SB 119-04: The People Deserve Better Act

[President Punxsutawney Phil]

The People Deserve Better Act

Section 1. This bill will be cited as The People Deserve Better Act

Section 2: The Recall Process:

A. Any elected official  may be recalled from office if a number matching 10% of eligible voters from the previous election sign onto a petition. The reasoning for the recall is identical to the current process for expelling a member of the senate or impeaching a president, and cannot be done for simply disliking the elected official. If the number rounded down is a decimal (for example if 57 people voted and 5.7 people need to sign on, then that number is rounded to the closest .5; if the result was a .5, it will be rounded up). While one must be a registered voter to start or sign a petition, they did not have to vote in the previous election to sign on.
B. The Secretary of State will review the validity of the signatures and will arrange a date with the Secretary of Elections no less than (1) week prior to the next scheduled federal election to hold a referendum.
C. Any petition that matches the signatures within the 1 week threshold will be postponed until a date after the next federal election. If the elected official is no longer in office after the federal election, the petition will be voided as irrelevant.

Section 3: The Effects of the Recall:

A. A politician can be recalled with a simple majority. Any politician that was recalled cannot serve in that capacity for the remainder of the session.
B. Any non-recalled candidate may run in a special election that takes place no less than (2) week prior to the next federal election.
C. The President has the authority to appoint a placeholder candidate if the recall election takes place more than (2) weeks before the next election cycle. The placeholder candidate may choose whether to run in the special election. If the recall takes place within 2 weeks of the next scheduled election, then the seat shall remain vacant for the remainder of the term.

Allowing for Lifetime Bans:

A. No recalled politician shall be banned from running in future elections unless a separate petition is filed with a valid reason that is reviewed by the Attorney General. The time of the ban will be determined by the offense, although lifetime bans will be reserved for those who are found guilty of insurrection, attempted insurrection, or treason.
B. The Attorney General will review the reasoning behind the proposed ban and will be at the discretion on whether or not the reasoning behind the ban is valid. If the Attorney General determined that the politician has violated the Constitution and/or grossly abused/misused its duties, the ban can move forward. The ban requires a supermajority (at least 66% of the vote) for it to become effective.

Section 4: Implementation
A. This bill will take place effective immediately.

Sponsor: Christian Man
Occupying: Slot 4

[Vice President Christian Man]

Thank you PPT Tim,

This newer process of expelling members of Congress is meant to prevent corruption, crack down on inaction, and ensure that the constituents are the final jury in terms of whether a politician should be removed.

[GM Team Member and Senator WB]

if our terms were longer I'd be more receptive to this idea, but again I worry that this could be abused. A large party intent on domination might recall smaller party senators in order to have more control over the senate.

[Pyro]

I concur with Senator WB. The low threshold to initiate a successful recall as outlined by this bill poses a significant opportunity for abuse. I would be interested in hearing from more senators about this proposal, as well as any amendment ideas, before casting any sort of final judgement, though.

[Vice President Christian Man]

Motioning for a final vote

[Vice President Christian Man]

A final vote is beginning.

Aye

[Dr. MB]

Nay

[Pyro]

Lacking further debate or amendments, I vote Nay.

[At-Large Senator LouisvilleThunder]

Nay

[GM Team Member and Senator WB]

Nay

[LAKISYLVANIA]

Nay

[Jay 🏳️‍⚧️]

Nay

[fhtagn]

Nay

[Coastal Elitist]

Nay

[President Punxsutawney Phil]

Nay

[Joseph Cao]

Thank you PPT Tim,

This newer process of expelling members of Congress is meant to prevent corruption, crack down on inaction, and ensure that the constituents are the final jury in terms of whether a politician should be removed.

CM, just a word of advice – this isn't advocacy for the bill, this is a statement of three unrelated platitudes. "Corruption" functionally does not exist in this game in its usual sense, recalls could just as easily exacerbate inaction as fix it, and constituents already are the final jury, there's things called elections which we vote on whether or not to remove politicians, you may have heard of them.

It would be considerably more effective and better for the Senate if on future bills you explained things like how your advocacy relates to specific portions of a bill.

[Vice President Christian Man]

Aye 1: Christian Man
Nay(s) 9: MB, Pyro, LT, WB, Laki, Jay, Fhtagn, TPH, TimTurner,
Not voting: 8 AdamGriffin, Razze, Rfayette, LordRichard, Nerd, Reagente, Muad'dib, AFE

This bill has failed

Wall of shame:

Wall of Shame:
Adam Griffin, Razze, AFE, Nerd--2
Rfayette, LordRichard, Reagente, Muad'dib--1