Legislation Introduction Thread

[CheeseWhiz]

Thanks, Ebowed

[CheeseWhiz]

Designation of Forgotten Atlasians Holiday Bill

1. September 3rd shall hereby be declared Forgotten Atlasians Day.
2. This day shall be a national holiday.
3. Atlasians who no longer post or who have left shall be remembered on this day for their time in and, if applicable, their service to Atlasia.

Change to the day John last posted please

I thought about doing that, but since Dec. 31st is a (sorta) holiday already, I changed to the last time Nym90 was active.

[CheeseWhiz]

So, we’re all for regional rights until they do something we don’t like?  Doesn’t seem right to me.

[CheeseWhiz]

While you can certainly classify me as one of those concerned citizens, I fear that this amendment takes it too far in the opposite direction.  While I am opposed to the abolition of the public school system, I am also not supportive of writing a "right to education" into law:  I believe that parents may withhold their children from regular schooling if they wish, whether it be for homeschooling or for other purposes.  Therefore I would be opposed to the amendment in its current form.

I don't see anything in that amendment prohibiting homeschooling.  All it's saying is that, if someone is homeschooled, it needs to be a "full-time systematic instruction of basic life skills and knowledge", given by an adult.  The adult may very well be the child's parent.

Is this going to lead to Government testing?  Because I'd really hate that…

[CheeseWhiz]

Is this going to lead to Government testing?  Because I'd really hate that…

I never said that I supported the amendment, only that it wouldn't ban homeschooling.

Oh, I know!  I wasn’t saying you did, but I was just asking if you thought it would.

[CheeseWhiz]

Is this going to lead to Government testing?  Because I'd really hate that…

I never said that I supported the amendment, only that it wouldn't ban homeschooling.

Oh, I know!  I wasn’t saying you did, but I was just asking if you thought it would.

I don't immediately see why it would.

Okay, just making sure.  I’m not very good at translating the laws, just making them, (and that’s up for debate )

[CheeseWhiz]

I would like to re-introduce the Forgotten Atlasian Days Bill now that Ebowed isn't sponsoring it.

Does this mean it goes to the back of the line, or does it get to keep its place?

[CheeseWhiz]

The Right to Life Amendment has been bumped up the agenda, pending agreement of the Veep.

Reason for this is to at least begin discussing the idea before Ebowed and PBrunsel leave the Senate.

I really don't think this is a good idea.  The Right to Life Amendment isn't important, and doesn't need to be bumped.  Ebowed and PBrunsel choose not to run for reelection, and with that they had to sacrifice being able to vote on a lot of things.  They can still enter the discussion as citizens.

[CheeseWhiz]

Why?  Can't it wait its turn?

[CheeseWhiz]

I didn't say it was illegal, but I'm starting to get upset with Al:  he keeps bumping unimportant legislation.  That power should be used very little, and only when the legislation is important.

[CheeseWhiz]

Al, you can’t just pull this stuff from the floor!  I’m sorry, but this is totally uncalled for.  What, if I get to be PPT should I remove the Children’s “Rights” Amendment?  PPT’s are not there to remove things from the floor because they want to see other stuff go first.  You know that they are at least three Senators who support these, they have just as much right to go onto the floor as the Right to Life Amendment.

[CheeseWhiz]

Might I suggest leaving the NASA Auction and the 5% lowering of defense spending? Those are actually the only good ones.

And who are you to judge what's good and what's not?

Al, it says:
"If the PPT determines that a piece of legislation is functionally impractical, frivolous, or is directly unconstitutional, he may, in a public post on the Legislation Introduction thread, remove said legislation from the Senate floor. "

How is it any of these things?

[CheeseWhiz]

Well, his reasoning is that it is functionally impratical to keep them on the floor, so he did use that criterion.

I don't see how.  How's it any less practical than the Children's Rights Amendment?  Or the Right to Life Amendment for that matter?

