S.20.4.6 - Greyhound Racing Amendment [GOING TO REFERENDUM]

[KoopaDaQuick 🇵🇸]

AN ACT
amending the Southern Constitution to protect our region's canines

BE IT ENACTED BY THE SOUTHERN CHAMBER RESOLVED.

Section 1, TITLE AND DEFINITIONS.
1. The title of this Act shall be, the "Greyhound Racing Amendment."

Section 2, AMENDMENT TEXT.
1. The Southern Constitution shall be amended to read as follows:

i. No person or group authorized to conduct gaming or pari-mutuel operations within the Southern Region shall be permitted to race any member of the Canis Familiaris subspecies with connection to any wager for money or any other thing of value within the Southern Region or her states.
ii. No person or persons within the Southern Region shall wager, whether for money or any other thing of value within the Southern Region or her states, on the outcome of a live dog race occurring in this region.
iii. This amendment to the Southern Constitution shall take effect 365 days after ratification by the voters of the Southern Region.

Sponsor: KoopaDaQuick (Peace - Arkansas)

Minimum 48 hours for debate.

[KoopaDaQuick 🇵🇸]

Greetings, delegates, I urge you to support this amendment.

The safety and well-being of dogs is something important to this region. I mean, just ask Tmth. That's why I think the Southern Region should support this bill. Canine racing, especially the most popular kind, greyhound racing, is a downright cruel and vile act that some people within this region partake in for little more reason than entertainment and gambling. Please vote Aye on this amendment, the dogs will thank you.

[tmthforu94]

Question: what is the reasoning for putting this as a constitutional amendment instead of regular legislation? It seems more appropriate to be a bill. If it were to be in the constitution, I think we need a little more guidance as to where it is to be placed as the amendment is unclear. While my initial thought is it should be a law as opposed to a constitutional amendment, I fully support the intent of this bill and will support passage, though I think some sort of support should be added in to ensure racing dogs are put in good homes as we saw a huge issue with that when Florida banned racing a couple years ago (hence why making this a bill would be better, as then there can be a funding mechanism).

[KoopaDaQuick 🇵🇸]

Question: what is the reasoning for putting this as a constitutional amendment instead of regular legislation? It seems more appropriate to be a bill. If it were to be in the constitution, I think we need a little more guidance as to where it is to be placed as the amendment is unclear. While my initial thought is it should be a law as opposed to a constitutional amendment, I fully support the intent of this bill and will support passage, though I think some sort of support should be added in to ensure racing dogs are put in good homes as we saw a huge issue with that when Florida banned racing a couple years ago (hence why making this a bill would be better, as then there can be a funding mechanism).

Okay, so my idea with creating an amendment was mainly because I wanted to have an amendment on the ballot this month as just having a Senate race and nothing else seemed kinda boring, and racing was the first thing that came to mind as I remember seeing a bunch of ads about question 13 in Florida in 2018. Besides, amendments are a lot more permanent, and this should be the kind of thing that should be protected via more permanent means. However, I'd obviously be in favor of adding on to this act by adding an extra section dedicated to funding stuff like quality homes for greyhounds should this amendment pass.

[Harvey Updyke Jr🌹]

An amendment to increase funding for humane societies would be appropriate combined with an increase in radio advertising earmarked for adopting rescue dogs.

When I was a mere youth here in Alabama, my family had a "rescue" dog who was a greyhound named Hoss.  He was a magnificent doggo.  He could be loud when he wanted to be, but he was mostly friendly.  Hoss was a good boy.  He died at 11 years of age due to pancreatic cancer.  Only god knows what the race track fed him.

RIP Hoss (1993-2004)

[KoopaDaQuick 🇵🇸]

We can add all this stuff in a separate act that can be introduced. For now, I'll motion for a final vote. 24 hours for objections.

[KoopaDaQuick 🇵🇸]

Final vote. 72 hours. AYE, NAY, ABSTAIN.

Aye

[Harvey Updyke Jr🌹]

Aye

[Holy Unifying Centrist]

Aye

[reagente]

Aye

[tmthforu94]

Aye

[fhtagn]

Dog racing is absolutely not a cruel sport and everyone who voted in support of banning it should be ashamed of themselves.

[fhtagn]

Hoss was a good boy.  He died at 11 years of age due to pancreatic cancer.  Only god knows what the race track fed him.

RIP Hoss (1993-2004)

Average greyhound lifespan is 10-14 years. The fact that your family's dog died at that age from cancer does not mean he wasn't taken care of before you guys had him.

