Southern Legislation Introduction Thread (3rd version)

[Mr. Reactionary]

Protecting the Rights of  Citizens During Disasters Act

An act relating to carrying a concealed weapon or concealed firearm providing an exemption from criminal penalties for carrying a concealed weapon or a concealed firearm when evacuating pursuant to a mandatory evacuation order during a declared state of emergency

Be It Enacted:

1.) A person who carries a concealed weapon, or a person who may lawfully possess a firearm and who carries a concealed firearm, on or about his or her person while in the act of evacuating during a mandatory evacuation order issued during a  state of emergency declared by the Governor, pursuant to his or her power, or declared by a local authority pursuant to regional law,  shall not be guilty of violating any State or local ordinances pertaining to the unlicensed concealed carrying of a weapon or firearm.

2.) As used in this subsection, the term “in the act of evacuating” means the immediate and urgent movement of a person away from the evacuation zone within 48 hours after a mandatory evacuation is ordered. The 48 hours may be extended by an order issued by the Governor.

3.) This act does not preclude any prosecution for the use of a weapon or firearm during the commission of any criminal offense, other than the unlicensed concealed carry or the transportation of a weapon or firearm through an area that traditionally restricts the presence of such weapons or firearms.

4.) This act shall take effect immediately and retroactively apply to any evacuations in the year 2017.

[Mr. Reactionary]

Banning Dystopian Police Robot Bombs Act

Given that the actions of the Dallas Police Department in executing criminal suspect Micah Xavier Johnson with a remotely dentonated bomb delivered by a robot are alarming and worthy of condemnation, be it resolved that:

1.) It shall be unlawful for any Regional, State, or local law enforcement officer or employee to operate or otherwise order the use of a robot for the purpose of delivering an explosive device intended to be detonated near any person, except against enemy combatants during a foreign invasion.

2.) For the purposes of this act, an explosive device shall not include flash bangs or gas emitting devices intended solely to disorient a criminal suspect to enable live capture.

3.) Any person who violates this act, shall be guilty of 2nd degree murder if the suspect dies, and aggravated assault if the suspect is injured but does not die.

4.) This act does not prohibit the use of robots to disarm bombs, including the safe dentonation of bombs which cannot be safely disabled without dentonation.

5.) Any Officer or employee who violates this act shall not have qualified immunity for civil litigation arising from the violation.

6.) This act shall take effect immediately.

[Mr. Reactionary]

Amendments to the Chamber Rules Act

An act to prevent stagnation of the legislative process

Be it enacted:

1.) The following rule shall be added to Section 1 of the Southern Chamber rules:

"6.) Upon a motion of any Delegate, a vote of no confidence in the Speaker of the Chamber shall be entertained. Debate shall last no more than 72 hours, unless a majority of Delegates vote to extend the time. No Speaker shall be removed at-will, except upon the vote of 2/3rds of the Delegates. No Speaker shall be removed for-cause, except upon the vote of a majority of the Delegates. Upon a successful vote, the Deputy Speaker or if there is no Deputy Speaker, the Dean of the Chamber, shall become acting Speaker. A new election for Speaker shall commence within 24 hours using the same process for electing a Speaker at the beginning of the Session. A Successful no-confidence vote shall not result in the expulsion of a Speaker who is also an elected Delegate, merely the forfeiture of the office of Speaker."

2.) The following amendments shall be made to Section 4 of the Southern Chamber rules:

"Section IV: Introducing and Managing Legislation
1.) If the Speaker determines that a piece of legislation is functionally impractical, frivolous, or is directly unconstitutional, they may, in a public post on the Legislation Introduction thread, remove said legislation from the Chamber queue. The sponsoring Delegates of the legislation shall have seventy-two (72) hours to challenge this action in a public post, and with the concurrence of a majority (3/5) of office-holding Delegates in the affirmative (excluding the Speaker), may override the actions of the Speaker.
2.) 6 8 threads about legislation may be open for voting and debate simultaneously.
a) The first 4 6 open threads shall be open to all legislations initially regarding bills, resolutions or constitutional amendments. If the sponsor already has two 3 or more pieces legislation on the Chamber floor, legislation from Delegates who do not shall take priority until all such other legislation is completed. The Speaker shall be the presidenting officer for these open threads.
b) The fifth seventh open thread shall be reserved for bills submitted by civilians in the Public Consultation and Legislation Submission thread. The Speaker shall be the presidenting officer for this open thread.
c) The sixth eighth 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.
3.) A piece of legislation is no longer on the Chamber Floor when it has been withdrawn, tabled, rejected, or passed by the members of the Chamber of Delegates.
4.) If at any time the original sponsor vacates their office as Delegate, all legislation introduced in the Legislation Introduction Thread shall, within a week of the next session, be declared withdrawn by the Speaker by public post, if no Delegate sponsors the legislation. If a piece of legislation has been introduced on the Chamber floor, any office-holding Delegate may assume sponsorship.
5.) Co-sponsors of legislation under consideration shall have no power to withdraw legislation nor contest withdrawal of legislation by the original sponsor. Any office-holding Delegates may assume sponsorship of the legislation within 72 hours after the original sponsor has motioned to withdraw. Once a motion to assume sponsorship has been filed by a Delegates, Delegates shall have 24 hours to object to this motion. If any Delegate objects, the Speaker shall open a vote on the motion lasting until a majority has voted for or against the motion, but not more than 72 hours. If the motion is rejected, the bill shall be removed from the floor."

