FT 15.11 - Basic Income Guarantee Pilot Program (LAW)

[KoopaDaQuick 🇵🇸]

Basic Income Guarantee Pilot Program

Section I (Title)
i.The title of this act shall be the "Basic Income Guarantee Pilot Program". Using the acronym to refer to this act shall be frowned upon.

Section II (Definitions)
i. Tier I Frémonters are described as those who are not actively seeking employment.
ii. Tier II Frémonters are described as those who are actively seeking employment, or those who are prevented from actively seeking employment by a serious medical condition.
iii. Tier III Frémonters are described as those who are employed, but receive less than $35,000 dollars a year in income.
iv. Tier I, Tier II, and Tier III Frémonters must all be considered under the poverty line to receive benefits from this act.

Section III (Provisions)
i. All Tier I Frémonters shall receive a subsidy of $350 a month from the federal government.
ii. All Tier II Frémonters shall receive a subsidy of $600 a month from the federal government.
iii. All Tier III Frémonters shall receive a yearly subsidy equivalent to the numerical difference between their yearly income and $35,000.

Section IV (Pilot Program)
i. This act will only apply to all residents of Santa Cruz County, Arizona.
ii. The effects of this act on the wellbeing of the residents of Santa Cruz County, Arizona will be assessed yearly until 2024. Factors may include reported happiness, economic development, local test scores, among others. In 2024, after final evaluation of the effects of this act, regionwide implementation shall be considered.

Sponsor: Oregon Blue Dog, MFP (Meadowlark—Labor, Oregon)

The member from Oregon now has the floor to talk about his BIGPP.

[OBD]

While this act may be rendered irrelevant by federal experimentation with UBI during this great crisis, there is still promise for this kind of pilot program. The idea of UBI has always been present in politics, both as a 'wet dream' for socialists and a boogeyman for fiscal conservatives - yet, we don't know what effect UBI would actually have on bringing poor Frémonters out of poverty. This program aims to provide a solid data point on the real effects of UBI on the populace, and will hopefully give this body direction on how to best proceed with providing welfare and financial assistance to the needy. Under this program, all Frémonters under the poverty line will recieve a government subsidy - though this subsidy will be higher for those seeking employment or those who are actively employed, to encourage workforce participation (and to address a common UBI concern that implementation will enable the lazy to live off government funds), and the government of Frémont will study how this program benefits the lives of beneficiaries. Santa Cruz County, Arizona, was selected as the pilot county, as it is one of the poorer counties in Frémont. It also has a small population, making implementation of this program relatively cheap.

Member from Iowa is frowned upon for using the acronym to refer to this act.

[KoopaDaQuick 🇵🇸]

I think it's also important to note that implementing this bill in Frémont alongside the federal UBI could give us a general idea of whether universal basic income should be implemented and regulated on a regional or federal level. Also, it's also important to mention that like Truman said on Frémontcord, the federal UBI is temporary, only being implemented for the current ongoing crisis.

Member from Iowa is frowned upon for using the acronym to refer to this act.

[KoopaDaQuick 🇵🇸]

Anything else to add before a final vote?

[Unconditional Surrender Truman]

I've made my thoughts on this subject known elsewhere, but will reiterate for the benefit of the galleries. Our world has changed dramatically in the last century, and the pace of progress has not abated. Like all things in this appalling reality, capitalism must either adapt, or die. I am not myself totally convinced UBI is the answer, but it might be —and this pilot program will be immensely productive toward discovering that.

[Unconditional Surrender Truman]

Okay, then, I move for a vote.

[OBD]

Before I second the motion, I have a comment: I've been thinking recently about raising the threshold for BIG to $43,000, as the poverty line for large families can be defined as high as this, and with this region's progressive minimum wage laws, the minimum income of employed people often comes out very close to $35,000. I think this change would further encourage workforce participation and would do more to help reduce poverty (both in this county now and, potentially, the whole region in the future). Any comments?

[KoopaDaQuick 🇵🇸]

Temporarily objecting Truman's motion until I hear some responses to the member from Oregon's comments.

[Unconditional Surrender Truman]

Before I second the motion, I have a comment: I've been thinking recently about raising the threshold for BIG to $43,000, as the poverty line for large families can be defined as high as this, and with this region's progressive minimum wage laws, the minimum income of employed people often comes out very close to $35,000. I think this change would further encourage workforce participation and would do more to help reduce poverty (both in this county now and, potentially, the whole region in the future). Any comments?

