Southern Legislation Introduction Thread - 2019/2020

[Dr. MB]

Civilian entry:

Second Regional Anthem Act

Section 1
1. The second regional anthem of the Southern Region shall be "Old Town Road", written by Lil Nas X.
2. This anthem shall hold equal status to the current anthem, "Dixie" by Daniel Decatur Emmett.

[Dr. MB]

For the civilian slot:

Codifying and Obtaining a New Flag that Exemplifies Defending our Exalted Reality and Achieving True Enlightenment Act

Section 1; Title
1. This bill may be cited as the Codifying and Obtaining a New Flag that Exemplifies Defending our Exalted Reality and Achieving True Enlightenment Act, or alternatively, the CONFEDERATE Act.

Section 2; Substance
1. The Regional Symbols Act of 2016 is amended by amending the Flag portion to read as follows:

2. The flag of the South (The Flag) shall consist of a red St. Andrew's cross on a white background, defaced in the center with The Great Seal. a dark blue cross on a rectangular red background, the cross bordered with a thin white line, with three evenly spaced white stars in each of the four quadrants of the cross, and one in the middle, as shown here.

3. The Flag acknowledges the heritage and identity of the South in a historically relevant, inclusive and respectful manner and shall serve as a symbol of unity and pride for all citizens of the South.

4. The Flag shall be flown at all regional government properties that are accessible to the public or where government business is regularly conducted.

5. Where multiple flags are flown beside each other, no flag in the South Region shall be flown at a higher level than The Flag, with the exception of the national Flag of Atlasia.

[Dr. MB]

For the civilian slot:

Civilian Legislation Act

Section IV, part 2 of S.19.1-1 - Rules Package - Title I, the Standing Rules of the Southern Chamber of Delegates, is amended to read as follows:

12 13 threads about legislation may be open for voting and debate simultaneously, and the Speaker shall have the power to preside over each:  a) The first 8 open threads shall be open to all legislation introduced by a delegate or the Governor. If the sponsor already has 4 or more pieces legislation on the Chamber floor, legislation from Delegates who do not shall take priority until all such other legislation is completed. b) The ninth and tenth threads shall be reserved for legislation introduced by the Governor.  c) The eleventh and twelfth open threads shall be reserved for bills submitted by civilians. The Speaker shall be the presiding officer for this open thread. d) The twelfth thirteenth 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.

[Dr. MB]

Introducing this bill to the civilian slot:

Necessitating an Accurate and Godly Religion by Implementing Appreciation of Men from Exotic Lands Act (NAGRIAMEL Act)

The John Frum Cargo Cult is hereby designated as the official religion of the Southern Region.

[Dr. MB]

Delegate Appointment Clarification Act

The Governor has the ultimate authority to fill vacant seats in the Southern Chamber of Delegates, and no special election shall be held for those seats.

[Dr. MB]

Submitting this to the citizens slot:

AN AMENDMENT
to acknowledge and codify the true borders of the Southern Region

Section 1 (Title)
The title of this Amendment shall be, the "I Am The One Who Knocks On Truman’s Door Amendment." It may be alternatively cited by its ordinal number in order of ratification.

Section 2 (Amendment)
i. Article I, section I of the Constitution of the Southern Region is amended to read as follows:

The South and the Constitution thereof shall be representative of the states of Alabama, Arkansas, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Mississippi, Missouri, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Puerto Rico, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, West Virginia and the District of Columbia.

[Dr. MB]

Introducing a constitutional amendment:

Governor Terms Amendment
Article V, sections 5 and 6 of the Southern Constitution are amended to read as follows:

5. Should the office of governor fall vacant at any point during the term, the chief officer of the legislature, or, should none be available, the longest continually-serving available member of the legislature, shall assume the role of acting governor until a special election can be organized by the appropriate election administrator. If the vacancy occurs less than three weeks before the next regularly scheduled election, however, the chief officer of the legislature, or, should none be available, the longest continually-serving available member of the legislature, shall immediately become the governor and serve for the remainder of the term, vacating their position within the legislature. The governor shall appoint a designated successor from among the members of the legislature. Should the office of governor fall vacant at any point during the term, the designated successor shall become governor for the remainder of the term, vacating their position within the legislature. Should the governor fail to appoint a designated successor, the longest continually-serving available member of the legislature, shall immediately become the governor and serve for the remainder of the term, vacating their position within the legislature.