3.) The following amendments shall be made to Section 5, Paragraph 6 of the Southern Chamber rules:

"6.) When debate on legislation has halted for longer than 24 hours and the legislation has been on the floor for more than 72 hours, any Delegates may call for a vote on said legislation. The presiding officer shall open a vote if no other member of the Chamber of Delegates objects within 24 hours of the call for a vote. When debate on legislation has halted for longer than 24 hours and the legislation has been on the floor for more than 72 hours but no more than 336 120 hours, any Delegates may motion for cloture. Upon the concurrence of two-thirds of the Chamber of Delegates, the Chamber of Delegates shall end debate. If the legislation has been on the floor for more than 336 120 hours, a simple majority is needed in order to end the debates. The presiding officer shall then open a final vote."

4.) The following rule shall be added to Section 8 of the Southern Chamber rules:

"4.)Any Delegate may enforce the rules of this chamber."



*Rules located here: https://uselectionatlas.org/FORUM/index.php?topic=261766.0*

[Mr. Reactionary]

Freedom of Farmers to Farm Freely Act

An act relating to the removal of unfair regulations and burdens which harm small farms.

Be it enacted:

1.) This law shall be referred to as the Freedom of Farmers to Farm Freely Act or FFFFA.

2.) For the purposes of this act, a farmer is any person or persons engaged in the growing of plants for private use or resale (excluding trees harvested for timber but including edible mushrooms) or engaged in the raising, breeding, or collection of animals or animal products for private use or resale.

3.) No farmer shall be required to join any marketing board in order to participate in farming activities. Nor shall any farmer be required to make any mandatory payment to a marketing board for any purpose.

4.) No farmer shall be required to comply with any marketing orders issued by a marketing board, including but not limited to price setting, minimum and maximum product weight, product packaging, product advertising, or territorial restrictions on sale. This subsection does not preclude the government from enforcing laws prohibiting fraudulent advertisement or laws prescribing minimum safety and cleanliness standards for the sale of plant or animal products.

5.) No farmer shall be required to withhold from commerce any portion of their plant or animal products nor be required to deposit any amount of their plant or animal product in a collective reserve pool.

6.) No farmer shall be required to implant in their animals any form of tracking chip or associated technology in order to engage in commerce. 

7.) No farmer shall be required to grow plants from a patented seed, unless the farmer voluntarily enters into a multi-year contract with the patent holder. If it is discovered that patented seeds are growing on a farm not under a licensing agreement, the Circuit Court shall have jurisdiction to determine the origin. If it is determined by clear and convincing evidence that the unlicensed seeds were illegally purchased by a farmer, the farmer shall be liable to the patent holder for the cost of the seed, the cost of court filings, and the reasonable costs of the investigation. If however it is shown by preponderance of the evidence that the farmer did not purposefully acquire and then plant the patented seeds, the patent holder shall be liable to the farmer for all legal expenses as well as treble damages on the value of the crop yield.

8.) Farmers on farms employing 15 or fewer full-time employees who allow their child or children to assist in farm activities shall not be guilty of violating any Regional or local law against child labor, provided the child or children are not truants or operating heavy machinery for which they have not been properly trained.

9.) Farmers who own a milk-producing cow or goat may sell raw or unpasteurized milk, provided the milk is contained in packaging which clearly states that the product has not been pasteurized. Ownership includes subscribers to a cow or goat sharing agreement which involves subscribers pooling money to collectively own an animal or animals as well as a fixed percentage of any milk.

10.) During a declared state of emergency resulting from a disastrous infestation of crop destroying insects, no farmer shall be prosecuted under Regional law for the reasonable use of the pesticide DDT in reclaiming infested fields.

11.) A study shall be conducted on the cost of sponsoring a partnership with local farmer's markets to subsidize farmers up to 10 cents per $1 of farm products sold.

[Mr. Reactionary]

Revenue Enhancement study act

Be it enacted:

1.) A study shall be conducted on how much potential revenue can be generated were the Southern Region to bid on the obligation to dispose of trash, mining waste, and low level nuclear waste from the Regional, State, or local governments of Freemont and Lincoln. Such study shall also include the additional costs to the South of complying with national environmental laws.

2.) The definition of low level nuclear waste in this act is the same as in the Nuclear Waste Policy Act, and shall not include fuel rods or waste water used in the cooling or storing of nuclear fuel rods.

3.) A study shall be conducted on which States and localities within the Southern Region currently have limitations on uranium mining activities. Such study shall also include an analysis of how much revenue could be generated if these restrictions were repealed, as well as the added costs of complying with national environmental regulations. This study shall also determine the estimated quantity and location of unmined uranium reserves in the southern region.

4.) Additionally, the study shall determine how many potential local jobs would be created were the Coles Hill deposit in Pittsylvania County, Virginia to be purchased by the southern region and the mineral rights auctioned.

5.) A study shall be conducted on how much potential revenue can be generated were the Southern Region to allow 20% more billboards on Regional maintained land along Regional highways.

6.) A disbursement of $900 from the general treasury is hereby authorized and appropriated to the Southside Virginia Wildlife Center.

7.) A study shall be conducted on how much potential revenue would be generated were the Southern Region to create and administer a lottery.

[Mr. Reactionary]

Occupational Licensing Reform Act 

Be it enacted:

1.) The right to pursue a career or occupational is fundamental to the sovereignty of an individual.

2.) It is the policy if the Southern Region that Occupational licensing not be required to hold a job, unless the public health, safety, or welfare requires it.

