Insert some snarky remark here, Glac's motion is up and I give him the floor to speak on this.
A MOTION
To repeal and replace the Senate Rules and Procedures
Introduced into the Senate of the Union of Democratic States on the 22nd of May, 2021, by @Glaciosia
As follows:
RECOGNIZING the systemic and endemic faults of the Rules of Procedure,
CONCERNED that more confusion and chaos will be caused by them,
BELIEVING that only a new Rules of the Procedure may solve this,
BE IT ENACTED by the Senate:
Section 1: Short Title and Definitions
1. This Resolution may be referenced as the "Resolution to repeal and replace the Senate’s Rules and Procedures"
2. A Majority is defined as more than half of the total votes or ballots cast. An equal split between the options in a vote does not constitute a majority, and will fail.
3. An Absolute Majority is defined as more than half of the current Senators able to vote on a motion.
Section 1: The Speaker
1. Following a Senate election, or a vacancy in the office of Speaker, the longest serving Senator shall open a Speaker Selection in which the Senate shall vote for a new Speaker. Voting shall occur after, at minimum, 48 hours of discussion during which candidates may nominate themselves for the position and questions may be fielded to each candidate.
2. Following the conclusion of the Speaker Selection, the Speaker shall appoint a Deputy Speaker who will act in their place when the Speaker is unable to act; as interim Speaker in the event that the office of Speaker becomes vacant; and as an aid to the Speaker in the general proceedings of the Senate.
3. The Speaker will oversee debates and votes; they are responsible for maintaining the records of the Senate .
4. The Speaker will present items that require Presidential approval to the President immediately upon their passage.
5. The Speaker shall present proposals that have been given to them within 72 hours of their reception.
6. Any Senator may call for a vote of no confidence in the Speaker, which shall be presided over by the Deputy Speaker
7. The Speaker is subject to these Rules of Procedure and must set an example for the rest of the Senate; being impartial when they act with the authority of the Speaker.
8. The Speaker shall be the liaison between the Senate and the Electoral Commission and Citizenry.
9. The Speaker shall create a report of the doings of the legislature and describe the effects of each bill passed, and publish it to Nationstates, the Forum and Discord at the conclusion of every Senate term.
Section 2: Procedural Motions
1. Senators may make any reasonable number of motions, during any period of an External or Internal Motion (as detailed in Section 3); before they come into effect the Speakermust respond to the motion.
2. Procedural Motions may only be considered one at a time, in the following hierarchy of importance:
3. Senators may motion to close a period, or extend a period by a specified length of time.
6. The sponsor for the motion is entitled to motion to withdraw the motion and may cite their reason for doing so. This action is only available to the primary sponsor and they may only do so during the motion’s debate period, following the provisions for such in Section 3.
7. Senators may motion to override the decision of the Speaker in their official capacity. This motion shall take effect immediately upon receiving approval of an absolute majority of the Senate, or upon receiving a majority of votes cast within 24 hours of its proposal.
Section 3: External Motions and Internal Motions
1. All citizens may sponsor motions, upon reception of a motion the Speaker shall create a thread on the forum for the official discussion of the motion.
2. The Sponsors and Cosponsors of the motion are entitled to make Opening Statements before the motion begins debate..
3. Following Opening Statements, a minimum of 24 hours shall be given for the debate period of the bill, during which time amendments may be proposed and discussed.
4. If the motion to withdraw has been invoked and subsequently passed, following confirmation from the Speaker or Deputy Speaker, the motion shall become withdrawn and will progress no further.
5. If amendments have been proposed an amendment voting period shall begin. Senators may vote in favour for an amendment, against it, or express their lack of a decision. Those who do not vote shall not have their non-attendance counted against the amendment.
6. Following the amendment voting period the motion shall be voted on for 48 hours. Senators may vote in favour for the motion, against it, or express their lack of a decision. Those who do not vote shall not have their non-attendance counted against the motion
7. Following voting internal motions shall be considered passed, once the Speaker has tallied the votes, and if the motion received a majority of votes in favour of the motion.
8. Following voting, once the Speaker has tallied the vote and if the motion received a majority of votes in favour, the motion shall be considered passed. If the external motion has passed it shall be given to the President for promulgation of veto.
Section 4: Record of the Senate
1. Formal debates, votes, censures, and official documents shall be posted to the forum and be collectively referred to as the Record of the Senate.