6. In the event that the office of governor falls vacant three or more weeks before the next scheduled gubernatorial election, a special election shall be held to fill the remainder of the term, organized by the appropriate election administrator. The election shall be held on the first Friday following the vacancy, except where the Friday falls within two days of the position becoming vacant, in which case the election will take place the following Friday, and be held in the same manner as a regular gubernatorial election. Upon certification of the results, the governor-elect shall immediately assume office upon swearing in.

Section V.7 shall be redesignated V.6 and all subsequent sections shall be renumbered accordingly.

[Dr. MB]

Introducing a constitutional amendment:

Changing our Capitol Amendment

The following changes will be made to the Southern Constitution, Article I, Section 2:

2. The regional capital for The South established in this Constitution shall be Nashville, Tennessee Austin, Texas. The region may also be referred to as the Southern Region.

[Dr. MB]

Introducing another constitutional amendment:

Daylight Savings Time Amendment

The following changes will be made to the Southern Constitution:

All references in the Southern Constitution to "Eastern Standard Time" or "EST" are amended to "Eastern Daylight Time" or "EDT".

[Dr. MB]

Keeping It New School Act

S.18.1-22, the School is Cool Act, is amended to read as follows:

School is Cool Act

Be it enacted

Section 1: Instruction

1.) The minimum curriculum required for any public school system in the Southern Regions shall include the following:

(a) English: Grades 1-12
(b) Math: Grades 1-121-8 and at least 3 years in high school
(c) Career Course: At least one high-school grade
(d) Natural Sciences: At least 10 grades
(e) Social Studies including Atlasian History, Civics, World History, Geography, and economics: Grades 1-12
(f) Computer Science: At least one high-school grade
(g) Foreign Language: At least 42 grades
(h) Health: At least two middle- or high-school grades

2.) The total length of a school year shall be 180 days, conducted Monday through Friday. Each locality shall determine the starting date and ending date of each school year as well as dates on which school will not be held for holidays, adverse weather conditions, or other reasons which the locality determines warrant school closure. The school year must begin in either the month of August or the month of September and must conclude in either the month of May or the month of June. In the event that local weather conditions or other situations beyond the control of the locality result in a local school system being held for less than 180 days, the system may apply for a waiver from the Southern Chamber to avoid any penalties.

3.) All children over the age of 6 and under the age of 16 whose primary domicile is in the Southern Region shall be required to regularly attend classes in a public education system. Each locality shall determine the maximum number of days during the school year that a student may miss without a valid reason. The maximum number of days allowed shall be no less than 15 per year. Valid reasons shall include illness, religious practice, a required appearance in court, travel (with prior notice), or other reasons as allowed by the locality. Failure of a student to attend the minimum number of days required shall result in a enforcement proceedings in the local Juvenile Court, or the local general district court if no such Juvenile Court has been established. The presiding judge shall have the power to determine reasonable remedies to ensure truants attend school. shall be left up to the school district to determine appropriate remedies to ensure they attends school. Students may not be expelled or suspended from school for failing to attend.

4.) The parents or guardians of any child may opt their child out of the compulsory public education system provided they enroll their child in a private school program or home school program which meets the minimum requirements established for curriculum and school year length as proscribed in this act.

Section 2: Instructors

1.) Any teacher who is hired to teach in a public school system in the Southern Region shall meet the following requirements:

a) High School Diploma or GED

b) No prior conviction for a violent crime or crime of moral turpitude.

c) Adequate instruction in curriculum, teaching methods, and behavioral management as determined by each individual school district.