3.) No person in the Southern Region who engages in any of the following occupations shall be required to hold a license in order to practice that occupation:

A) Barbers, Hair Sylists, or Hair Braiders

B) Cosmetologists, nail technicians, or eyebrow threaders

C) Teeth Whitening Services, provided no form of dentistry is practiced

D) Body piercing

E) Masseuse or Athletic Training

F) Florists or Interior Decorators 

G) Funeral Directors or Coffin Salespersons

H) Upholsterers

I) Painters 

J) Swimming Pool maintenance or repair

K) Auctioneers

L) Gardeners or Landscapers

M) Tour Guides

4.) This act shall take effect immediately.

[Mr. Reactionary]

I love Fig Newtons Act

Be it enacted:

1.) As diets rich in fiber are important towards maintaining good health and

2.) As fig newtons are soft, delicious and filled with healthy fruit

3.) The fig newton is hereby declared the official cookie of the Southern Region.

4.) Any citizen of Southern Region who is at least 19 years old and eligible to purchase a firearm, may purchase a handgun from a private seller who is also a citizen of Southern Region.

[Mr. Reactionary]

Of Course My Rights Apply When Voting Act

Be it enacted:

1.) It shall be unlawful for any election official, poll worker, or government employee to deny any person eligible to vote in any election in the Southern Region the freedom to take a voluntary photograph or recording of their ballot.

2.) It shall be unlawful for any election official, poll worker, or government employee to deny any person eligible to vote in any election in the Southern Region the freedom to carry a weapon or firearm into a polling place, provided that person is otherwise legally eligible to carry a weapon or firearm, and the weapon or firearm is not brandished in a menacing or threatening manner.

3.) Any person who brandishes a weapon or firearm within 200 feet of a polling place with the intent to scare, influence, intimidate, or disrupt any voter, shall be guilty of a class 6 felony,  and shall be imprisoned for not more than 6 months and fined not more than $2,500.

[Mr. Reactionary]

More Doctors and Hospitals Act

Be it enacted:

1.) No State in the Southern Region may require any hospital or other healthcare provider to acquire a certificate of need in order to operate.

2.) No State in the Southern Region may prohibit the corporate practice of healthcare.

3.) No State in the Southern Region may prohibit fee-sharing agreements between healthcare providers or between healthcare providers and insurers.

4.) It shall be unlawful for any licensed healthcare provider to refer patients to themself or to a party in which the provider maintains a fee sharing agreement. Violation of this rule shall result in fines or loss of license to practice.

5.) Any licensed healthcare provider in the Southern Region shall be required to annually report the minimum, maximum, and average costs of all procedures for which they bill to the Regional Insurance Commissioner. The Commissioner shall publish these rates on an online price database.

6.) Any licensed healthcare provider in the Southern Region shall be required to contact or attempt to contact any patient seeking treatment for chest pain, hypertension, asthma complications, anaphylactic shock, or diabetes complications within 2 weeks of treatment. Failure to do so shall result in fines.

7.) No State in the Southern Region may limit the scope of practice of Nurse practioners or optometrists in areas for which they are adequately trained.

8.) State Attorneys General Offices shall be empowered to investigate healthcare provider billing practices within their borders. They shall be entitled to keep a portion of any improprieties found. Fraudulent providers shall be fined or have their license to practice suspended.

9.) Non-profit healthcare facilities which provide at least 15% of all on-site services annually to indigent care, shall be free from property taxes.

10.) Any Doctor, nurse, or healthcare worker providing essential ancillary services, who is licensed to perform healthcare services in the Southern Region shall be prohibited from striking.

11.) A study shall be conducted on how much it would cost to operate Telemedicine portals in select public schools after hours which allow doctors to treat patients. The study shall include potential revenue from licensed insurers who wish to have network doctors treat subscribers.

12.) A study shall be conducted on how much it would cost for each State in the Southern Region to construct and operate a government hospital which prioritizes financially stressed citizens. The study shall assume that cost growth for treatment only increases at the rate of inflation. The study shall also include the costs and benefits of the Regional Government negotiating bulk drug purchases for distribution to admitted patients at State hospitals.

13.) A study shall be conducted on how much it would cost the Southern Region to increase funding to State Medical Schools by 15%. The study shall also include the cost of offering an annual scholarship program for general practice medical students, which covers the tuition of 50 students. The study shall also include the costs of waiving state medical school debt for any medical school graduates who elect to work in a State Hospital or impoverished area for 5 years.

14.) A State or private healthcare provider may impose a surcharge of up to 5% on non-southerners who consume healthcare services in the Southern Region.

[Mr. Reactionary]

The Keyword in Disabled People is People Act

Be it enacted:

1.) It shall be the official policy of the Southern Region, whenever possible, to offer 10% of Regional contracts for the purchase of goods or services, to firms that are either owned by a person who qualifies as physically disabled under National law, or to firms which maintain a policy of reserving up to 10% of qualifying jobs for capable workers who qualify as physically disabled under National law.

2.) A qualifying job under the Act, is defined as any job for which a physically disabled person can adequately perform the necessary tasks.

3.) Any person receiving payments from a government program who elects to have a fiduciary receive those payments under the regulations of that government program, shall not be considered mentally incompetent for the purpose of purchasing or owning firearms, unless that person has been adjudicated as mentally incompetent by a Judge in an independent judicial proceeding where the person if afforded full due process of law. Nothing in this subsection grants any Court additional jurisdiction to hear requests for a declaration of mental incompetency.

