SB 2018-156: Constitutional Amendment Explanation Requirement Act (Passed)

[PPT Spiral]

You must be logged in to read this quote.

Sponsor: cinyc

[cinyc]

Thank you.

This bill would do what its title says - require that sponsors of constitutional amendments explain what is meant to be changed. That explanation, which would be subject of a vote, would be forwarded to the public by the SoFE when put to a vote.

Being a newbie to Congress, I'm not sure about the mechanisms used here - so I'm very open to comments on how to effectuate this.

[Anna Komnene]

This seems like a good idea and might help increase activity on amendment votes where sometimes people abstain because they're not sure what's being changed.

I wonder if it could just be worked into the text of the actual amendment rather than voted on separately? For example, just require that amendments have a section explaining the purpose but just have it all voted on as one piece of legislation?

[cinyc]

This seems like a good idea and might help increase activity on amendment votes where sometimes people abstain because they're not sure what's being changed.

I wonder if it could just be worked into the text of the actual amendment rather than voted on separately? For example, just require that amendments have a section explaining the purpose but just have it all voted on as one piece of legislation?

It could be, but I'm not sure whether we'd need to amend the Atlasian constitution to require that. I'm trying to avoid having to amend the constitution.

[Pericles]

Seems like a good idea and looking at it it will help increase activity. I'm supporting this. Please note that if I'm elected President I will happily sign this into law.

[cinyc]

Does anyone have any additional thoughts on this, or should we proceed to a vote?

[At-Large Senator LouisvilleThunder]

This bill seems like a common sense measure. Let's get ready to vote on it.

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

Technically, we have already been doing this since March of last year for all bills and Resolutions, but often times the sponsor doesn't include that and the Speaker/PPT has to fill it in for them. It seems the Senate has also slipped away from strict adherence to this format, which was originally created by Scott back in 2012.

Example:

You must be logged in to read this quote.

Atlasian People's House of Representatives
Pending

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

I would be fine with integrating it in as a requirement, but my one concern is that like the paygo rule in the house, is it easy to blame the rule whenever a bill gets blocked because it doesn't meet some standard. Changing behavior is much more difficult.

[At-Large Senator LouisvilleThunder]

You must be logged in to read this quote.

Atlasian Senate
Cinyc
[/quote]

Here's a cleanly formatted version of this.

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

Close, cinyc wouldn't be listed in the quote box under "Senate". It would just say pending for now, and then would include a linked final vote total once said bill is passed.


Also the explanation is from the Debate Act, and doesn't match the bill hear. But generally yea, that is the format we have forced in the House since March. And generally all bills that come are way from the Senate that aren't formatted that way, have been fixed to reflect such. PiT also uses that format as have the previous two VPs.

[cinyc]

Senator LouisvilleThunder’s proposed clean-up is friendly.

[Anna Komnene]

I'm planning to vote for this if I'm still in the Senate. Seems like a pretty good idea.

[cinyc]

Seeing no objections or recent debate, I call for a vote on this bill.

[Anna Komnene]

Senator LouisvilleThunder's amendment is adopted.

With no objections to Senator cinyc's motion, we will now have a final vote. Senators please vote AYE, NAY, or ABSTAIN.

You must be logged in to read this quote.

[cinyc]

Aye

[At-Large Senator LouisvilleThunder]

Aye!

[#TheShadowyAbyss]

NAY

[Anna Komnene]

Aye

[Anna Komnene]

With 3 votes in favor, 1 vote against, and 2 not voting, this bill passes the Atlasian Senate.

You must be logged in to read this quote.

People's Regional Senate
Passed 3-1-2 in the Atlasian Senate assembled

[/quote]