The Federal Activity Bill [PASSED + SIGNED]

[King]

Introduced by Senator King, partial credit to Game Moderator Niles Caulder and Cheif Justice KEmperor:

The Federal Activity Bill

Part I - Executive Branch

1. To fulfill their duties as elected officials of the fantasy board, the President and Vice President must visit and post on the fantasy board at least once a week, unless his/her absence is reported in advance. Acting Presidents and Vice Presidents will be appointed using the line of succession in our Constitution.

2. If the President fails to meet the minimun fantasy activity, the Vice President shall be become President for the remainder of the term, even if the President returns. If the Vice President is also declared inactive with the President, both will be removed from office.

3. If the Vice President fails to meet the minimun fantasy activity, the President will appoint a new Vice President.

4. The Secretary of Forum Affairs must administer every federal election, unless they provide awareness of their absence ahead of time.

Part II - Legislative Branch

1. If a Senator misses three senate votes and/or debates on bills consecutivly without notice, the Senator will be declared INACTIVE.

2. If a Senator is declared inactive, the Secretary of Forum Affairs will administer a recall election the weekend after the inactivity declaration.

Part III - Judical Branch

Each member of the Supreme Court or anyother court established in the future must post a minimun once per week to retain their status unless they give a notice of absence in advance.


Part IV - The Cabinet

1. Cabinet officers serve at the pleasure of the President, who may release them from service at whim.

2. Failure of a Cabinet Officer to represent the Department publically, report Departmental business to the President or Senate, or administer relevent Department obligations (as determined by the GM) on at least a weekly basis is Official Negligence, and grounds for automatic removal from office.  

3. A majority vote of the Senate or citation by either the GM or Secretary of Forum Affairs is sufficient to invoke this automatic suspension, unless the citation is nullified by the discovery and posting of evidence of adequate Departmental business having been conducted within the appropriate time frame of alleged negligence.

4. An ejected office holder may only resume his/her post if renominated by the President and confirmed by the Senate.

5. Preplanned absences of office holders may be accomodated at the government's discression.

Part V - The GM

1.  Failure on the part of the GM to either report to or correspond with either the President, his/her cabinet, the Senate Floor, or in the public forum venue with no less frequency than a weekly basis is Forum Negligence, and is sufficient grounds for automatic removal from the post.

2.  A majority vote in the Senate or a citation by the President is sufficient to invoke this automatic removal, unless prior to the appointment of a new GM evidence is discovered and posted of sufficient activity within the time frame of alleged negligence.

3.  For negligence or any other failure of necessary and adequate job performance and decorum, upon citation of such by the President to the Forum Moderator, the Forum Moderator may convene a private meeting including any and only those s/he sees fit for the purpose of determining the necessity of removing the GM from his/her post.  The Forum Moderator may then soley elect to so remove the GM.

4.  A bill passed by 2/3 margin of the Senate and signed by the President is sufficient to remove the GM from his/her post for any reason.

Part VI - Government Expansion

If a new branch of fantasy government is formed, the Senate or any federal legislative power at the time of its formation is required to amend this document to be in coordinance with the new branch.
[/i]

[King]

I like it

except for letting the judges off the hook i like it.

I couldn't think of anything for them or the Justice Department. Suggestions?

[King]

I believe provisions 1-3 dealing with the Vice President and President would require a constitutional ammendment to enact.  I think perhaps there's no need to do so, when all of this business can be handled by the process of impeachment that's already legal.

I think Senator King's criteria for legislature activity are fine.

I'm unsure what "pieces of work" would eventually mean in a technical sense...but really anything less than twice a week is a hindrance to the team.  Could I suggest the following:

First and foremost, Cabinet officers serve at the pleasure of the President, who may release them from service at whim.

Failure of a Cabinet Officer to represent the Department publically, report Departmental business to the President or Senate, or administer relevent Department obligations (as determined by the GM) on at least a weekly basis is Official Negligence, and grounds for automatic removal from office.  

A majority vote of the Senate or citation by the GM or Secretary of Forum Affairs is sufficient to invoke this automatic suspension, unless the citation is nullified by the discovery and posting of adequate Departmental business having been conducted within the appropriate time frame of alleged negligence.

An ejected office holder may only resume his/her post if renominated by the President and confirmed by the Senate.

Preplanned absences of office holders may be accomodated at the government's discression.[/i]

That could work for the Cabinet only, but not for other branches. Still a good idea, mind if I add it to my bill?

[King]

I think this a proper solution to a problem that even I sometimes are a part of. Unfortunatley, I can see recall elections happening VERY often if this bill passes. I would like to hear from Senator Hughento and Senator StatesRights on the matter.

Recalling senators because they fail to adequtely perform their duties is wrong?

[King]

I think this a proper solution to a problem that even I sometimes are a part of. Unfortunatley, I can see recall elections happening VERY often if this bill passes. I would like to hear from Senator Hughento and Senator StatesRights on the matter.

Recalling senators because they fail to adequtely perform their duties is wrong?

I am simply saying, Mr. King, that it may become repetitive if a senator is elected, and say, two weeks later, becomes inactive, and a recall election. Then bam, three weeks after that, said senator becomes lazy again. Another recall election? We'd have a problem.

Inactivity is determined if they missed consecutive Senate votes. Since it takes 2 weeks for something to get done on the floor (debate + vote), he/she can be gone for 4-6 weeks and still be in the minimun activity.

[King]

Again recalls shouldn't happen unless the person has been gone for 4-6 weeks (the earliest 3 bills can be voted on based on the Senatorial Procedure Act). They could be missing for 1/4 of their term and still be ok.

[King]

I would like to add an Amendment:



1.  A Forum member who is planning on a 2 day or more abscence shall post in this thread stating the length of the abscence.  The abscence shall not be more than 2 weeks,

Well, 2-6 days is legal on this bill. 7+ days will require a notice stating the stating the absence in advance (likely a thread)

[King]

I request a motion to open the voting on this bill.

[King]

3-0 infavor of opening voting early.

[King]

5-0 infavor of early voting. I urge to the President Pro Tempore to recognize the motion from 5A.

[King]

Sorry, I have been sick. I vote aye.

6-0, this bill seems passed.

[King]

Final Results:

Aye 7
Nay 0
Abstain 3

Signed by President John F. Kennedy on September 22nd, 2004 at 12:09pm Forum Standard Time