4.) It shall not be considered unlawful discrimination for any private club, gymnasium, hotel, or motel swimming pool to lack a mechanized lift designed for the purpose of lowering the physically disabled into the swimming pool.

5.) $2,000 from the general treasury is hereby authorized and appropriated to the City of Gaffney, South Carolina to assist in the rennovation of their water tower commonly known as the Peachoid.

6.) This act shall take effect 1 year from the date of passage.

[Mr. Reactionary]

Can we bump this up ahead of all of the other 70000 bills?


Amendments  to the Constitution

You must be logged in to read this quote.

Dont worry, without any cosponsors or the presiding officer of the chamber's discretion (hint hint) the rules cap an individual delegate at 2 of their own bills on the floor at a time, so the only bills in front of you are Saint's bill re: evacuations and Governor Leinad's bill re: chamber size. And again, its perfectly within the rules for the presiding officer to put all 3 on the floor today (hint hint) as long as no one objects (which i won't).

Alternatively, there is a never used but always free spot for bills introduced by civilians in the legislative referral thread, so if a non-elected atlasian happened to introduce an identically worded bill in that thread (hint hint) the bill would get priority floor time as well.

https://uselectionatlas.org/FORUM/index.php?topic=208051.0

[Mr. Reactionary]

If pre-filing is allowed, all subsequent bills I post are being pre-filed:

Nature Calls Act

Be it enacted:

1.) Any person who is successfully prosecuted and convicted of urinating outdoors in public, shall not be required to register as a sexual offender, provided the person took reasonable steps to conceal themselves and lacked a lascivious intent while performing the act.

[Mr. Reactionary]

Health Insurance Reform Act

Be it enacted:

1.) The office of Regional Insurance Commissioner is hereby created. The Regional Insurance Commissioner shall be appointed by the Governor and perform those duties required of it by statute.

2.) Entities licensed to provide insurance within any State in the Southern Region, may apply with the Regional Insurance Commissioner to receive the designation of Insurer of Last Resort (ILR). Any ILR must reapply for this status every 3 years.

3.) An ILR must provide insurance coverage to any potential subscriber, including those who may have difficulty obtaining insurance coverage from traditional providers.

4.) An ILR must provide insurance plans which cover the following:

A) Primary care and prevention services, including the cost of a complete physical every 2 years;

B) Inpatient care;

C) Outpatient care;

D) Emergency care;

E) Prescription drugs, unless an adequate over-the-counter drug is available. Nothing in this act shall prohibit an ILR from negotiating bulk drug purchases and then distributing the prescription drugs at network facilities;

E) Durable medical equipment, allowing for reasonable annual limits on non-life sustaining DME costs. ILRs may also refuse to cover motorized wheel chairs for persons who have normal use of hands and arms;

F) Long-term care, allowing for an ILR to prioritize the use of home health workers;

G) Palliative care;

H) Mental health services, allowing for reasonable annual limits on in-person psychiatric counseling;

I) Medically necessary dental surgery, an annual dental checkup, and a non-emergency dental x-ray every 3 years. Cosmetic dentistry and teeth whitening services may be excluded from coverage;

J) Substance abuse treatment services, allowing for the exclusion of hair, blood, saliva, or urine drug testing;

K) Chiropractic services, subject to referral from a licensed doctor specializing in musculoskeletal treatment;

L) Medically necessary eye and vision surgery, and an eye exam every 18 months. Laser vision corrective surgery may be excluded, unless glasses or contact lenses would not function as a medically adequate substitute;

M) Hearing services, including tests to determine if hearing aides are necessary and at what degree of amplification;

N) Podiatric care, including a pair of medically necessary orthotics;

O) Intrauterine Devices and Cervical caps;

P) End of Life Care, allowing for reimbursement limits for such care in a hospital to be capped at the rate negotiated for a hospice facility;

Q) Phone and internet consultation services for medical services;

R) Hormone Therapy and Gender Reassignment Surgery. Breast augmentation, facial feminization surgery, and hair removal services may be excluded.

5.) Any entity licensed as an ILR shall be exempt from anti-trust laws when negotiating volume based Most Favored Nation clauses (MFN) with non-profit healthcare providers. Any licensed insurer in the Southern Region which is not also an ILR, may be prohibited from negotiating lower pricing agreements with non-profit healthcare providers subject to an MFN. ILRs however may negotiate lower reimbursement rates with a non-profit healthcare provider who is subject to a MFN clause negotiated by a different ILR.

6.) Any insurer licensed in a State in the Southern Region may sell its policies in any other State in the Southern Region.

7.) No citizen shall be forced into commerce through a mandate to buy insurance.

8.) It shall be unlawful for any licensed insurer to ration healthcare services which are mandated by law.

9.) Any licensed insurer may consider the following factors when calculating an individual subscriber's premium or cost-sharing:

A) Life expectancy;

B) Current health factors and diagnoses, provided the cost of any physical required by an insurer to determine individual premiums shall be paid for by the insurer.

C) Community rating;

D) Gaps in coverage history;

E) Gym membership or participation in a regular yoga class;

F) Participation in tobacco or illegal drug counseling;

G) Tobacco or Illegal Drug cessation;

H) Routinely vaccinating;

I) Weight loss;

J) Undergoing bariatric surgery;

K) Participation in chronic disease management counseling;

L) Participation in youth or inter/intramural sports;

M) Undergoing routine physicals or cancer screenings;

N) Routine blood, blood plasma, or bone marrow donations;

O) Registering as an organ donor;

P) Any other relevant risk factors, subject to disapproval by the Regional Insurance Commissioner during a rate review.

