SR 115-33: Fair Democracy Amendment (Debating)

[Attorney General & PPT Dwarven Dragon]

Amendment is TIED 6-6-0-6. The VP shall break the tie.

[Lumine]

Nay.

[Attorney General & PPT Dwarven Dragon]

Amendment fails 6-7-0-6

I'll be posting another Amendment later tonight

[Attorney General & PPT Dwarven Dragon]

Since NYE quoted an old version here is the actual current text:

Section 4 of the Constitution is hereby amended:

1. No regional-administered election shall admit as eligible voters any person having resided in any other region within the fifty-six days prior to the commencement of the election.All persons registered in a region shall have a right to eligiblity for ballot access and a right to popular election to regional office.

2. In addition, no subregional senate election shall admit as eligible voters any person having resided in any other region within the fifty-six days prior to the commencement of the election. All persons registered in a subregion shall have a right to eligiblity for ballot access and a right to popular election to the subregional senate seat.

3. Aside from the exceptions as laid out by this section, no region-wide or subregional election or referendum may deny any person the right to vote who would, if a federal election were held concurrently, be eligible to vote in such an election.

4. Term lengths for all regional legislators and regional executives shall be prescribed as either three (3) months for both the executive and the legislature or four (4) months for the executive and two (2) months for the legislature. Any region which combines the executive and the legislature as a parliamentary unit shall have term lengths prescribed as three (3) months. Regional executive and legislative offices may have shorter term lengths than these prescribed in this section.

5. Each legislative body shall be composed of only elected at-large members. If there are five (5) or more candidates on the ballot, at least four (4) must be elected. If there are (6) or more candidates on the ballot, at least five (5) must be elected. Otherwise, at least three (3) must be elected. This clause may not be suspended, unless a region adopts a universal legislature composed of all registered citizens.

6. Any regional legislature of four (4) or fewer members shall only proceed to amend the constitution of the region by a unanimous affirmative vote of members with ratification through a popular referendum of the eligible voters of the region and shall not impeach or expel members of the legislature by less than an affirmative unanimous vote of members voting, except the member to be expelled or impeached.

7. No regional office shall be named President or Vice President.

8. Voting periods in all regional elections and referendums shall be no shorter than a period of seventy-two (72) hours and no longer than 196 hours (196) hours in duration.

9. Aside from the exceptions as laid out by this section, no region shall proceed to amend its constitution without a minimum of two thirds affirmative support of its membership with ratification through a popular referendum by eligible voters of the region.

10. In the instance of a voting booth thread not being posted in time for the scheduled start of a regional election or referendum, the President of Atlasia shall be permitted to authorize the federal administration of a regional election or referendum through an appointed officer or themself.

11. To allow time for regions to update their procedures and avoid suddenly unstaffing governments, Regions will have until July 28, 2023 to bring themselves into compliance without penalty, and any existing legislators and executives may serve until that time.

12. Notwithstanding the preceding provisions, regions may create a pathway by which citizen-referred constitutional amendments can proceed without going through the legislature, provided at least five citizens of the region endorse the proposal and that such amendments are ultimately ratified by popular referendum by eligible voters of the region.

[Attorney General & PPT Dwarven Dragon]

AMENDMENT:

Since NYE quoted an old version here is the actual current text:

Section 4 of the Constitution is hereby amended:

1. No regional-administered election shall admit as eligible voters any person having resided in any other region within the fifty-six days prior to the commencement of the election.All persons registered in a region shall have a right to eligiblity for ballot access and a right to popular election to regional office.

2. In addition, no subregional senate election shall admit as eligible voters any person having resided in any other region within the fifty-six days prior to the commencement of the election. All persons registered in a subregion shall have a right to eligiblity for ballot access and a right to popular election to the subregional senate seat.

   1/2a. Not withstanding the prior provisions, a region may deny voting rights and/or officeholding rights to an individual that has had such rights stripped by the Supreme Court of Atlasia.  
   1/2b. Not withstanding the prior provisions, a region may deny officeholding rights to an individual that has been duly impeached and convicted from any office. The denial may last no longer than two calendar years, or the time specified in the impeachment resolution, whichever is shorter. If the impeachment resolution states that some or all officeholding rights will not be affected, the region must comply with that statement.

3. Aside from the exceptions as laid out by this section, no region-wide or subregional election or referendum may deny any person the right to vote who would, if a federal election were held concurrently, be eligible to vote in such an election.

4. Term lengths for all regional legislators and regional executives shall be prescribed as either three (3) months for both the executive and the legislature or four (4) months for the executive and two (2) months for the legislature. Any region which combines the executive and the legislature as a parliamentary unit shall have term lengths prescribed as three (3) months. Regional executive and legislative offices may have shorter term lengths than these prescribed in this section. to a length of 140 days, unless a region agrees to implement shorter terms. Such an officeholder must vacate their office at the 140 day interval, even if no new officeholder has been elected. Under such circumstance, the President of Atlasia may make an emergency appointment until an election can be held.