[CheeseWhiz]

Al, we voted to delay working on the Budget, that doesn’t mean we can’t vote on cutting or reducing the budget of some of these programs.

[CheeseWhiz]

Fine, whatever, doesn’t look like I’m gonna have any say in the matter *sigh*

I just think that was put into the OSPR for bills that Naso would propose, not legitimate bills that have support from more than one Senator.  I think doing this is over stepping your bounds, even if it isn’t against the rules.  I hope Daniel challenges this, these bills have every right to get their time on the floor.

[CheeseWhiz]

I’m just saying that cutting programs isn't exclusive to creating the budget.  I see no urgent legislation, so I can't understand why Al is removing this.  Al, no need to get upset, I didn't mean to make you angry   If I were PPT, I would let them stay and vote on them.

[CheeseWhiz]

I’m just saying that cutting programs isn't exclusive to creating the budget.  I see no urgent legislation, so I can't understand why Al is removing this.

But the thing is that appropriation bills are only for times after a budget has already been approved.  If you still have a budget pending, there is literally no purpose in considering spending bills because we can just apply all of them in one big package to the budget instead of allocating debate time for and voting on each one individually.

I guess you right   I’m sorry for overreacting Al   But, does the PPT have anyway to suspend them or something?

[CheeseWhiz]

But, does the PPT have anyway to suspend them or something?

I'm not sure I understand this question.

Sorry, I still haven't had enough time to read over the OSPR.  What would tabling them do?

[CheeseWhiz]

But, does the PPT have anyway to suspend them or something?

I'm not sure I understand this question.

Sorry, I still haven't had enough time to read over the OSPR.  What would tabling them do?

Tabling a bill is essentially a motion that any senator can bring on a bill that will remove the bill from consideration before debate time is up if a majority of senators (or two-thirds... I don't remember which) vote in favor of the motion.  It's essentially another safeguard against time-wasting legislation that will obviously fail for when the PPT doesn't remove the bill from consideration.

Nuts.  Well then, I guess Al's decision wasn't that bad after all...   If only Defarge were active, we could bump the legislation that's behind these bills up, so that we could wait until we were done with the budget to debate these.

[CheeseWhiz]

I’m sorry for overreacting Al

Don't be; it's nice to see someone new around here that's actually *keen*

Thanks

[CheeseWhiz]

Secretary of Forum Affairs Separation of Duties Bill

1. Article VIII, Section 2, Clause 2 shall be amended to read:

"The Secretary of the Department of Forum Affairs shall be responsible for administering all elections to the Presidency and the Senate, and the Deputy Secretary shall be responsible for maintaining the voter rolls."

2. Section 1 will take effect next Presidential term.


How's that?

[CheeseWhiz]

Assuming that the regions and the federal government operate their own prison systems (drawing on the US model), is this strictly for federal prisoners on death row, or does this also extend to those at the regional level as well?

Yes, I was wondering the same thing.  I definitely support this if it is the former, and strongly oppose the latter.

[CheeseWhiz]

Energy Policy Reform Act

Section One
1. Current subsidies for ethanol production, sales, devepolment and research shall be repealed.
2. Tax credits for ethanol production, sales, devepolment and research, inclding examptions from the federal fuel tax, and tax credits and deductions from the corporate or personal income taxes shall be repealed.

Section Two
1. The Department of Energy shall be abolished.
2. All the domestic energy programs under control of the department of energy shall be abolished.
3. The National Nuclear Security Administration shall be transfered to the Department of Defense.

Section Three
1. The Federal Government shall sell all the oil in the Strategic Oil Reserve, after which that program shall be terminated.

Section Four
1. The Federal Energy Regulatory Comission, the Energy Information Administration, and the Office of Civilian Radioactive Waste Management shall become independent agencies within the executive branch.

Section Five
1. The Price-Anderson Act is hereby repealed.

Section Six
1. All Money raised and/or saved under this Act's provisions shall be apropriated for the amortization of the National Public Debt.

Authored by and introduced for Bono