2.) The Southern Region shall create a loan forgiveness program for teachers. In addition to salary, any teacher in the Southern Region who teaches for 7 years at a public school where the median income level for students is less than or equal to the poverty line, shall have the liability for paying any outstanding student loans assumed by the Southern Region. A loan forgiveness trust fund is hereby created for the purposes of paying off the assumed loans. $500 Million is hereby appropriated into the trust fund, to be invested in interest bearing bonds, until such time as eligible teachers qualify for the program.

Section 3: Students

1.) Any public school system may allow students in the same administrative district who are enrolled in a lawful home school program to participate in extracurricular activities conducted by the public school system, provided the home school students are subject to the same waiver of liability applicable to public school students.

2.) No public school system may prohibit a student from possessing or wearing sunscreen.

3.) Any State College which does not enforce the student protections in the SNOWFLAKE Act of 2017 shall not be eligible for ANY Regional funding, must pay an annual excise tax on total endowments of 10%, and must pay an annual excise tax on attendance of $1,000 per student.

Section 4: Transportation

1.) Any School Bus purchased by any public school in the Southern Region after December 31, 2022 shall contain seat belts for each seat.

2.) Any public school system may pool together with other public school systems for the purpose of jointly purchasing school buses.

3.) Any public school system may sell advertising space on the sides of their school buses, provided the revenue generated from such sales is used for educational activities within the school system

[Dr. MB]

Traffic Camera Ban Act

Be it enacted:

Section 1: Definition

1. "Traffic camera" shall be defined as a camera which may be mounted beside or over a road or installed in an enforcement vehicle to detect motoring offenses, including speeding, vehicles going through a red traffic light, vehicles going through a toll booth without paying, or unauthorized use of a bus, carpool, or express lane.

Section 2: Ban on Cameras

1. All traffic cameras are hereby banned in the Southern Region.
2. State and local governments have until the end of December 31, 2020 to remove all traffic cameras currently in operation.
3. No new traffic cameras may be installed after passage of this bill.
4. Nothing in this bill shall be interpreted to prohibit police officers from enforcing traffic laws while physically present at the site of the offense.

[Dr. MB]

Youth Curfew Abolition Act

Be it enacted:

Section 1: Definition

1. "Youth curfew law" shall be defined as a law or ordinance established by a regional, state, or local government which prohibits or restricts persons of a certain age (usually under age 18) from being outside in public during a certain time of day (usually at night or during school hours), assuming that a state of emergency is not in place.

Section 2: Cutting Down on Curfews

1. All existing youth curfew laws are hereby repealed in the Southern Region, effective immediately.
2. Police may not detain a person simply for being outside during a certain time assuming there is no reasonable suspicion said person has committed a crime.

[Dr. MB]

Humane Treatment of Shelter Animals Act

Be it enacted:

Section 1: Definition

1. “Animal shelter” shall be defined as a place which temporarily or permanently houses lost, abandoned, stray, or otherwise unwanted animals.

Section 2: Saying No to Euthanasia

1. Any animal shelter operating in the Southern Region may not euthanize animals who are not suffering from a serious disease or injury.
2. Shelters found to be in violation of this law may be fined up to $5,000 for every dead animal, and may be shut down if 3 or more violations are reported.

[Dr. MB]

Southern Flag Change Act 3.0

1. The new flag of the South shall be decided via referendum on a date to be set by the Governor.
2. Flag ideas will be submitted by the citizens of the South in an Atlas Fantasy Elections thread and subsequently voted on in said referendum.

[Dr. MB]

Gatekeeping Kinda Sucks Act

Section 1. Definition
1. "Gated community" shall refer to a form of residential community or housing estate containing strictly controlled entrances for pedestrians, bicycles, and automobiles, and often characterized by a closed perimeter of walls and fences.
2. "Publicly accessible" shall refer to an entrance or exit that any member of the public can access by car (unless the subdivision has no car access), bicycle, or on foot.

Section 2. Eating the Rich
1. All residential subdivisions in the Southern Region must have at least one publicly accessible entrance.
 a. This entrance may not be obstructed by a gate, fence, or toll booth.
2. Any residential subdivision currently inaccessible to non-residents or invited guests due to any obstruction must remove said obstruction no later than six months after passage of this act.

