Legislation Introduction Thread

[Hash]

Fusion Voting Act

1. Any declared candidate for any office in the Republic of Atlasia may opt to appear on the ballot for all major parties offering the candidate an official endorsement.
2. Official endorsements by parties must be certified by the chairman of the party giving the endorsement.
3. The SoFA must be notified of the endorsement at least 5 days in advance by the declared candidate receiving a cross-endorsement.

[tmthforu94]

Sponsering on behalf of Cinyc....

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[afleitch]

Federal Prudence Bill

The Senate recognises that the need for fiscal prudence extends to government employees and representatives:

1.  No Atlasian Government Official shall be entitled to take any credit, deduction or other allowance against that Atlasian Government Official's income if any other Atlasian federal employee is not entitled to or phased out from taking such credit, deduction or allowance due to that employee's income.

2.  No Atlasian Government Official or other Atlasian federal government employee may receive any bonus or other non-periodical compensation of any type at any time during which the Atlasian federal government restricts or otherwise limits the ability of any Atlasian company to compensate its employees in any manner whatsoever.

[Fritz]

Articles of Impeachment- Secretary of Forum Affairs EarlAW

WHEREAS Secretary of Forum Affairs EarlAW has not made a post in any location on the Atlas Forum since November 10, 2009,

and whereas the official voter lists maintained by the Department of Forum Affairs have not been updated since October 15, 2009,

and whereas a federal election in which an active Secretary of Forum Affairs will be needed is scheduled to occur on December 18, 2009,

The Senate of Atlasia does exercise its constitutional power to impeach the Secretary of Forum Affairs.

[MaxQue]

Articles of Impeachment- Secretary of Forum Affairs EarlAW

WHEREAS Secretary of Forum Affairs EarlAW has not made a post in any location on the Atlas Forum since November 10, 2009,

and whereas the official voter lists maintained by the Department of Forum Affairs have not been updated since October 15, 2009,

and whereas a federal election in which an active Secretary of Forum Affairs will be needed is scheduled to occur on December 18, 2009,

The Senate of Atlasia does exercise its constitutional power to impeach the Secretary of Forum Affairs.

December 10th, according to the 24th Amendment, and Lief is probably ready to just appoint someone else, which would be quickly.

[Fritz]

Wow, you're right- the election starts tomorrow! 

Never mind the impeachment thing, there isn't time for that.

[Hash]

Amendment to the Consolidated Electoral System Reform Act

Section 8 of the Consolidated Electoral System Reform Act is amended as follows:

1. The candidacy declaration deadline for regular elections to the Senate shall be twenty-four hours before the earliest possible commencement of the election and for special elections to the Senate shall be twenty-four hours before the commencement of the election.
2. A candidate for a regular or special election to the Senate may withdraw their candidacy up to twenty-four hours before the earliest possible commencement of the election
2. The candidacy declaration deadline for full tickets of a Presidential and Vice-Presidential candidate to declare shall be twenty-four hours before the earliest possible commencement of the election. However, should the Vice-Presidential candidate withdraw his candidacy, then the Presidential candidate may nominate a new Vice-Presidential candidate up to thirty-six hours before the commencement of the election.
3. In all cases, the assent of both the Presidential and Vice-Presidential candidate shall be necessary for them to appear together as a ticket on the ballot.

[Franzl]

Establishment of Opebo Day Bill

1. The sixth of October is hereby designated "Opebo Day", a federal holiday.
2. All federal institutions are to be closed on this day.
3. This is in honor of Opebo's infamous "Max Hardcore" quote which was originally issued on that date in the year of 2005.

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

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Introduced for the Game Moderator.

[Fritz]

President of the Senate Amendment

1. The office of President Pro Tempore of the Senate is hereby abolished.  The Vice-President, as President of the Senate, will perform the duties previously performed by the President Pro Tempore.

2. In the event of a vacancy in the office of Vice-President, the Dean of the Senate shall serve as President of the Senate.

[Fritz]

Instead of the above, this is submitted for consideration.

