Senatorial Procedure Act

[JohnFKennedy]

The Constitution of the United States Election Atlas Forum states that:

The Senate shall establish its own rules and proceedings

(Article I, Section 5, Clause 1)

As of yet, we do not have any rules or proceedings regarding the Senate so I would like to propose that we take steps to bring the level of organization in the Senate up a notch so we can follow a stricter procedure.

For this reason I propose the following act:

Senatorial Procedure Act

Clause 1: At any one time there may be no more than two Bills/Acts/Constitutional Amendments being debated upon the Senate Floor. This does not include those Bills/Acts/Constitutional Amendments being voted upon at the time.

Clause 2: Each Bill/Act/Constitutional Amendment will be allotted debating time by the President of the Senate (Vice-President of the Forums) or the President Pro Tempore of the Senate.

Clause 3: Each Bill/Act/Constitutional Amendment will be debated upon for one week before a vote called. If the Senate wishes to end the debating early then a motion to cease debate may be brought forward by a Senator, if it gains the support of three other Senators then the debating shall cease immediately and the voting commence as soon as the President of the Senate or the President Pro Tempore begins the voting. If the Senate wishes to continue debating beyond one week a motion must similarly be brought before the Senate and supported by three other Senators. The debating will then be extended for one further week at which point a new motion may be put forward to extend debating otherwise the Bill/Act/Constitutional Amendment goes to a vote.

Clause 4: Voting in the Senate will take place for one week during which time the Senators must vote. All those Senators who do not vote will be considered to have abstained. If needed an injunction may be brought by a Senator to keep the polls open for a further week after which time the voting shall close. This injunction must be seconded by another Senator.

Clause 5: The public poll to pass a Constitutional Amendment once it has passed the Senate shall last for one week upon which time if it receives a majority vote it passes and if not then it does not.

So, lets get debating on this.

What do you think? Is there anything you would like to see change?

[JohnFKennedy]

personally, I  don't really think we should do this

Any reason why? We are supposed to establish rules and proceedings.

[JohnFKennedy]

personally, I  don't really think we should do this

Any reason why? We are supposed to establish rules and proceedings.

limiting to two bills and such just doesn't seem necessary.  We should be able to debate as many as needed

I would say no more than five should be before the Senate at once though, gets a bit confusing.

[JohnFKennedy]

personally, I  don't really think we should do this

Any reason why? We are supposed to establish rules and proceedings.

limiting to two bills and such just doesn't seem necessary.  We should be able to debate as many as needed

I would say no more than five should be before the Senate at once though, gets a bit confusing.

rather than making it a law, maybe we should just limit it ourselves

So you would like Clause 1 removed?

[JohnFKennedy]

I think it should take more than four senators to cut off or continue debate.  Under such circumstances four senators could endlessly prolong debate on an issue to effectively kill a bill.  Likewise, a relatively small number of senators would be able to cut off debate whether or not the majority is willing.  I think it should take five senators to cut off or continue debate.

Good point. I will make changes accordingly with what people want.

[JohnFKennedy]

Senatorial Procedure Act

Clause 1: At any one time there may be no more than four Bills/Acts/Constitutional Amendments being debated upon the Senate Floor. This does not include those Bills/Acts/Constitutional Amendments being voted upon at the time.

Clause 2: Each Bill/Act/Constitutional Amendment will be allotted debating time by the President of the Senate (Vice-President of the Forums) or the President Pro Tempore of the Senate.

Clause 3: Each Bill/Act/Constitutional Amendment will be debated upon for one week before a vote called. If the Senate wishes to end the debating early then a motion to cease debate may be brought forward by a Senator, if it gains the support of four other Senators then the debating shall cease immediately and the voting commence as soon as the President of the Senate or the President Pro Tempore begins the voting. If the Senate wishes to continue debating beyond one week a motion must similarly be brought before the Senate and supported by four other Senators. The debating will then be extended for one further week at which point a new motion may be put forward to extend debating otherwise the Bill/Act/Constitutional Amendment goes to a vote.

Clause 4: Voting in the Senate will take place for one week during which time the Senators must vote. All those Senators who do not vote will be considered to have abstained. If needed an injunction may be brought by a Senator to keep the polls open for a further week after which time the voting shall close. This injunction must be seconded by another Senator.

Clause 5: The public poll to pass a Constitutional Amendment once it has passed the Senate shall last for one week upon which time if it receives a majority vote it passes and if not then it does not.


Ok, I am resubmitting an altered version of this act, the number of bills/acts/amendments before the Senate can now go up to four and the number of senators support required to end debating early or extend it is five.

[JohnFKennedy]

Actually, this should be a "Resolution" not an act, as it only pertains to the conduct of the Senate.

Ok, sorry, then this is a Resolution .

[JohnFKennedy]

Please move to the fantasy government board.

[JohnFKennedy]

The problem I see with this, and with alot of the new rules and regs flooding in, is that it makes the community closed to newcomers. For example, the peopblems lots of new members have with regions and districts, and also how the senate works, who can debate in the senate, etc.

We need some ground rules, but they need to be as easy to understand as possible, as quickly as possible. I thereforen suggest we strip this resoulation to the bones; the framework is very good ut it needs to be a lot simpler.

I think these are reasonably easy to understand personally.

If they are placed in a sticky or something it will be easy for new applicants to learn Senate procedure rules.

Anyway, if nobody else has anything to say I will call a vote on this resolution tomorrow.

[JohnFKennedy]

A bit behind but I'd like to call a vote on the Senatorial Procedure Resolution as posted by John F. Kennedy on July 18th at 4:02 PM.

Please vote Yea or Nay.

[JohnFKennedy]

I vote Yea.

[JohnFKennedy]

1 more vote and this passes.

[JohnFKennedy]

Well, with six yeas to one nay, this Resolution has passed through the Senate.

Would the President please sign on the dotted line:


............

[JohnFKennedy]

Gustaf still hasn't signed..................................

Doesn't matter, after 7 days it automatically comes into effect, it has been 10 and a bit I believe.

[JohnFKennedy]

Wasn't this one a resolution, not requiring presidential attention?

It was a resolution yes.