Post by Vista Major on Jul 18, 2015 19:15:25 GMT
THE SENATORIAL RESTRUCTURING ACT
A resolution to restructure the Parliament and formation of the Cabinet
A resolution to restructure the Parliament and formation of the Cabinet
AUTHOR: Vista Major, MP
DATE: July the 18th, 2015 AD
PREAMBLE
In order to reform government into a more efficient and opportune system, this resolution of law is hereby established with the dominant goal of recreating the Parliament, making two separate, cooperative houses of legislature, and change how the Cabinet is elected.ARTICLE I:
The Parliament of the Commonwealth of Free Nations shall become a bicameral legislature with two houses; the Assembly and the Senate.
ARTICLE II:
The Assembly of the Parliament shall be installed as the lower house and is responsible for writing new/original legislation.
ARTICLE III:
The Assembly shall compose of all citizens who have possessed their citizenship for 6 or fewer months. It shall also compose of citizens who qualify to become senators, but choose to remain in the Assembly.
ARTICLE IV:
In writing legislation, resolutions must be original and have minimal amendment-complex (the power to override sections or wholes of previous bills). Bills that seek to enact minor reforms of previous bills are considered to have minimal amendment-complex, and thus within the jurisdiction of the Assembly.
ARTICLE V:
Members of the Assembly who have had their citizenship for 7 months or more may choose to be promoted to the Senate, with approval from the Speaker of Parliament.
ARTICLE VI:
If a Member of the Assembly (M.E) wishes to propose a resolution that is a repeal of a previous law or an amendment to the Constitution, they must have a sponsor in the Senate to propose the resolution on the M.E's behalf.
ARTICLE VII:
Likewise, if a Member of the Senate (M.S) wishes to propose an original bill, they must be sponsored by a Member of the Assembly, who will introduce the legislation to the Assembly on the senator's behalf.
ARTICLE VIII:
A bill in the Assembly must pass with at least a simple-majority (51%) in order to be brought before the Speaker of the Parliament, who shall pass the bill into law or veto. In the case of a veto, the Assembly must override it with a supermajority vote. However, if a bill in the Assembly reaches supermajority, it cannot be vetoed, and thus automatically becomes law.
ARTICLE IX:
The Senate of the Parliament shall be installed as the upper house and is responsible for writing constitutional amendments and major revisions of previously-passed bills (major amendment-complex).
ARTICLE X:
The Senate shall compose of all citizens with citizenship at least 7 months old. Assemblymen may decline to be promoted to the Senate when they become eligible for senatorship. Likewise, senators may choose to demote themselves to the Assembly.
ARTICLE XI:
Amendments in the Senate must pass with at least a supermajority (2/3) in order to be brought before the Speaker of the Parliament, who may either sign the bill into law or veto it. In the event of a veto, the entire Parliament must gather at least a supermajority to override the veto and make the amendment law.
ARTICLE XII:
The Chancellor of the Commonwealth of Free Nations no longer has the authority to veto any law passed in the Parliament (as per Article 5, Section 1 of the Constitution), without the formal support of the Speaker. Furthermore, Article 4, Section 2 of the Constitution is hereby repealed.
ARTICLE XIII:
The Chancellor and the Speaker of Parliament, as well as ministers, are allowed to writing legislation and vote in both the Assembly and the Senate. Assemblymen cannot vote in the Senate; likewise, senators cannot vote in the Assembly.
ARTICLE XIV:
The Chancellor shall be elected by popular vote. Every verified political party in the region must submit a candidate for Chancellor in order to remain an official party. The election for Chancellor shall be held by the Chancellor (or, in the Chancellor's absence on the day of elections, the Minister of Internal Affairs) via Instant Runoff Voting (IRV) ballot. In order to maximize choice, voters may also "write-in" a candidate on the ballot, assuming that said-write-in candidate is a valid citizen eligible for office.
ARTICLE XV:
Once the Chancellor has been elected, he/she/it is to appoint the rest of the Cabinet in collaboration with the Vice Chancellor. In the event that an appointed minister is contested by at least half of the Parliament, a special election shall commence to replace the minister, on the condition that the minister remain on the ballot.
ARTICLE XVI:
In order to check the power of the Speaker of Parliament, the Chancellor reserves the right to call a Vote of No Confidence on the Speaker at any time. If the Parliament elects by a simple-majority to dismiss the Speaker, the Chancellor shall appoint a new Speaker of Parliament to serve the rest of the term. Furthermore, the Speaker of Parliament may only serve in the office for 3 total terms.
ARTICLE XVII:
This resolution shall take effect upon the election of the Twelfth Cabinet. Furthermore, this amendment shall have an expiration date, at which time The Senatorial Restructuring Act shall either be repealed, made permanent, or revised by popular vote of Parliament.
