Dont worry, without any cosponsors or the presiding officer of the chamber's discretion (hint hint) the rules cap an individual delegate at 2 of their own bills on the floor at a time, so the only bills in front of you are Saint's bill re: evacuations and Governor Leinad's bill re: chamber size. And again, its perfectly within the rules for the presiding officer to put all 3 on the floor today (hint hint) as long as no one objects (which i won't).

Alternatively, there is a never used but always free spot for bills introduced by civilians in the legislative referral thread, so if a non-elected atlasian happened to introduce an identically worded bill in that thread (hint hint) the bill would get priority floor time as well.

https://uselectionatlas.org/FORUM/index.php?topic=208051.0

[President Punxsutawney Phil]

https://uselectionatlas.org/FORUM/index.php?topic=273960.0
Why is the thread locked?

[President Punxsutawney Phil]

https://uselectionatlas.org/FORUM/index.php?topic=273960.0
Why is the thread locked?

Monsanto must have more pull than I thought.


Edit: PMd Gustaf. Will update on what he says.

Thanks. I was going to do that myself but no problem with you doing it.