[fhtagn]

Greyhounds are a very active breed that LOVE racing. In the vast majority of facilities, the dogs are VERY well taken care of, live very happy lives, and receive the best vet care and nutrition. Mistreated and unhealthy dogs do not race well. Sure, like with all things, a handful of facilities may not be ethical, but that is NOT a justifiable reason to ban the sport as a whole.

It is an absolute shame that delegates are proposing and passing extremely misguided bills.

[Deep Dixieland Senator, Muad'dib (OSR MSR)]

It is an absolute shame that delegates are proposing and passing extremely misguided bills.

Well the most inactive Southern Government in History had to look like they were doing something.

[fhtagn]

We can add all this stuff in a separate act that can be introduced. For now, I'll motion for a final vote. 24 hours for objections.

So rather than trying to improve your trash bill, you'd rather just ram it through? Sure, completely sound logic.

[Harvey Updyke Jr🌹]

Point of order:  can the sergeant-at-arms escort these inebriated loiterers from the premises?

[KoopaDaQuick 🇵🇸]

We can add all this stuff in a separate act that can be introduced. For now, I'll motion for a final vote. 24 hours for objections.

So rather than trying to improve your trash bill, you'd rather just ram it through? Sure, completely sound logic.

No. I figure that would be neat stuff to add in a future bill, but right now the bill at hand is good enough to pass. Besides, all of that stuff proposed would be much better for an act, not a constitutional amendment.

Point of order:  can the sergeant-at-arms escort these inebriated loiterers from the premises?

Seeing as all delegates have voted anyways, I'll lock this thread once I get around to seeing the governor's signature.

[KoopaDaQuick 🇵🇸]

Greyhound Racing Amendment
The Sixth Bill of the Twentieth Southern Chamber, Sponsored by Koopa D. Quick (P-AR)

	FED	PAX	D.A.	LAB	TOTAL
Aye	2	1	1	1	5
Nay	0	0	0	0	0
Abstain	0	0	0	0	0
Not Present	0	0	0	0	0

Mr. DTC of Georgia (FED/IND)
Mr. HARVEY UPDYKE of Alabama (LAB/IND)
Ms. KOOPA D. QUICK of Arkansas (PAX/STR)
Mr. REAGENTE of Missouri (FED/DPP)
Mr. TMTHFORU94 of Missouri (DA/AFP)

The bill passes a unanimous 5-0 vote with no abstentions or absences.

AN ACT
amending the Southern Constitution to protect our region's canines

BE IT ENACTED BY THE SOUTHERN CHAMBER RESOLVED.

Section 1, TITLE AND DEFINITIONS.
1. The title of this Act shall be, the "Greyhound Racing Amendment."

Section 2, AMENDMENT TEXT.
1. The Southern Constitution shall be amended to read as follows:

i. No person or group authorized to conduct gaming or pari-mutuel operations within the Southern Region shall be permitted to race any member of the Canis Familiaris subspecies with connection to any wager for money or any other thing of value within the Southern Region or her states.
ii. No person or persons within the Southern Region shall wager, whether for money or any other thing of value within the Southern Region or her states, on the outcome of a live dog race occurring in this region.
iii. This amendment to the Southern Constitution shall take effect 365 days after ratification by the voters of the Southern Region.

[fhtagn]

Point of order:  can the sergeant-at-arms escort these inebriated loiterers from the premises?

Sounds like someone can't handle being rightfully called out for doing a horrible job.

[President Punxsutawney Phil]

Is it the case that the governor needs to sign amendments? Is there any precedent that confirms or disproves this?

[fhtagn]

	FED	PAX	D.A.	LAB	TOTAL
Aye	2	1	1	1	5
Nay	0	0	0	0	0
Abstain	0	0	0	0	0
Not Present	0	0	0	0	0

Mr. DTC of Georgia (FED/IND)
Mr. HARVEY UPDYKE of Alabama (LAB/IND)
Ms. KOOPA D. QUICK of Arkansas (PAX/STR)
Mr. REAGENTE of Missouri (FED/DPP)
Mr. TMTHFORU94 of Missouri (DA/AFP)

The bill passes a unanimous 5-0 vote with no abstentions or absences.

I hope you all know the South is a worse place for having every single one of you serving.

[KoopaDaQuick 🇵🇸]

Is it the case that the governor needs to sign amendments? Is there any precedent that confirms or disproves this?

You might as well sign it. If you need to, then you did it. If you don't need to, then no harm done.

[President Punxsutawney Phil]

I'm not really sure I will vote in favor of this when it comes to vote. But I'll sign.

[KoopaDaQuick 🇵🇸]

I'm not really sure I will vote in favor of this when it comes to vote. But I'll sign.

Okay then, see you at the ballot box.

Anyways, I'm locking this thread until fhtagn can learn to behave.