2. Punished behavior and only punished behavior may be censored from the Record at the Speaker’s discretion.
Section 5: Discipline
1. Disruptive behavior may be punished. The Speaker may bring forward, with reasoning, a claim that a Senator has violated a rule and if no motion to override this action is proposed, or a motion to override it is proposed but fails, the Speaker may punish them as they see fit.
4. Senators may introduce Motion to Punish the Speaker or the Deputy Speaker to punish them for the violation of rules. This shall require a three-fifths majority to pass. The Speaker may not seek to punish the Senator(s) who introduced the Motion nor obstruct the motion. This vote shall not prevent any other business of the Senate from occurring.
5. Punishable disruptive behavior may include:
6. Available punishments consist of:
7. If a Senator is punished by removing their voting rights, the duration of the punishment shall be measured by bills introduced, and follow the following pattern:
8. If a Senator believes they have been punished unfairly, they may appeal to the Supreme Court. If the Supreme Court rules in their favor, the related punishments shall be revoked.
Section 6: Provisions
1. SR-001, SR-002, SR-003, SR-003, SR-004 and SR-005, SR-006, SR-007 and SR-008 are hereby repealed.
A MOTION
To repeal and replace the Senate Rules and Procedures
Introduced into the Senate of the Union of Democratic States on the 22nd of May, 2021, by @Glaciosia
As follows:
RECOGNIZING the systemic and endemic faults of the Rules of Procedure,
CONCERNED that more confusion and chaos will be caused by them,
BELIEVING that only a new Rules of the Procedure may solve this,
BE IT ENACTED by the Senate:
Section 1: Short Title and Definitions
1. This Resolution may be referenced as the "Resolution to repeal and replace the Senate’s Rules and Procedures"
2. A Majority is defined as more than half of the total votes or ballots cast. An equal split between the options in a vote does not constitute a majority, and will fail.
3. An Absolute Majority is defined as more than half of the current Senators able to vote on a motion.
Section 1: The Speaker
1. Following a Senate election, or a vacancy in the office of Speaker, the longest serving Senator shall open a Speaker Selection in which the Senate shall vote for a new Speaker. Voting shall occur after, at minimum, 48 hours of discussion during which candidates may nominate themselves for the position and questions may be fielded to each candidate.
2. Following the conclusion of the Speaker Selection, the Speaker shall appoint a Deputy Speaker who will act in their place when the Speaker is unable to act; as interim Speaker in the event that the office of Speaker becomes vacant; and as an aid to the Speaker in the general proceedings of the Senate.
a. If the Speaker and Speaker are unavailable the longest serving, active, Senator shall become the acting Speaker.
b. The Speaker may delegate powers and responsibilities of their office to the Deputy Speaker.
3. The Speaker will oversee debates and votes; they are responsible for maintaining the records of the Senate .
4. The Speaker will present items that require Presidential approval to the President immediately upon their passage.
5. The Speaker shall present proposals that have been given to them within 72 hours of their reception.
6. Any Senator may call for a vote of no confidence in the Speaker, which shall be presided over by the Deputy Speaker
7. The Speaker is subject to these Rules of Procedure and must set an example for the rest of the Senate; being impartial when they act with the authority of the Speaker.
8. The Speaker shall be the liaison between the Senate and the Electoral Commission and Citizenry.
9. The Speaker shall create a report of the doings of the legislature and describe the effects of each bill passed, and publish it to Nationstates, the Forum and Discord at the conclusion of every Senate term.
Section 2: Procedural Motions
1. Senators may make any reasonable number of motions, during any period of an External or Internal Motion (as detailed in Section 3); before they come into effect the Speakermust respond to the motion.
2. Procedural Motions may only be considered one at a time, in the following hierarchy of importance:
a. Motions to overrule the decision of the Speaker
b. Motions to protest violation of procedure
c. Motions to withdraw a motion from the Senate
d. Motions to Extend
e. Motions to Close
f. All other Motions
3. Senators may motion to close a period, or extend a period by a specified length of time.
a. This motion shall take effect immediately upon receiving approval of an absolute majority of the Senate, or upon receiving a majority of votes cast within 24 hours of its proposal.
5. Senators may motion to protest a violation of procedures, which the Speaker Shall consider and then take appropriate action.6. The sponsor for the motion is entitled to motion to withdraw the motion and may cite their reason for doing so. This action is only available to the primary sponsor and they may only do so during the motion’s debate period, following the provisions for such in Section 3.
