The 4th Constitution of the Republic of Atlasia
This thread is for storing complete Articles of the new Constitution on which debate has ended. Once the sausage making of the Convention is done, we will use this thread to discuss any last stylistic changes to the document before proceeding with a final vote.
ARTICLE [TBD]
Section 1 (The Regions)
i. The several states of this Republic shall be apportioned among three contiguous, autonomous Regions.
ii. The northern Region shall consist of the states of Connecticut, Illinois, Indiana, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Wisconsin, and Vermont.
iii. The southern Region shall consist of the states of Alabama, Arkansas, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Puerto Rico, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia.
iv. The western Region shall consist of the states of Alaska, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Iowa, Montana, Minnesota, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Nebraska, Oregon, South Dakota, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming.
v. Each Region shall have the sole authority to designate its Title, and the Titles of the officers of its government, such as they will be recognized by the Republic of Atlasia in all official acts and processes.
Section 2 (The Union)
i. No Region shall secede from this Republic but by a 3/4 vote of the citizens thereof, nor shall any Region, state, or other entity declare itself outside the jurisdiction of this Constitution so long as it remains party to this Union.
Section 3 (Rights and Limitations)
i. The powers not delegated to the Republic of Atlasia by this Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the Regions, are reserved to the Regions respectively, or to the people.
ii. No Region shall enter into any Treaty, Alliance, or Confederation without the express Consent of the Congress.
iii. No Region shall pass any Bill of Attainder or ex post facto Law, nor pass any Act impairing the Obligation of Contracts.
iv. No Region shall lay any Duty on exports and imports except by necessity for the proper enforcement of its Laws, and then only with the express Consent of the Congress; and in such case the net produce of such shall be conferred to the Federal Treasury.
v. No Region shall lay any Duty of Tonnage, nor grant any Title of Nobility, nor maintain Armed Forces in times of peace, nor issue, coin, or recognize as legal tender any currency but that of the Republic of Atlasia.
ARTICLE [TBD]
Section 1 (The Legislature)
i. All legislative powers herein granted shall be vested in the Congress of the Republic of Atlasia, which shall consist of a Senate and a House of Representatives.
ii. The Vice President shall be the President of the Congress, but shall have no vote in the House of Representatives, nor in the Senate save when they be equally divided.
Section 2 (The Senate)
i. The Senate of the Republic of Atlasia shall consist of two Senators from each Region, elected for a term of four months in the manner prescribed by the legislature thereof.
ii. No person shall be a Senator who has not attained 200 or more posts, nor whose account is fewer than 1440 hours old, nor who is not a citizen of the Region they are chosen to represent.
iii. The Senate shall elect its leader and other officers, and shall have sole authority to determine its own methods of proceedings.
iv. Upon the seating of the first Congress, the Senators shall be divided into two Classes of equal size, such that each Class shall consist of one Senator from each of the Regions. Members of the first Class shall be elected in the months of February, June, and October; members of the second Class shall be elected in the months of April, August, and December.
v. The Senate shall have the sole power to try all Impeachments. In all trials of Impeachment, the Chief Justice shall preside, and no person shall be convicted without the concurrence of 2/3 of the sitting Senators.
vi. Vacancies in the Senate shall be filled according to the laws of the effected Region; but in the absence of such a law, the executive power thereof shall have the authority to appoint a replacement to serve the remainder of the existing term.
Section 3 (The House of Representatives)
i. The House of Representatives shall consist of nine Members chosen at-large by the eligible voters of the Republic according to a method of proportional representation prescribed by the Federal Legislature. Representatives shall serve a term of two months, and shall be elected in the months of February, April, June, August, October, and December.
ii. No person shall be a Representative who has not attained 100 or more posts, nor whose account is fewer than 720 hours old, nor who is not a citizen of the Republic of Atlasia.
iii. The House of Representatives shall elect its Speaker and other officers, and shall have sole authority to determine its own methods of proceedings.
iv. The House of Representatives shall have the sole power of Impeachment.
v. Vacancies in the House of Representatives shall be filled by the executive of the effected Party; but should a vacancy occur as the result of the death, expulsion, or resignation of a Representative not being a member of a major Party, then a special election shall be held to chose a replacement to serve the remainder of the existing term.
Section 4 (Rules of Order)
i. Each Houses may adopt rules concerning the discipline and expulsion of its members; but no Senator or Representative shall be expelled but with the concurrence of 2/3 of the members of the effected House.
ii. Each House shall be the judge of its own elections and of the qualifications of its members.
Section 5 (Legislation)
i. Every bill, order, or resolution which shall have passed the Senate and the House of Representatives shall, before it becomes law, be submitted to the judgement of the President. If he approve of it he should sign it; but if he disapproves he should return the bill to the House in which it originated with his objections. If, after considering the objections of the President, both Houses should by a 2/3 vote agree to pass the same bill, it shall become law regardless of the President's objections.
Section 6 (Powers)
i. The Congress shall have the power, except where limited elsewhere by this Constitution, to lay and collect Taxes, Duties, Imposts, and Excises, and to distribute the Revenue thus collected;
to regulate foreign trade and interregional commerce;
to establish uniform laws of naturalization;
to regulate the value and coinage of the national currency;
to establish a uniform system of weights and measures;
to establish post offices and post roads;
to define and punish crimes committed on the high seas;
to declare war, issue letters of marque and reprisal, and make laws governing the capture of land and water;
to raise, support, and regulate the national armed forces;
to admit new states and territories to the Union;
to make laws governing borrowing, lending, and the selling of stocks and bonds;
to confirm or reject nominations for the Supreme Court and the officers of executive departments;
to establish a central national bank;
to make laws necessary for the enforcement of the Constitution and federal law; and
to regulate voter registration and federal elections.
Section 7 (Restrictions)
i. The Privilege of the Writ of Habeas Corpus shall not be suspended, except when in cases of Rebellion or Invasion the public safety may require it.
ii. No Bill of Attainder or Ex Post Facto law shall be passed.
iii. No Tax or Duty shall be laid on articles exported from any Region.
iv. No money shall be drawn from the Treasury but in accordance with the Apportionments made by law.
v. No Title of Nobility shall be granted by the Republic of Atlasia, and accordingly no person holding office under this Constitution shall accept any Title, Rank, or Office from any foreign state except in accordance with federal law.