7th Council of Lincoln Legislative Introduction Thread

[CookieDamage]

Hospital Relief Bill

Introduced by Councilor CookieDamage (NJ)

This bill will establish an emergency fund of $125 Billion for hospitals in the Lincoln Region. It will also aim to keep struggling rural hospitals open for the next five (5) years due to the threat of COVID resurgences despite any financial insolvency.

Section I – Definition

A. Hospitals are defined as health care institutions where patients receive medical treatment. Hospitals may include specialized staff as well as emergency departments and intensive care units.
 
B. Rural hospitals are defined as those hospitals located outside of urbanized or suburban areas, and those in areas with typically less than 2,500 inhabitants.

C. Rural hospital closures are defined as rural hospitals which have severely reduced the capacity and scope in patient treatment.

D. Abandoned rural hospitals are rural hospitals which have ceased all operation entirely and are thus shuttered.

Section II – Emergency Fund

A. The Lincoln Council will establish an emergency fund of $100 Billion to be granted to Lincoln hospitals.
 
B. These funds will be administered in the Department of Health and Human Services.
C. There will be established an Inspector General’s office which will provide accountability and oversight.

D. These funds must be used towards patient care and maintaining staff, equipment, and other costs.

E. These funds are not authorized to be used towards increasing salaries of hospital executives.

F. These funds are not authorized to be used towards paying utility bills unless otherwise necessary. What constitutes as necessary will be at the discretion of the Inspector General.

Section III – Rural Hospital Subsidies

A. The Lincoln Council will establish an emergency fund of $25 Billion to subsidize the expenses of rural Lincoln hospitals which are identified to be nearing financial insolvency or bankruptcy.

B. These subsidies will be administered in the Department of Health and Human Services.

C. There will be established an Inspector General’s office which will provide accountability and oversight.

D. The Lincoln Council will subsidize the expenses of these identified hospitals until June 1, 2025.

E. These subsidized expenses include personal protective equipment (PPE hereafter), expenses associated with hiring new staff, as well as power and water utility costs.

F. These subsidized funds will not be used for abandoned rural hospitals which have been closed for more than five years or have closed before May 1, 2015.

G. Abandoned hospitals closed after May 1, 2015 may be eligible to be reopened on a temporary basis using subsidies. This decision will be at the discretion of the Inspector General.

[CookieDamage]

Youth Curfew Abolition Act

Be it enacted:

Section 1: Definition

1. "Youth curfew law" shall be defined as a law or ordinance established by a regional, state, or local government which prohibits or restricts persons of a certain age (usually under age 18) from being outside in public during a certain time of day (usually at night or during school hours), assuming that a state of emergency is not in place.

Section 2: Cutting Down on Curfews

1. All existing youth curfew laws are hereby repealed in Lincoln, effective immediately.
2. Police may not detain a person simply for being outside during a certain time assuming there is no reasonable suspicion said person has committed a crime.

Courtesy of and inspired by Spark's bill in the Southern Chamber. Open to suggestions.

[CookieDamage]

Office of Environmental Justice Bill

Introduced by Councilor CookieDamage (NJ)

A bill which aims to establish the Office of Environmental Justice within the Department of Agriculture and the Environment. This bill will also establish the Environmental Justice Advisory Council which will be an advisory body within the Office of Environmental Justice.

Section I – Definitions

A. Environment – The environment, in this bill, is defined as the natural, biophysical, and built environments in which a person or people interact with and are impacted by. The environment includes the air, water, soil, as well as artificial environments and structures which interact with and impact the health of individuals or groups of people.

B. Justice – Justice, in this bill, is defined as the fair, equitable, and impartial distribution of law, policy, and judicial decisions.

C. Injustice – Injustice, in this bill, is defined as the unfair, unequitable, and partial distribution of law, policy, and judicial decision.

D. Environmental justice – Environmental justice, in this bill, is defined as the fair and equitable treatment of people and communities regarding their natural, biophysical, and built environments. It includes the fair implementation of environmental law, policy, and procedure with no extra burden or benefit placed on persons or groups because of their race or ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, physical ability, socioeconomic status, religion, or cultural identification.

Section II – Establishment and Role of the Office of Environmental Justice and the Environmental Justice and Equity Advisory Council

A. The Council of Lincoln will establish the Office of Environmental Justice within the Department of Agriculture and the Environment.

B. The Office of Environmental Justice (OEJ) will be led by a Department-appointed Coordinator.

C. The OEJ will administer an advisory body known as the Environmental Justice and Equity Advisory Council (EJEAC).

D. The EJEAC will be composed of nineteen members, with spaces reserved for a wide variety of industries, initiatives, non-profit bodies, and community members across Lincoln.

E. Seats of the EJEAC will be filled by qualified applicants as judged by the Department and Office Coordinator.

F.   The OEJ will be responsible for aiding the Department in:

a. The implementation of policies, regulations, and procedures aimed at better addressing instances of environmental injustice.
b. The research and analysis of environmental data.
c. The tracking of health data.
d. The identification of areas vulnerable to environmental injustice.
e. Conduct outreach to communities and municipalities.
f. Act as a liaison between communities and the Department.

Section III – Appropriations

A.   Appropriation will be determined by the Department of Agriculture and the Environment.

Section IV – Implementation

A.   This law shall take effect six months after being signed by the governor.

[CookieDamage]

Since the whole council was MIA for the later process of this piece of legislation I think we should try again

Partial Youth Curfew Abolition and Decriminalization Act

Be it enacted:

Section 1: Definition

1. "Youth curfew law" shall be defined as a law or ordinance established by a regional, state, or local government which prohibits or restricts persons of a certain age (usually under age 18) from being outside in public during a certain time of day (usually at night or during school hours), assuming that a state of emergency is not in place.

Section 2: Cutting Down on Curfews

1. All existing youth curfew laws in Lincoln shall no longer apply to any youth above 10 years of age
2. Police may not detain a person simply for being outside during a certain time assuming there is no reasonable suspicion said person has committed a crime.
3. In the event, that a youth is under 10 years of age, they shall not be detained, arrested, charged, cited, etc. by police for violating a curfew law.

Section 3: Implementation
 
1. No part of this law shall apply to curfews put into place by municipalities, states, or regions that apply to people of all ages.
2. This law shall go into effect 7 months after being signed by the Governor.