SENATE BILL: Atlasia Territorial Statehood Act (Passed)

[Former President tack50]

I wonder if we should temporarily table this and/or turn it into a referendums bill. Then once the referendums are simulated by the GM department we can bring this back

[tmthforu94]

I wonder if we should temporarily table this and/or turn it into a referendums bill. Then once the referendums are simulated by the GM department we can bring this back

Based on the GM's comments, my preference would be to amend this into a bill mandating the GM's office to run mock referendums in each of the territories. Then Congress can act based on those results.

[Vern]

I wonder if we should temporarily table this and/or turn it into a referendums bill. Then once the referendums are simulated by the GM department we can bring this back

Based on the GM's comments, my preference would be to amend this into a bill mandating the GM's office to run mock referendums in each of the territories. Then Congress can act based on those results.

I agree, this would be the best thing we could do.

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

So who wants to rewrite the bill?

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

So who wants to rewrite the bill?

[ON Progressive]

I have taken it upon myself to rewrite the bill. I have left the date for the referenda intentionally blank to allow for debate on that.

SENATE BILL

To provide statehood referenda to the territories of the Virgin Islands, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, and Atlasian Samoa

Be it Enacted in Both Houses of Congress Assembled,

Section 1: Title
1. This act shall be titled the “Atlasia Territorial Statehood Act”

Section 2: Granting Statehood Referenda
1. The territoryies of the Virgin Islands, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, and Atlasian Samoa shall be granted statehood referenda on October 1stTBD, 2019
2. For any individual territory, a simple majority must vote in favor of statehood for the referendum to pass.
2. The state of the Virgin Islands shall be located within the Lincoln Region
3. The territories of Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands shall be granted statehood on October 1st, 2019
4. The territory of Atlasian Samoa shall be granted statehood on October 1st, 2019
5. The states of Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, and Atlasian Samoa shall be located within the Fremont Region

Section 3: Granting CitizenshipReferenda Passing Impact
1. If a referendum passes in any given territory, the impacts will be as follows:
a. All Atlasian nationals within those territories listed above that pass a referendum in favor of statehood shall be granted citizenship immediately upon their statehood.
b. Any person born within the territories listed above shall be granted citizenship immediately upon statehood.
1. All Atlasian nationals within theany of the territories of Guam, Atlasian Samoa, the Northern Mariana Islands, and the Virgin Islands shall be granted citizenship.
2. Any person born in the territory of Guam, Atlasian Samoa, the Northern Mariana Islands, or the Virgin Islands shall be granted citizenship

Section 4: Implementation
1. This act shall go into effect immediately

People's Regional Senate
Pending
[/quote]

[Former President tack50]

Since statehood is pretty much eternal, I would be in favour of supermajority requirements if we are going to make statehood inmediate after the referendum (as opposed to a second bill to confirm their statehood)

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

Since statehood is pretty much eternal, I would be in favour of supermajority requirements if we are going to make statehood inmediate after the referendum (as opposed to a second bill to confirm their statehood)

Is this an objection to the proposed Amendment?

[Former President tack50]

Since statehood is pretty much eternal, I would be in favour of supermajority requirements if we are going to make statehood inmediate after the referendum (as opposed to a second bill to confirm their statehood)

Is this an objection to the proposed Amendment?

No, but it means I will probably present an ammendment with a supermajority requirement later. But I don't object to ON Progressive's ammendment

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

SENATE BILL

To provide statehood referenda to the territories of the Virgin Islands, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, and Atlasian Samoa

Be it Enacted in Both Houses of Congress Assembled,

Section 1: Title
1. This act shall be titled the “Atlasia Territorial Statehood Act”