5. Each legislative body shall be composed of only elected at-large members. If there are five (5) or more candidates on the ballot, at least four (4) must be elected. If there are (6) or more candidates on the ballot, at least five (5) must be elected. Otherwise, at least three (3) must be elected. This clause may not be suspended, unless a region adopts a universal legislature composed of all registered citizens.

     5a. Any legislative vacancy occurring more than 336 hours before the next general election must be filled by a special election, beginning within 14 days of the vacancy occurring. The governor may make a temporary appointment until the conclusion of the special election.

6. Any regional legislature of four (4) or fewer members shall only proceed to amend the constitution of the region by a unanimous affirmative vote of members with ratification through a popular referendum of the eligible voters of the region and shall not impeach or expel members of the legislature by less than an affirmative unanimous vote of members voting, except the member to be expelled or impeached.

7. No regional office shall be named President or Vice President.

8. Voting periods in all regional elections and referendums shall be no shorter than a period of seventy-two (72) hours and no longer than 196 hours (196) hours in duration.

9. Aside from the exceptions as laid out by this section, no region shall proceed to amend its constitution without a minimum of two thirds affirmative support of its membership with ratification through a popular referendum by eligible voters of the region.

10. In the instance of a voting booth thread not being posted in time for the scheduled start of a regional election or referendum, the President of Atlasia shall be permitted to authorize the federal administration of a regional election or referendum through an appointed officer or themself.

11. To allow time for regions to update their procedures and avoid suddenly unstaffing governments, Regions will have until July 28, 2023 to bring themselves into compliance without penalty, and any existing legislators and executives may serve until that time.

1211. Notwithstanding the preceding provisions, regions may create a pathway by which citizen-referred constitutional amendments can proceed without going through the legislature, provided at least five citizens of the region endorse the proposal and that such amendments are ultimately ratified by popular referendum by eligible voters of the region.

12. Beginning by November 1, 2023, regions must provide a method wherein citizens can motion to recall officials and propose statutes to be adopted by referendum. Recalls shall require the signatures of at least 7 citizens but no more than 12. Referendums shall either require legislative approval by either a simple majority or a 2/3 majority, the signatures of at least 7 citizens but no more than 12, or both.

13. Except as stated in the prior clause, to allow time for regions to update their procedures and avoid suddenly unstaffing governments, Regions will have until October 27, 2023 to bring themselves into compliance without penalty, and any existing legislators and executives may serve until that time.

14. Regions must achieve compliance with all prior provisions by holding any necessary elections or referendums beginning on October 20th at Midnight Eastern Time, and concluding in accordance with clause 8, unless they implement a plan to achieve compliance at an earlier time, following clause 8 in doing so.

This amendment provides two major concessions from our side - term lengths of around 4 months, and not requiring the South to schedule anything until October.

It also ensures that regions are not forced to give extra rights to those impeached or judged incompetent by SCOA, ensures vacancies are handled in a timely manner, modifies section 8 to ensure mostly uniform election time lengths, and ensures the enaction/restoration of recalls and citizen statute referendums.

[Attorney General & PPT Dwarven Dragon]

Hearing no objection, the amendment is adopted.

Motion for a final vote.

[ChiefFireWaterMike]

I object, and would like to enter the following amendment.

Amendment to Sec. 4

"... Such an officeholder must vacate their office at the 140 day interval, even if no new officeholder has been elected. Under such circumstance, the President of Atlasia chief executive of the Region or in the case of such chief executive the Regional legislature may make an emergency appointment until an election can be held. ..."

[Attorney General & PPT Dwarven Dragon]

The question is on the motion for a final vote.

Aye

[NewYorkExpress]

Aye

[fhtagn]

Nay

[Devout Centrist]

Aye

[West_Midlander]

Section 4 as written does break down the federalist system between the regions and the federal government although the proposed amendment needs to be worded better.

Nay.

[At-Large Senator LouisvilleThunder]

Nay, term lengths should be allowed to be shorter than 140 days.

[P. Clodius Pulcher did nothing wrong]

Aye

Nay, term lengths should be allowed to be shorter than 140 days.

Senator, the bill says that "Term lengths for all regional legislators and regional executives shall be prescribed to a length of 140 days, unless a region agrees to implement shorter terms"

[At-Large Senator LouisvilleThunder]

Aye

Nay, term lengths should be allowed to be shorter than 140 days.

Senator, the bill says that "Term lengths for all regional legislators and regional executives shall be prescribed to a length of 140 days, unless a region agrees to implement shorter terms"

After thinking about it a bit more. Let's get this passed.

Changing my vote to Aye

[LAKISYLVANIA]

Aye

[Dr. MB]

Aye

[Penn_Quaker_Girl]

Aye

[Utah Neolib]

Aye

[ChiefFireWaterMike]

Nay

[Vice President Christian Man]

Aye

[Coastal Elitist]

Nay

[Sirius_]

Aye

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

Nay

[Attorney General & PPT Dwarven Dragon]

Cloture is INVOKED 11-5-0-2. A final vote is beginning.

AYE