Amendment to Article 2 of Current Senate Rules, Regulations, and Procedures

Section 1: Powers and Responsibilities of the President Pro-Tempore of the Senate
1.The President Pro-Tempore, to be further known in this document as the PPT, of the Senate, in addition to his powers so stated in the Constitution, shall be the Presiding Officer of the Senate and shall be responsible for upholding the provisions of this Procedural Resolution when it is in his power to do so individually or, as so defined in this document, whenever joint consideration with either the President of the Senate Pro-Tempore or the members of the Senate.
2.The PPT President of the Senate shall also be responsible for maintaining regular contact with the President of the Senate President Pro-Tempore, in case such need arises for joint use of power as laid out under Article 7 of this Procedural Resolution.
3.It is also the PPT’s President of the Senate's responsibility to present himself/herself to the rest of the Senate as an exemplary member and to make sure that the Senate’s debate remains civil and orderly at all times.

Section 2: Powers of the President of the SenatePro-Tempore
1. The President of the Senate, in addition to his powers so stated in the Constitution,Pro-Tempore, to be further known in this document as the PPT, shall retain the powers and prerogatives as the Presiding Officer of the Senate under the following circumstances:

a. A publicly announced absence by the PPTPresident of the Senate from the Atlas Forum.
b. If the PPTPresident of the Senate has been inactive from the Atlas Forum for five (5)seven (7) days.
c. In any case where the PPTPresident of the Senate has failed to uphold the provisions of this Procedural Resolution when it is in his power to do so individually.
d. During any period of time when no Senator person is presently holding the office of PPTPresident of the Senate.
e. the President of the Senate should be absent by reason of exercising responsibility as Acting President of the Republic of Atlasia under the Constitution.
f. A publicly announced conferral of such powers by the President of the Senate.
2. The President of the SenatePPT shall also be responsible for maintaining regular contact with the PPTPresident of the Senate, in case such need arises for joint use of power as laid out under Article 7 of this Procedural Resolution.

3. In the event that the President of the SenatePPT should be absent by reason of (a) exercising responsibility as Acting President of the Republic of Atlasia under the Constitution; (b) vacancy of the Vice Presidency; or (c) having failed to post in the Atlas Forum for a period of no less than 75 days, then the powers given by this Resolution to the President of the SenatePPT shall instead be exercised by the Dean of the Senate.

[afleitch]

Credit Union Start Up Fund Bill

Preamble.

The Senate recognises that poor and vulnerable members of society at times require access to credit and if denied access to credit by banks or financial institutions are in danger of being in debt to loansharks and unscrupulous lenders with little protection. The Senate also recognises the benefits to be found in Credit Unions as a safe an secure manner for all citizens to gain access to credit.

Section 1:
The Senate shall appropriate $100 million to establish a Credit Union Start Up Fund to be administered by the Credit Union Foundation (CUF)

Section 2:
a. Communities may, upon application to the Fund be granted monies to enable them to buy or rent property and set up facilities to establish an active Credit Union in their area.

b. Upon application to the Fund, the Foundation shall approve or reject such applications and appropriate funds in the manner in which it sees fit.

c. Upon further application to the Fund, established Credit Unions may be provided with a loan by the Fund to be repaid to the Fund in terms and conditions to be established by the Credit Union Foundation.

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There we go. I still have to insert where the monies are coming from to cost the bill but I'll edit the bill once I've been through the appropriate legislation.

[Hash]

Foreign Aid Clarification Act

1. F.L. 12-7: Foreign Aid Accountability Act is hereby repealed.

2. The Secretary of External Affairs shall be required to provide a report to the Senate and the President stating:
(a) The funds allocated to foreign aid, humanitarian special assistance, international assistance and development for the present fiscal year;
(b) Which countries are receiving foreign aid, humanitarian special assistance, international assistance and development; and
(c) How much aid is going to each country.

3. This report shall be delivered at the beginning of every fiscal year and, exceptionally, after the passge of this act.
(a) The President may ask for the drafting of an extraordinary report, at his discretion, at any time during the fiscal year.

4. The funds allocated to the aforementioned programs may be drawn from the budget of the Department of External Affairs, at the Secretary's discretion or allocated by the Senate with the approval of the Senate.

[Badger]

Emergency Initiative for Haiti Earthquake Relief

By it resolved and enacted:

1) The government of Atlasia appropriates $100 million for humanitarian relief, aid, and reconstruction for the victims of the recent devastating earthquake in Haiti.