Section 2: Granting Statehood Referenda
1. The territoryies of the Virgin Islands, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, and Atlasian Samoa shall be granted statehood referenda on October 1stTBD, 2019
2. For any individual territory, a simple majority must vote in favor of statehood for the referendum to pass.
2. The state of the Virgin Islands shall be located within the Lincoln Region
3. The territories of Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands shall be granted statehood on October 1st, 2019
4. The territory of Atlasian Samoa shall be granted statehood on October 1st, 2019
5. The states of Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, and Atlasian Samoa shall be located within the Fremont Region

Section 3: Granting CitizenshipReferenda Passing Impact
1. If a referendum passes in any given territory, the impacts will be as follows:
a. All Atlasian nationals within those territories listed above that pass a referendum in favor of statehood shall be granted citizenship immediately upon their statehood.
b. Any person born within the territories listed above shall be granted citizenship immediately upon statehood.
1. All Atlasian nationals within theany of the territories of Guam, Atlasian Samoa, the Northern Mariana Islands, and the Virgin Islands shall be granted citizenship.
2. Any person born in the territory of Guam, Atlasian Samoa, the Northern Mariana Islands, or the Virgin Islands shall be granted citizenship

Section 4: Implementation
1. This act shall go into effect immediately

People's Regional Senate
Pending

Sponsor Feedback: Origination
Status: Senators have 24 hours to object.

[Mr. Reactionary]

Been doing some "light" reading

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Insular_Cases

If the goal is to overturn the bad parts of the Insular Cases, I just wanted to point out that there are varying degrees of citizenship that can be conferred short of forcing the existing governments of the territories to adopt statehood and the related changes. By statute Congress can confer the protections of the Bill of Rights to persons in its territories, similar to the Indian Bill of Rights which does the same with tribal governments.

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

The amendment has been adopted without objection.

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

Been doing some "light" reading

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Insular_Cases

If the goal is to overturn the bad parts of the Insular Cases, I just wanted to point out that there are varying degrees of citizenship that can be conferred short of forcing the existing governments of the territories to adopt statehood and the related changes. By statute Congress can confer the protections of the Bill of Rights to persons in its territories, similar to the Indian Bill of Rights which does the same with tribal governments.

I once referred to Wealth of Nations as "light reading".

That is an interesting point, but would the ramifications of this citizenship gradient be and the likelihood that the demand for full or complete citizenship would follow later?

[Former President tack50]

I present the following ammendment:

SENATE BILL

To provide statehood referenda to the territories of the Virgin Islands, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, and Atlasian Samoa

Be it Enacted in Both Houses of Congress Assembled,

Section 1: Title
1. This act shall be titled the “Atlasia Territorial Statehood Act”

Section 2: Granting Statehood Referenda
1. The territories of the Virgin Islands, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, and Atlasian Samoa shall be granted statehood referenda on TBD, 2019
2. For any individual territory, a simple 2/3 majority must vote in favor of statehood for the referendum to pass.


Section 3: Referenda Passing Impact
1. If a referendum passes in any given territory, the impacts will be as follows:
a. All Atlasian nationals within those territories listed above that pass a referendum in favor of statehood shall be granted citizenship immediately upon their statehood.
b. Any person born within the territories listed above shall be granted citizenship immediately upon statehood.


Section 4: Implementation
1. This act shall go into effect immediately

People's Regional Senate
Pending

Statehood is eternal, so it makes sense to demand a supermajority for such an important event. We should not give territories statehood on a divisive 50.1-49.9% vote.

[AustralianSwingVoter]

And can the territories actually be allocated logically and geographically, rather than randomly allocating them so no region misses out. None of these territories should be in Lincoln. The Virgin Islands should be in the South and the rest should be in Fremont. Anything else is patently idiotic, and completely oblivious to geography.

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

SENATE BILL

To provide statehood referenda to the territories of the Virgin Islands, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, and Atlasian Samoa

Be it Enacted in Both Houses of Congress Assembled,

Section 1: Title
1. This act shall be titled the “Atlasia Territorial Statehood Act”

Section 2: Granting Statehood Referenda
1. The territories of the Virgin Islands, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, and Atlasian Samoa shall be granted statehood referenda on TBD, 2019
2. For any individual territory, a simple 2/3 majority must vote in favor of statehood for the referendum to pass.