10.) All licensed insurers must file the maximum price at which they reimburse for medical expenses with the Regional Insurance Commissioner annually. The Commissioner shall publish these rates on an online Maximum Price Portal Database.

11.) It shall be unlawful for a licensed insurer to increase a subscriber's premiums by more than 20% per year. Any annual increase over 12% must be actuarially justified to the Regional Insurance Commissioner.

12.) It shall be unlawful for a licensed insurer to drop a subscriber from coverage merely for consuming healthcare services or for developing a medical condition during coverage.

13.) It shall be unlawful for a licensed insurer to refuse to allow any subscriber's offspring aged 22 or younger from remaining on a family plan as long as premium payments are maintained.

14.) Any licensed insurer who reimburses through a fee-for-service formula must reduce existing billing codes by 1/3, subject to an audit after 3 years by the Regional Insurance Commissioner. Newly licensed insurers must adopt a bundled payment formula.

15.) Insurers may offer a bonus payment to healthcare providers for consistent outcomes which reduce readmittance, however no ILR may negotiate a bonus payment which exceeds their alternative reimbursement rate by 18%.

16.) No licensed Insurer, other than an ILR, shall be permitted to offer products which offer first-dollar coverage or which categorically exclude co-pays. Non-ILR insurers may not exclude co-pays until an annual deductible of at least $300 has been met.

17.) No licensed insurer may charge a subscriber who must seek immediate medical attention at an out-of-network hospital, more than the highest negotiated MFN rate the hospital is subject to.

18.) No licensed insurer may sell a product which imposes a dollar limit cap on lifetime healthcare consumption.

19.) Any licensed Insurer shall be permitted to offer the following products in any State in the Southern Region:

A) Products providing lump sum payments in the event of a critical illness;

B) Products covering changes in health status;

C) Products targeted at high risk populations as a supplement to the federal high risk pool;

D) Products in which multiple businesses pool together to obtain more favorable rates;

E) Products which exclude certain federally mandated health services for persons who religiously object to such procedures;

F) Long-term care insurance in which the benefit formula growth is pegged to investment income growth; and

G) Products covering lawful abortion services.

20) Home healthcare workers subject to a contact or subcontract for the provision of home health services with an ILR, shall not be permitted to strike or collectively bargain about limitations on providing home health services covered under an insurance agreement.

21.) The Regional Insurance Commissioner shall audit each licensed insurer's investment portfolio annually. An entity shall be created to insure the investments of health insurance companies, funded by an annual surcharge to be determined each year by the Regional Insurance Commissioner.

22.) No broker contracted to sell insurance plans shall receive compensation in the form of a commission on sales.

23.) No licensed insurer may exit a regional market or end a particular product without publishing notice 1 year in advance with the Regional Insurance Commissioner.

24.) Annually, the Regional Insurance Commissioner shall set a capped rate at which healthcare providers may seek reimbursement for the following services:

A) Air ambulances;

B) Non-emergency medical transportation;

C) Medical tests;

D) Drugs distributed during hospitalization; and

E) Non-medical room and board costs during hospitalization.

[Mr. Reactionary]

Faster Automobiles Save Time Act

Be it enacted:

1.)  This Act shall be referred to as the FAST Act

2.) The maximum speed on all State highways shall be 80 Miles per Hour.

3.) It shall not be considered speeding for a motorist to exceed the posted speed limit while passing another motorist provided the passing motorist:

A) not exceed the posted speed limit by more than 10 miles per hour

B) not pass in a dangerously aggressive or reckless manner

C) not pass a school bus, marked police vehicle, or emergency vehicle

And

D) properly signals their intent to change lanes prior to exiting their lane as well as prior to reentering their original lane.

4.) Unless otherwise posted, there shall be a presumption that a motorist may turn right at a red light, provided the motorist comes to a complete stop, the roadway is clear in both directions, and the motorist properly signals their intent to turn prior to turning.

5.) It shall be unlawful for any State or locality in the Southern Region to utilize red light cameras, unless given an express waiver by the Southern Chamber.

6.) The Virginia ban on possessing or operating radar detector technology in private cars is hereby repealed.

7.) Within the Southern region, no Regional, State, or Local law enforcement officers may treat the mere display of an air freshener, religious totem, or other decorative item from an interior rear view mirror in a private vehicle, as probable cause justifying a traffic stop. 
   
8.) This act shall take effect 1 year from the date of passage.

[Mr. Reactionary]

More Doctors and Hospitals Act

Be it enacted:

1.) No State in the Southern Region may require any hospital or other healthcare provider to acquire a certificate of need in order to operate.

2.) No State in the Southern Region may prohibit the corporate practice of healthcare.

3.) No State in the Southern Region may prohibit fee-sharing agreements between healthcare providers or between healthcare providers and insurers.

4.) It shall be unlawful for any licensed healthcare provider to refer patients to themself or to a party in which the provider maintains a fee sharing agreement. Violation of this rule shall result in fines or loss of license to practice.

5.) Any licensed healthcare provider in the Southern Region shall be required to annually report the minimum, maximum, and average costs of all procedures for which they bill to the Regional Insurance Commissioner. The Commissioner shall publish these rates on an online price database.

6.) Any licensed healthcare provider in the Southern Region shall be required to contact or attempt to contact any patient seeking treatment for chest pain, hypertension, asthma complications, anaphylactic shock, or diabetes complications within 2 weeks of treatment. Failure to do so shall result in fines.