7. Senators may motion to override the decision of the Speaker in their official capacity. This motion shall take effect immediately upon receiving approval of an absolute majority of the Senate, or upon receiving a majority of votes cast within 24 hours of its proposal.
Section 3: External Motions and Internal Motions
1. All citizens may sponsor motions, upon reception of a motion the Speaker shall create a thread on the forum for the official discussion of the motion.
a. Except in the case of Procedural Motions, the procedures of which are detailed in Section 2.
2. The Sponsors and Cosponsors of the motion are entitled to make Opening Statements before the motion begins debate..
a. Sponsors and Cosponsors may decline to make an Opening Statement and yield their time.
b. When a vetoed motion is being overturned, the President shall also be entitled to an Opening Statement.
3. Following Opening Statements, a minimum of 24 hours shall be given for the debate period of the bill, during which time amendments may be proposed and discussed.
a. If, during this period, the sponsor motions to withdraw the motion which remains unobjected to within the following 24 hours, the motion passes.
b. If, during this period, the sponsor motions to withdraw the motion which is objected to within the following 24 hours, a vote is initiated to withdraw the motion, following the standard provisions for voting on a procedural motion.
c. If, after 48 hours, the motion has received no discussion the Speaker may close this period; otherwise a motion to close is required.
4. If the motion to withdraw has been invoked and subsequently passed, following confirmation from the Speaker or Deputy Speaker, the motion shall become withdrawn and will progress no further.
5. If amendments have been proposed an amendment voting period shall begin. Senators may vote in favour for an amendment, against it, or express their lack of a decision. Those who do not vote shall not have their non-attendance counted against the amendment.
6. Following the amendment voting period the motion shall be voted on for 48 hours. Senators may vote in favour for the motion, against it, or express their lack of a decision. Those who do not vote shall not have their non-attendance counted against the motion
7. Following voting internal motions shall be considered passed, once the Speaker has tallied the votes, and if the motion received a majority of votes in favour of the motion.
8. Following voting, once the Speaker has tallied the vote and if the motion received a majority of votes in favour, the motion shall be considered passed. If the external motion has passed it shall be given to the President for promulgation of veto.
a. When the overturning of a veto occurs the bill in question shall immediately become law.
Section 4: Record of the Senate
1. Formal debates, votes, censures, and official documents shall be posted to the forum and be collectively referred to as the Record of the Senate.
2. Punished behavior and only punished behavior may be censored from the Record at the Speaker’s discretion.
Section 5: Discipline
1. Disruptive behavior may be punished. The Speaker may bring forward, with reasoning, a claim that a Senator has violated a rule and if no motion to override this action is proposed, or a motion to override it is proposed but fails, the Speaker may punish them as they see fit.
4. Senators may introduce Motion to Punish the Speaker or the Deputy Speaker to punish them for the violation of rules. This shall require a three-fifths majority to pass. The Speaker may not seek to punish the Senator(s) who introduced the Motion nor obstruct the motion. This vote shall not prevent any other business of the Senate from occurring.
5. Punishable disruptive behavior may include:
a. Submission of inappropriate content to the Speaker.
b. Ad hominem attacks directed at another person.
c. The use of offensive or threatening language.
d. Frivolous motions to withdraw.
6. Available punishments consist of:
a. Official censure of a Senator, to be entered into the permanent record of the proceedings of the Senate.
b. Removal of the voting rights of an Senator.
c. Expulsion from the Senate, a three-fifths vote must be held in the Senate to confirm this punishment.
7. If a Senator is punished by removing their voting rights, the duration of the punishment shall be measured by bills introduced, and follow the following pattern:
a. First offence: 2 bills
b. Second offence: 4 bills
c. Third offence: 8 bills
d. Fourth offence: Indefinite removal. This shall require a ⅔ majority vote of the Senate.
e. One offence shall be removed every regularly scheduled election of the Senate..
8. If a Senator believes they have been punished unfairly, they may appeal to the Supreme Court. If the Supreme Court rules in their favor, the related punishments shall be revoked.
Section 6: Provisions
1. SR-001, SR-002, SR-003, SR-003, SR-004 and SR-005, SR-006, SR-007 and SR-008 are hereby repealed.
