HB 28-12: Regional Registration Act (debating)

[SevenEleven]

A BILL
To protect the integrity of the regions

Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives in Congress assembled,

SECTION I: TITLE
1. This legislation may be referred to as the Regional Registration Act.

SECTION II: CONTENT
1. Section 4, clause 2 of FL 22.9, the Census Act of 2019, is hereby amended to read the following:

If a voter has been registered in more than one region over the previous one hundred and eighty days, they cannot register outside the region they were most recently registered in.

After establishing residency in a region, a voter may not change residences to another region for another three hundred sixty-five days. This shall not be affected by deregistration.

2. Clause 3 is hereby added to FL 22.9, the Census Act of 2019:

Any regional move occurring within the three weeks (504 hours) prior to a regularly-scheduled federal election shall not take effect until the conclusion of said election.

Sponsor: SevenEleven
Status: Debating

[SevenEleven]

I move to sponsor on behalf of the President. 24 hours to object.

[Harvey Updyke Jr🌹]

I would like to co-sponsor, as this has been a major priority of mine.

[Former President tack50]

I am in favour of regional registration and activity requirements being tied to federal ones, but I am pretty sure this would be a big intrusion into the rights of the regions?

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

This is just yet more NYMANICAL OVEREACH into Regional Business.

[SevenEleven]

I am in favour of regional registration and activity requirements being tied to federal ones, but I am pretty sure this would be a big intrusion into the rights of the regions?

How so?

[Former President tack50]

I am in favour of regional registration and activity requirements being tied to federal ones, but I am pretty sure this would be a big intrusion into the rights of the regions?

How so?

Well, for a start the Atlasian constitution clearly specifies that the way to elect the Senators is exclusive to the regions:

1. 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.

However, a more compelling argument, and one that would be applicable to all elections (not just Senate ones) would be this one:

1. 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.

The Atlasian federal government is a government of enumerated powers. Its powers are listed on Article III, Section 6. And while that section does grant the federal government the right to "regulate voter registration and federal elections", it does not say that it also has the right to regulate regional elections.

I will also add that at least historically the Atlasian SC has generally tended to rule on the side of less federal power though of course past rulings don't really mean anything for future rulings (and there are no such cases post-reset iirc)

[OBD]

Can't support this bill. While I'm favorable to its intended goal this will have to be pursued at the regional level.

I urge the governments of Fremont, Lincoln, and the South to take this up immediately. 

[SevenEleven]

Can't support this bill. While I'm favorable to its intended goal this will have to be pursued at the regional level.

I urge the governments of Fremont, Lincoln, and the South to take this up immediately. 

How is this a regional issue? The Census is maintained at the federal level...

[Dr. MB]

Can't support this bill. While I'm favorable to its intended goal this will have to be pursued at the regional level.

I urge the governments of Fremont, Lincoln, and the South to take this up immediately. 

The regions can't affect this at all. It's a federal issue. The Census Act is federal law and overrides anything that the regions might pass (which would by default be non binding).

[Former President tack50]

Can't support this bill. While I'm favorable to its intended goal this will have to be pursued at the regional level.

I urge the governments of Fremont, Lincoln, and the South to take this up immediately. 

The regions can't affect this at all. It's a federal issue. The Census Act is federal law and overrides anything that the regions might pass (which would by default be non binding).

Yeah, this is correct; for some reason I read this bill incorrectly and thought it referred to validity and activity requirements in regional elections; while instead it seems to adress strategic registration. So forget what I said before, this is totally constitutional.

I will say that I still have 2 issues with this bill (with the first point at least):

1) The requirements might be too harsh. 1 year is too long a period to be locked down. I would cut this back to 6 months, which is already more than one senate term

2) The wording of the first point should be revised, as the "This shall not be affected by deregistration" bit might bring back the old deregistration loophole under some interpretations (though it is very unlikely to do so but the Census Act is one of those bills that you want to be "bombproof")

[YE]

This is too extreme even if I see why this was proposed given what's happened in Lincoln.

[YE]

Amendment:

A BILL
To protect the integrity of the regions

Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives in Congress assembled,

SECTION I: TITLE
1. This legislation may be referred to as the Regional Registration Act.

SECTION II: CONTENT
1. Section 4, clause 2 of FL 22.9, the Census Act of 2019, is hereby amended to read the following:

If a voter has been registered in more than one region over the previous one hundred and eighty days, they cannot register outside the region they were most recently registered in.

After establishing residency in a region, a voter may not change residences to another region for another three hundred sixty-five days. This shall not be affected by deregistration.

2. Clause 3 is hereby added to FL 22.9, the Census Act of 2019:

Any regional move occurring within the three weeks (504 hours) prior to a regularly-scheduled federal election shall not take effect until the conclusion of said election.[/s]

So instead of moving wars 1 Friday before the election, we want it 3 Fridays before the election?

[SevenEleven]

Amendment is friendly, 24 hours to object.

[Poirot]

I find the requirements too long. Some people like to move from time to time. It can be a problem for someone new who registers in a region and is stuck there for a long time.

By stopping people moving it can hurt in special situations like a smaller region need people to fill government offices. People won't be able to move to come to help.

[Joseph Cao]

I don't see the need for people being locked down for one year either. As a matter of principle, nobody, not even Ben Kenobi types, should get their residency frozen for this long if they want to move (the schadenfreude that BK provided notwithstanding). Note the decision being "their" own, rather than being asked to switch regions for partisan purposes.

And whatever is needed to tackle the strategic registration problem, it won't be this attempt. All this does is encourage people to do it earlier.

[Unconditional Surrender Truman]

I'd be open to lengthening the stay on regional moves in theory, but one year is too long. If the goal is to disincentivize strategic registration, that goal would be better served by (ideally regional) legislation to strengthen residency requirements rather than banning people from moving altogether.

[Mike Thick]

Is it possible for a Representative to assume sponsorship of this and move it out of the Presidential slot?

[YE]

Is it possible for a Representative to assume sponsorship of this and move it out of the Presidential slot?

Is that even allowed?

I guess I’ll sponsor and motion to suspend the rules then. 24 hours to object.

[Mike Thick]

Is it possible for a Representative to assume sponsorship of this and move it out of the Presidential slot?

Is that even allowed?

I guess I’ll sponsor and motion to suspend the rules then. 24 hours to object.

I'm not sure. I don't think the rules address a situation where the President sponsors a bill and then stops being President.

Mainly suggesting this because the bill isn't a top priority for me, but I think the debate you're having is too good for me to pull it entirely and force you to start over.

[SevenEleven]

Is it possible for a Representative to assume sponsorship of this and move it out of the Presidential slot?

Is that even allowed?

I guess I’ll sponsor and motion to suspend the rules then. 24 hours to object.

I'm already the sponsor.

[YE]

Nvm then.

[Mike Thick]

Nvm then.

Awesome. Thanks.

[SevenEleven]

Any more input here?

[SevenEleven]

What's the status of YE's amendment? I assume it's passed but a confirmation would be appreciated.

The amendment has been adopted without objection.