7.) No State in the Southern Region may limit the scope of practice of Nurse practioners or optometrists in areas for which they are adequately trained.

8.) State Attorneys General Offices shall be empowered to investigate healthcare provider billing practices within their borders. They shall be entitled to keep a portion of any improprieties found. Fraudulent providers shall be fined or have their license to practice suspended.

9.) Non-profit healthcare facilities which provide at least 15% of all on-site services annually to indigent care, shall be free from property taxes.

10.) Any Doctor, nurse, or healthcare worker providing essential ancillary services, who is licensed to perform healthcare services in the Southern Region shall be prohibited from striking.

11.) A study shall be conducted on how much it would cost to operate Telemedicine portals in select public schools after hours which allow doctors to treat patients. The study shall include potential revenue from licensed insurers who wish to have network doctors treat subscribers.

12.) A study shall be conducted on how much it would cost for each State in the Southern Region to construct and operate a government hospital which prioritizes financially stressed citizens. The study shall assume that cost growth for treatment only increases at the rate of inflation. The study shall also include the costs and benefits of the Regional Government negotiating bulk drug purchases for distribution to admitted patients at State hospitals.

13.) A study shall be conducted on how much it would cost the Southern Region to increase funding to State Medical Schools by 15%. The study shall also include the cost of offering an annual scholarship program for general practice medical students, which covers the tuition of 50 students. The study shall also include the costs of waiving state medical school debt for any medical school graduates who elect to work in a State Hospital or impoverished area for 5 years.

14.) A State or private healthcare provider may impose a surcharge of up to 5% on non-southerners who consume healthcare services in the Southern Region.

[Mr. Reactionary]

Removal of Barriers to Electric Car Purchases Act

Be it enacted:

1.) All restrictions on the direct sale of automotive vehicles from a manufacturer to a consumer, in the States of Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Maryland, Missouri, Texas, Virginia, and West Virginia,  are hereby repealed.

[Mr. Reactionary]

Tort Reform Act

Be it enacted:

1.) In any civil action in which monetary damages are awarded and punitive damages are available, no punitive damages may be awarded in excess of 4 times the amount of the damages award.

2.) In any medical malpractice action in which non-economic damages are claimed, no non-economic damages may be awarded exceeding $500,000.

3.) Any presiding judge with proper jurisdiction shall have the power of remittitur, to reduce a jury award which has improperly exceeded the punitive damages or non-economic damages limit, to an amount that complies with this law.

4.) No person who has a financial interest in the outcome of a civil action shall be eligible to serve as an expert witness. A financial interest does not include a party compensating an expert witness a reasonable amount for their time and expenses.

5.) No attorney licensed to practice in the Southern Region shall agree to represent a plaintiff in a civil action in exchange for a contingency fee exceeding 30% of the final award. Any attorney licensed to practice in the Southern Region must report any contingency fee agreement they have agreed to exceeding 25%, to any bar association to which they are a member. If the bar association determines that the fee agreement is excessive, they may require the attorney to modify the contingency fee agreement, but not below 25%.

6.) No person may maintain a civil action against any farmer, restaurant, food vendor, or food distributor, wherein a claim for damages is demanded on the grounds that food which was privately purchased or donated and then consumed resulted in the plaintiff becoming obese.

7.) Any attorney licensed to practice in the Southern Region, who introduces 3 or more civil actions in the same calendar year, which are later dismissed as frivolous or improper, shall be required to pay the legal costs of each defendant in those cases which were dismissed for impropriety. Any attorney who is sanctioned under this subsection in 3 consecutive  calendar years, or who is sanctioned under this subsection in a total of 5 calendar years, shall have their license to practice suspended for 1 calendar year.

8.) Any drug manufacturer sued in the region for product defects shall have the affirmative defense that the drug complied with all required FDA testing requirements and was deemed safe by the agency prior to marketing.

9.) Any healthcare provider who provides charitable care to an indigent patient shall be immune from medical malpractice claims unless they are found grossly negligent.

10.) Medical malpractice lawsuits shall be barred after 2 years from the date the tort is discovered.

11.) A special administrative law court specializing in vaccine injuries shall be established. The recovery amount shall be set annually by the Regional Insurance Commissioner. The vaccine court shall not have jurisdiction to adjudicate claims that vaccination caused autism.

[Mr. Reactionary]

Of Course My Rights Apply When Voting Act

Be it enacted:

1.) It shall be unlawful for any election official, poll worker, or government employee to deny any person eligible to vote in any election in the Southern Region the freedom to take a voluntary photograph or recording of their ballot.

2.) It shall be unlawful for any election official, poll worker, or government employee to deny any person eligible to vote in any election in the Southern Region the freedom to carry a weapon or firearm into a polling place, provided that person is otherwise legally eligible to carry a weapon or firearm, and the weapon or firearm is not brandished in a menacing or threatening manner.

3.) Any person who brandishes a weapon or firearm within 200 feet of a polling place with the intent to scare, influence, intimidate, or disrupt any voter, shall be guilty of a class 6 felony,  and shall be imprisoned for not more than 6 months and fined not more than $2,500.

[Mr. Reactionary]

Revenue Increases Act

Be it enacted:

1.) Any State in the Southern Region which charges a licensing fee for permission to hunt or fish within the territory of their State, or a rental fee for hunting cabins on State land, shall be required to readjust their fee every 3 years to reflect the change in inflation as measured by the consumer price index. If such a State feels that an adjustment would be harmful, it may request a waiver from the Southern Chamber. Nothing in this sub section shall prevent a State from increasing the fee charged to reflect budgetary need or costs other than inflation.

