SR 8901: Activity Standards Amendment

[Dr. MB]

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People's House of Representatives
Passed in the House of Representatives 9-0-0-0



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[Dr. MB]

A sponsor is needed for this bill.

[Zaybay]

I shall sponsor it

[Dr. MB]

Senator Zaybay has requested sponsorship. 24 hours to object.

[Unconditional Surrender Truman]

I guess it's minor, but I'd advise against including an undefined initialism in the text of the constitution (it should read "Leave of Absence," nor "LOA").

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

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People's House of Representatives
Passed in the House of Representatives 9-0-0-0



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[Dr. MB]

As there have been no objections Zaybay has assumed sponsorship.

[Dr. MB]

Also seeing as there have been no objections Senator Yankee's amendment has been adopted.

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

I am considering one more amendment here.

[Lachi]

What would that amendment be?

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

What would that amendment be?

Well based off the situation with Lechasseur part of me thinks we should maybe have a staged process and I realize that means this hard coded deadline would be extended, but that way you still have a discretionary situation before that, where you can have a debate and a discussion on whether or not Lech handled his absence properly or whether it was beyond his control etc.

Right now the standard for expulsion is one week, so maybe extend this amendment out to 20 days?

Also this gives the Senate the opportunity to be responsible and to do its job under the traditional process and only depends on the amendment if it fails to do that for whatever reason.

[Sestak]

In line with the above suggestion

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[Unconditional Surrender Truman]

I think Yankee is right on this, for what it's worth.

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

I am assuming that has been officially offered correct?  I PMed the sponsor for feedback so that we can get moving here.

[Zaybay]

Alright, here are my opinions on the amendment.

While I do see where you are coming from Senator Yankee, that there is a difference between being absent due to measures beyond their control and being absent because they "didnt feel like it", I do fear a longer deadline may paralyze work in the senate, and, in the case of a divided senate, may give one party unfair power due to a member being absent for 19 days.

I would say that an amendment that can be added is to have the absent member be "put on trial", so to speak, and to answer why they have been gone. If the members of the Senate feel as though this was irresponsible behavior and the excuse isnt satisfactory, they can vote to expel, but if they feel the logic is sound, they can vote to allow the member to rejoin. The amount of days, however, should be kept at 10, or expanded to 15, as I feel 20 days is a bit too much and may perpetuate the inactivity problem Atlasia has been facing.

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

The expulsion process already functions like a trial in this sense and that gives the discretion to the chamber, if they are absent at SEVEN days to boot them.

Also, if someone reaches 19 or 21 days or whatever (and has no LOA) without a motion to expel being introduced, then frankly the other five members should be expelled as well for gross incompetence and neglect of their duty under the constitution.

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

One of the reasons I opted for 20 though, is because of the fact that it takes about six days to complete an expulsion proceeding itself.

If the standard were set at 10 or 15, it would render useless the process of expulsion and thus any discretionary ability in that regards.


Establishing a work around or a fall back procedure shouldn't take over and usurp the primary remedy process. Otherwise you might as well just repeal expulsion at the same time and have automatic removal from office at x days, regardless of extenuating circumstances and without any discretion.

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

Anyway, I motion for a vote on the amendment as presently written.

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

Also I will note this, there is need of another amendment here because the resolution as structured is in violation in Senate rules and Federal law, and it was the passed out of the house in violation of House rules as well. So regardless of whether we amend it content wise, this has to go back to the House anyway.

It does not contain the Amendment Explanation Section: https://uselectionatlas.org/FORUM/index.php?topic=290384.msg6175730#msg6175730

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

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Sponsor Feedback: Hostile
Status: An amendment vote is required (administered by MB)

[Dr. MB]

A vote will open on Yankee's amendment. The vote will last for 72 hours or until all senators have voted.

[Pericles]

Aye.

[Lechasseur]

Aye

[Zaybay]

Abstain

[Lachi]

Aye