2) The Atlasian government pledges full cooperation with and support of efforts of the United Nations and NGO relief agencies in efforts to extend relief and security to the people of Haiti.

[Hash]

Cabinet Size Reduction Act

1. F.L. 33-10: Cabinet Restructuring Act 2009 is hereby repealed.

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

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Introduced for Peter and the HAEV

[Mint]

Repeal of the Carbon Import Tax Act
FL 26-2 is repealed.

Repeal of the Carbon Tax Act
FL 20-1 is repealed.

[MaxQue]

The Medical Age of Consent Act

The age of consent for a medical procedure or a psychological treatment shall be 14 years old.

[Badger]

Be it resolved by the Senate:

1) The Senate, while reaffirming Atasia'a ties and friendship with the People's Republic of China, expresses the opposition of the Atlasian people to any efforts by the PRC to militarily upset the decades-long status of territorial boundaries between itself and the government recognized by the Atlasia as the Republic of China, specifically through recent unnecessary aggressive actions threatening the Wuqiu Island chain.

2) The Senate endorses President Lief's recent decision to dispatch the Atlasian Navy Seventh Fleet to the Strait of Taiwan in an effort ensure peace and stability in the region.

3) The Senate calls upon all parties to deescalate further military action and enter diplomatic talks to avoid crisis. The Senate further encourages the Leif Administration to facilitate and even join such talks if invited by the ROC and PRC.

SO RESOLVED.

[tmthforu94]

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Special thanks to Senator Yank for assisting me with this legislation!

[Badger]

The Last Chance for Tax Cheats Bill:

1) The funding of the Atlasian Revenue Service for FY 2010 is increased 15%.

2) Effective 4/16/10 any person, business, corporation or other entity (hereafter: "deadbeat") which has previously failed to duly report and remit taxes owed the Atlasian federal government (hereafter: "government") on income, sales, corporate taxes, capital gains, property, excise or other taxes levied by the government due on or before 4/15/09 may apply to the ARS for tax amnesty as described below.

3) Upon application for tax amnesty the deadbeat shall submit all missing or amended tax return forms for the tax years for which they seek amnesty by 12/31/10. The deadbeat must pay all such back taxes due, plus interest, no later than 12/31/15.

4) For all such taxes timely repaid under section 3 above, no additional ARS administrative penalties nor other criminal liability shall attach for nonpayment or avoidance of said taxes.

5) Any deadbeat against whom a civil or criminal action, complaint or indictment regarding delinquent or unpaid taxes has been filed, or against whom ARS audit proceedings have been initiated, is not eligible to apply for tax amnesty during the pendency of such actions.

6) Filing for tax amnesty does not prohibit the civil and/or criminal prosecution of any deadbeat for other unpaid or delinquent taxes outside the taxes for which amnesty has been applied for and granted.

7) Effective 1/1/11, MRRS administrative penalties for unpaid and delinquent taxes owed on or before 4/15/08 are increased 50% .

[Badger]

The HAEV Cooling Off Period Act.

A) For thirty (30) days following enactment of this bill, and subject to any further extension of modification of this Act:

1) The HAEV may continue to meet and deliberate on the voting status of individuals as currently authorized by law.

2) No decision of that body, however, will have legal effect until the expiration of the above referenced 30 day period, and no voter shall be deregistered by HAEV ruling during that period.

B) Any voter disenfranchised by the HAEV prior to enactment of this legislation shall be restored to full voting rights during the above-referenced 30 day period.

[Mint]

The State Schools Mean State Schools Act

All state universities are tuition free and paid for by taxes, in much the same way as grade K-12.

[Mint]

Capital Punishment Abolition Amendment:

The death penalty may not be given for any crime throughout Atlasia, whether federal or regional.

[Mint]

Informed Consumers Bill
 
1) All packaged goods sold in Atlasia are required to state the country of origin of any and all parts, components, or ingredients used in the manufacturing of the product.

2) Agricultural-based food products are required to have the country of origin listed in visible print next to the product, either on a sign or on a tag.

3) Automobile manufacturers are required to list the country of origin of any and all parts and components in the Owner’s Manual of all vehicles and must provide access to a list of the country of origin of any and all parts and components upon request.