2.) It shall be the policy of the Southern Region to increase the number of trees sold as timber on government lands by 25% over current levels.

3.) The following special excise taxes in the Southern Region shall be increased by 10%:
A) beer
B) wine
C) alcoholic spirits
D) tobacco
E) cannabis
F) wagers

4.) A study shall be conducted identifying all golf courses in the Southern Region which are owned or operated by a State or local government, as well as the cost savings and new revenue that would result if all were sold.

5.) The Southern Region hereby conveys a parcel of land in Virginia measuring 280 acres to the adjacent Blue Ridge Scouting Reservation.

6.) A study shall be conducted on the cost of and potential revenue from a hypothetical long-term nuclear waste repository in southwest Texas.

7.) The West Virginia tax on soft drinks and soft drink syrup is hereby repealed.

[Mr. Reactionary]

Environmental Policy Act

Be it enacted:

1.) Any entity licensed to do business in the Southern Region which maintains a policy of quarterly auditing  its business practices to ensure environmental compliance, shall not be prosecuted for violating any environmental regulation, provided the entity or any of its officers or employees: a) had no actual knowledge of the violation prior to the audit b) was not unreasonable in believing it was complying with all environmental regulations c) reports the violation to the government department with proper jurisdiction over enforcement, and d) re-attains compliance with all environmental regulations.

2.) If any Regional, State, or local government in the Southern Region is required to conduct an environmental impact study, it may instead choose to offer an environmental impact study conducted by another Regional, State, or local government in the Southern Region, or the national government of Atlasia, provided the Environmental impact study being offered is less than 8 years old and is substantially similar to the new study the government would otherwise be required to conduct. An older Environmental impact study is substantially similar, when it: a) involves the same type of governmental act for which the new environmental impact study is required b.) addresses general environmental factors that must be considered c.) does not omit discussion of any local environmental factors which must be considered d.) includes proposed alternative actions which are feasible for the new project, and 5.) has not be retracted by the issuing government. Nothing in this sub-section shall eliminate the requirement that a government must provide notice and an opportunity for the public to comment prior to the conclusion of a complete environmental review.

3.) Any small farming enterprise or non-commercial farming enterprise in the Southern Region which is found to be a source of soil or fertilizer pollution introduced into a stream, lake, or river, shall not be prosecuted for polluting a Regional waterway, provided the pollution is shown by a preponderance of the evidence to be the inevitable result of wind, rain, or other natural phenomena beyond the immediate control of the small or non-commercial farming enterprise, and that adopting mitigative farming methods was not practicable. 

4.) For the purposes of this act, a small farming enterprise is any collective which grows plants (excluding trees harvested for timber but including edible mushrooms) or which raises or breeds animals, and which earns a net of $75,000 or less per year on the sale of the plants or animals produced. A non-commercial farming enterprise is any collective which grows plants (excluding trees harvested for timber but including edible mushrooms) or which raises or breeds animals, and does not sell any of the plants or animals produced.

5.) Any person in the Southern Region who burns trash or garbage shall not be prosecuted for environmental violations if: a) The trash or garbage is burned outside of the geographic border of an incorporated municipality, b) the trash or garbage is burned outdoors, c) the trash or garbage is burned in a safe manner, d) the amount of trash or garbage that is burned in 1 day does not exceed the volume of two 55 Gallon Cylinders.

6.) Nothing in sub-section 3 shall limit a private property owner from filing a civil action  against a small or non-commercial farming enterprise. Nothing in sub-section 5 shall limit a private property owner from filing a civil action against a person who burns trash or garbage.

7.) Due to its association with Santa Claus, providing heat, and spreading cheer among miners throughout the Southern Region, December 2018 is hereby declared Coal Appreciation Month.

8.) Any person in the Southern Region who introduces lead from ammunition or fishing sinkers into the environment incident to hunting or fishing shall not be prosecuted for littering or polluting a regional waterway provided the person has a valid hunting or fishing license in the Southern Region.

9.) Any person in the Southern Region who burns wood in a chimney or stove to heat their domicile shall not be prosecuted for violating any Regional air pollution regulation related to that burning.

10.) Any person in the Southern Region who places or allows to placed, discarded automotive tires on real property they own, shall not be prosecuted for littering or illegal tire disposal, provided the number of tires on any property not exceed 5.

11.) Any person in the Southern Region who discards of cigarette butts upon their own property shall not be cited for littering.

12.) This act shall take effect 1 year from the date of passage.

[Mr. Reactionary]

Nipple Parity Act

Be it enacted:

1.) Any person in any State or Locality in the Southern Region who publicly breastfeeds their infant child shall not be prosecuted for indecent exposure.

2.) Any woman in any State or Locality in the Southern Region who publicly exposes her nipple shall not be prosecuted for indecent exposure unless the State or Locality charging her would similarly charge a man who publicly exposed his nipples.

3.) Nothing in this act shall deprive an owner of private property from prohibiting members of the public from breastfeeding or exposing their nipples while on the property.

[Mr. Reactionary]

Free Speech Protection act

Be it enacted:

1.) Any locality in the Southern Region which requires the posting of a liability bond prior to granting a parade or special event permit, shall be prohibited from considering the potential risk of unaffiliated protesters or counter protesters, when calculating the required coverage amount.