I would support this change.

[OBD]

Basic Income Guarantee Pilot Program

Section I (Title)
i.The title of this act shall be the "Basic Income Guarantee Pilot Program". Using the acronym to refer to this act shall be frowned upon.

Section II (Definitions)
i. Tier I Frémonters are described as those who are not actively seeking employment.
ii. Tier II Frémonters are described as those who are actively seeking employment, or those who are prevented from actively seeking employment by a serious medical condition.
iii. Tier III Frémonters are described as those who are employed, but receive less than $43,000 dollars a year in income.
iv. Tier I, Tier II, and Tier III Frémonters must all be considered under the poverty line to receive benefits from this act.

Section III (Provisions)
i. All Tier I Frémonters shall receive a subsidy of $350 a month from the federal government.
ii. All Tier II Frémonters shall receive a subsidy of $600 a month from the federal government.
iii. All Tier III Frémonters shall receive a yearly subsidy equivalent to the numerical difference between their yearly income and $43,000.

Section IV (Pilot Program)
i. This act will only apply to all residents of Santa Cruz County, Arizona.
ii. The effects of this act on the wellbeing of the residents of Santa Cruz County, Arizona will be assessed yearly until 2024. Factors may include reported happiness, economic development, local test scores, among others. In 2024, after final evaluation of the effects of this act, regionwide implementation shall be considered.

Offering this amendment accordingly.

[KoopaDaQuick 🇵🇸]

The amendment passes.

[OBD]

Motion to vote. I'm satisfied with this bill as it stands.

[KoopaDaQuick 🇵🇸]

oh heck i didn't see this

Starting a vote, you know the drill, yadda yadda yadda. Aye.

[AustralianSwingVoter]

and it's still called a BIGPP. Nay

[OBD]

Aye

[Unconditional Surrender Truman]

Aye.

[KoopaDaQuick 🇵🇸]

Basic Income Guarantee Pilot Program
Frémont Parliament Bill 15.11 - Sponsored by Oregon Blue Dog, MFP

	LAB	PAX	IND	TOTAL
Aye	2	1	0	3
Nay	0	0	1	1
Abstain	0	0	0	0
Not Present	1	0	0	1

	FF	TR	ML	UL	TOTAL
Aye	1	1	1	0	3
Nay	0	0	1	0	1
Abstain	0	0	0	0	0
Not Present	0	0	0	1	1

First Minister HARRY S TRUMAN of North Dakota (LAB/FF)
Mr. AUSTRALIANSWINGVOTER of Washington (IND/ML)
Mr. ISHAN of Guam (LAB/UL)
Ms. KOOPADAQUICK of Iowa (PAX/TR)
Mr. OREGON BLUE DOG of Oregon (LAB/ML)

The bill passes. The next bill in the queue will take its slot later today once I get the energy to get around to that.

[Unconditional Surrender Truman]

Basic Income Guarantee Pilot Program

Section I (Title)
i.The title of this act shall be the "Basic Income Guarantee Pilot Program". Using the acronym to refer to this act shall be frowned upon.

Section II (Definitions)
i. Tier I Frémonters are described as those who are not actively seeking employment.
ii. Tier II Frémonters are described as those who are actively seeking employment, or those who are prevented from actively seeking employment by a serious medical condition.
iii. Tier III Frémonters are described as those who are employed, but receive less than $43,000 dollars a year in income.
iv. Tier I, Tier II, and Tier III Frémonters must all be considered under the poverty line to receive benefits from this act.

Section III (Provisions)
i. All Tier I Frémonters shall receive a subsidy of $350 a month from the federal government.
ii. All Tier II Frémonters shall receive a subsidy of $600 a month from the federal government.
iii. All Tier III Frémonters shall receive a yearly subsidy equivalent to the numerical difference between their yearly income and $43,000.

Section IV (Pilot Program)
i. This act will only apply to all residents of Santa Cruz County, Arizona.
ii. The effects of this act on the wellbeing of the residents of Santa Cruz County, Arizona will be assessed yearly until 2024. Factors may include reported happiness, economic development, local test scores, among others. In 2024, after final evaluation of the effects of this act, regionwide implementation shall be considered.

[Continential]

AYE