Section 3. Clarification
1. This act shall not apply to hotels, motels, or residential apartment or condominium buildings.

[Dr. MB]

AN ACT
to bring state and local elections in line with parliamentary terms

Section 1 (Title)
i. The title of this act shall be, the "Local Electoral Calendar Act."

Section 2 (Electoral calendar for state and local elections)
i. Hereafter, all officers of the states (or territories) and municipalities of the South shall serve terms of six months commencing on the first Monday following their election.
ii. All regular state (or territorial) and municipal elections in the South shall be on the ultimate Saturday of the month in which they are given by the laws of those states (or territories) to proceed.
iii. The filing deadline for all state (or territorial) and municipal elections in the South shall be thirty days before the election.

Section 3
i. No sooner than thirty days before the election, and no later than fifteen days before, the ministry of elections will send to every non-apparent citizen an envelope prominently labeled: "CONTAINS ELECTION MATERIALS."

[Dr. MB]

AN ACT
to censor censorship

Section 1 (Title)
i. The title of this Act shall be, the "Free Minds Act."

Section 2 (Ban on bans)
i. No state or territory, municipality, school board, or other authority may ban any title or other work, in whole or in part, from any school or public library.
ii. No teacher may be dismissed or otherwise disciplined for teaching or assigning readings from a particular work, including films and other visual media.

[Dr. MB]

AN ACT
to improve privacy rights

Section 1 (Title)
i. The title of this Act shall be the "Keeping Our Schools Safe from the Surveillance State Act."

Section 2 (Ban on surveillance cameras)
a. No school which receives government funding in the Southern Region may install or maintain surveillance cameras in the interior of school buildings.
b. No school which receives government funding in the Southern Region may install or maintain more than two working surveillance cameras on the exterior of school premises.
c. All surveillance cameras currently installed in Southern schools must be removed by July 1, 2021.
d. Any school district found to be in violation of this Act may be fined $5,000 for every violation.

[Dr. MB]

AN ACT
to bring a little bit of cash relief

Section 1 (Title)
i. The title of this Act shall be the "Free Parking Act."

Section 2
a. No jurisdiction within the Southern Region may charge a fee for parking a normally-sized vehicle on a public street, nor may any jurisdiction within the Southern Region limit the time of day a vehicle may park on a public street, provided other potential guidelines (such as fire lanes) are met.
b. No provision in this Act shall prohibit owners of private roads, parking lots, or garages for charging a fee for use of their lots.
c. No provision in this Act shall prohibit jurisdictions from limiting the amount of time a vehicle may park on a public street.

[Dr. MB]

AN ACT
to reduce excessive punishment

Section 1 (Title)
i. The title of this Act shall be the "Chug It Down Act."

Section 2
a. No fine or other punishment shall be applied for the crime of consuming or attempting to purchase alcoholic beverages underage, with the exception of a possible warning.
b. Nothing in this act shall permit establishments to serve alcohol to underage patrons.

[Dr. MB]

AN ACT
to reduce excessive punishment

Section 1 (Title)
i. The title of this Act shall be the "Chug It Down Act."

Section 2
a. No fine or other punishment shall be applied for the crime of consuming or attempting to purchase alcoholic beverages underage, with the exception of a possible warning.
b. Nothing in this act shall permit establishments to serve alcohol to underage patrons.

Reintroducing this

[Dr. MB]

AN ACT
to make crowd control more humane throughout the South

Section 1 (Title & Definitions)
i. The title of this act shall be, the “Safer Crowd Control Act."
ii. As used in this legislation, "rubber bullet" refers to a projectile made of or coated in rubber and shot out of a firearm.
iii. As used in this legislation, "stun grenade" refers to an explosive device that produces a bright flash and a loud noise so as to stun or disorient people without causing serious injury.

Section 2 (Prohibition of rubber bullet use in crowd control)
i. No law enforcement agency within the South may deploy rubber bullets or stun grenades for the purposes of crowd control or dispersal.

Section 3 (Implementation)
i. This legislation shall come into effect immediately upon signature by the Governor.