2.) No state or locality within the Southern Region shall create a buffer zone against constitutionally protected speech activities in an outdoor public area, except upon a finding that such a buffer zone is narrowly tailored to protect a compelling state interest and that the buffer zone is the least restrictive means of achieving that interest.

3.) No locality may enforce any noise ordinance which is not based on an easily ascertainable standard.

4.) No State or locality may enforce any special sign or billboard regulations directed at the advertising of alcohol, tobacco, cannabis, or imposing time limits on signs advertising temporary events, political viewpoints, trespassing prohibitions, or the sale of land.

5.) No Court in the Southern Region shall entertain a lawsuit alleging violation of a person's right to publicity more than 5 years after the death of that person.

6.) No Court in the Southern Region shall entertain a lawsuit filed by a Home Owner's Association or the landlord of an Apartment Complex alleging breach of contract for the mere outside or window display of: the national flag of Atlasia, any regional or State flag in Atlasia, any historical flag of the United States or Confederate States, or the POW flag.

7.) Any law in any locality in the Southern Region which prohibits: all in-person solicitation in public, in-person solicitation in public during a specific time but not other times, in-person solicitation unless a permit is required, or in-person solicitation in traffic medians while allowing other types of speech in the same medians, are hereby repealed.

8.) Any person in the Southern Region found sleeping on public property in an area that is freely accessible may be asked to leave the area by a law enforcement officer with proper jurisdiction. No person asked to leave under such circumstances shall be prosecuted for loitering, trespassing, or camping without a permit, provided the person leaves the area within a reasonable amount of time after the request.

9.) Nothing in subsection 7 of this act shall prevent a local government in the Southern Region from prohibiting persons from physically obstructing persons in public, from prohibiting true threats or harassment incident to in-person solicitation, or from prohibiting all speech activities in its roadways and traffic medians, provided the public safety requires it.

10.) The ban on wearing masks in public in Georgia, Florida, North Carolina, Virginia, Washington D.C., and West Virginia, are hereby repealed. Nothing in this sub-section shall prevent any Regional, State, or local government employee from lawfully requiring a person wearing a mask to temporarily remove the mask so as to ascertain identity.

11.) No public or private employer shall require any employee to join or pay money to any religious body, political party, social club, or other organization or association, other than occupational licensing groups or groups which train or certify persons in certain skills used during employment.

12.) This act shall take effect 6 months from the date of passage.

[Mr. Reactionary]

Let Your Colors Burst Act

Be it enacted:

1.) In any civil action in the Southern Region, the safe and proper use of fireworks in an outdoor setting shall not constitute an ultra-hazardous activity under a theory of strict liability.

[Mr. Reactionary]

Protecting Citizens and Police Act

Be it enacted:

1.) A Police Body Armor and Body Camera Trust Fund shall be created within the Regional Budget Office.

2.) The Southern Regional Police and all local Police Departments within the Southern Region shall conduct an inventory of armored vehicles, firearms and firearm accessories. Any such equipment identified as excess or surplus shall be surrendered to the Regional Budget Office to be auctioned to members of the public, provided they are otherwise lawfully eligible to purchase firearms. All proceeds shall be credited into the Police Body Armor and Body Camera Trust Fund.

3.) Unless amended by future statute, distributions to police departments from the trust fund shall be in proportion to the value of the excess equipment surrendered.

4.) The Southern Regional government shall purchase 10,000 troy ounces of silver bullion and commission the minting of 10,000 non legal tender, silver, 1 troy oz commemorative tokens, to be sold to the public at $32 per token.

5.) Each token shall include on the obverse, "Southern Region 2017" as well as a sculpting to be approved by the governor, of Andy Griffith's character from the Andy Griffith show walking hand in hand to the fishing hole with Ron Howard's character.

6.) Each token shall include on the reverse, "In Dave We Trust" as well as a sculpting to be approved by the governor,  of Andy Griffith's character from Matlock.

7.) All proceeds from the sale of these tokens shall be deposited in the Police Body Armor and Body Camera Trust Fund.

[Mr. Reactionary]

Celebrating our Southern Region Commemorative Coins Act

A bill to raise much needed atlasia money for schools and poor people programs

Be it enacted:

1.) The Southern Regional government shall purchase 190,000 troy ounces of silver bullion and commission the minting of 190,000 non legal tender, silver, 1 troy oz commemorative tokens, to be sold to the public at $35 per token. Each State in the Southern Region shall be represented by an individual design, which shall be struck on 10,000 tokens.

2.) The obverse of each token shall contain a sculpting of the State being honored, the name of the State being honored,  the year, and "In Dave, we trust".

3.) The reverse of each token shall have the name and a sculpting of a famous person from the corresponding State, as specified herein:

A) Virginia - Thomas Jefferson

B) North Carolina  - Billy Graham

C) South Carolina - James Brown

D) Georgia - Paula Deen

E) Florida - Terri Schiavo

F)  Alabama - George Washington Carver

G) Mississippi - Oprah Winfrey

H) Tennessee - Elvis Presley

I) Kentucky - Harland Sanders

J) Missouri - Maya Angelo

K) Arkansas - Douglass MacArthur

L) Louisiana - Huey Long

M) Texas - Sam Houston

N) Oklahoma - Stand Watie

O) Kansas - Langston Hughes

P) West Virginia - Don Knotts

Q) Maryland - Frederick Douglass

R) Delaware - Joe Biden

S) Washington DC - Samuel Jackson

4.) The governor shall have final approval over all designs.

5.) All proceeds from the sale of these tokens shall be deposited in the general treasury.