Section 3: Referenda Passing Impact
1. If a referendum passes in any given territory, the impacts will be as follows:
a. All Atlasian nationals within those territories listed above that pass a referendum in favor of statehood shall be granted citizenship immediately upon their statehood.
b. Any person born within the territories listed above shall be granted citizenship immediately upon statehood.


Section 4: Implementation
1. This act shall go into effect immediately

People's Regional Senate
Pending

Sponsor Feedback: Need Feedback
Status: Awaiting Sponsor Feedback

[ON Progressive]

I object to the amendment.

[tmthforu94]

I encourage an immediate vote on this amendment and then a final vote as soon as possible. I will sign this bill if this amendment passes, I will veto it if it fails. I think it is irresponsible to admit territories to the union without the full knowledge of whether they even want it. This debate has shown there are several alternative methods they could desire instead.

[Former President tack50]

I encourage an immediate vote on this amendment and then a final vote as soon as possible. I will sign this bill if this amendment passes, I will veto it if it fails. I think it is irresponsible to admit territories to the union without the full knowledge of whether they even want it. This debate has shown there are several alternative methods they could desire instead.

Worth noting that either way there will be a referendum.

This ammendment is on whether said referendum should require a standard majority (50%+1) or a 2/3 supermajority to be valid

[tmthforu94]

I encourage an immediate vote on this amendment and then a final vote as soon as possible. I will sign this bill if this amendment passes, I will veto it if it fails. I think it is irresponsible to admit territories to the union without the full knowledge of whether they even want it. This debate has shown there are several alternative methods they could desire instead.

Worth noting that either way there will be a referendum.

This ammendment is on whether said referendum should require a standard majority (50%+1) or a 2/3 supermajority to be valid

OK sorry, what I get for reading too fast!!! I will sign whichever Congress decides.

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

SENATE BILL

To provide statehood referenda to the territories of the Virgin Islands, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, and Atlasian Samoa

Be it Enacted in Both Houses of Congress Assembled,

Section 1: Title
1. This act shall be titled the “Atlasia Territorial Statehood Act”

Section 2: Granting Statehood Referenda
1. The territories of the Virgin Islands, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, and Atlasian Samoa shall be granted statehood referenda on TBD, 2019
2. For any individual territory, a simple 2/3 majority must vote in favor of statehood for the referendum to pass.


Section 3: Referenda Passing Impact
1. If a referendum passes in any given territory, the impacts will be as follows:
a. All Atlasian nationals within those territories listed above that pass a referendum in favor of statehood shall be granted citizenship immediately upon their statehood.
b. Any person born within the territories listed above shall be granted citizenship immediately upon statehood.


Section 4: Implementation
1. This act shall go into effect immediately

People's Regional Senate
Pending

Sponsor Feedback: Hostile
Status: A vote is now open on the Amendment, Senators please vote Aye, Nay or Abstain.

[Former President tack50]

Aye

[MAINEiac4434]

Nay

[Unconditional Surrender Truman]

Very much opposed to this onerous requirement—I don't see why a 65% majority for statehood should be insufficient for one of these territories to join the Union.

[Former President tack50]

Very much opposed to this onerous requirement—I don't see why a 65% majority for statehood should be insufficient for one of these territories to join the Union.

Mostly to avoid a situation where a territory vote something like 50.1% in favour and then has second thoughts. Remember Brexit was extremely divisive since it passed 52-48 after all.

And also remember that statehood is eternal. So if that reigon changes it's mind later then they are stuck. While it was a joke, the Alaska crisis is an example of what would happen if they wanted to leave.

A 2/3 supermajority is a way to ensure that the territories are definitely sure that they want to become states and won't have second thoughts. I am open to a lower supermajority though, like 60%; or possibly one based on turnout or on the number of eligible voters.