Jun 25, 2007

First Draft of the Constitution, part 7

Article 25 Rights of Members of the Assembly

(1) Members of the Assembly may not be subjected to judicial or civil action for a vote cast or a statement made by them in the Assembly or in any of its committees, excepting only acts of Sedition.

(2) Members of the Assembly may not be arrested or detained during a formal Conclave without the approval of the High Tribunal.

(3) Remuneration for members of the Assembly is to be determined by legislation. If such remuneration exists, it may not be excessive. Any changes made to remuneration may not take effect until after the then-current session of the Senate ends.

Article 26 The Legislative Process

(1) Potential legislation (called Bills) may only be introduced by members of the Assembly or the Sovereign.

(2) All members of the Assembly must vote "yes", "no", or "abstain" on every Bill submitted for consideration.

(3) Votes may be submitted in writing, by phone, or electronically.

(4) All votes must be submitted to the Secretary by the last day of the current Conclave.

(5) Bills must first be approved by the house of the Assembly into which they are introduced. If approved, they are sent to the other house of the Assembly. Bills defeated in the second house may be resubmitted one time during the then-current Conclave.

(6) Bills approved by the second house are sent to the Sovereign. The Sovereign may ratify or reject the Bill in whole or in part. The portions ratified are entered into the Record of Legislation as Law.

(7) If the Bill, or portions of it, is rejected by the Sovereign it is returned to the originating house along with a written record of the Sovereign's objections to the Bill. If it is re-approved by a two-thirds majority of each house of the Assembly in the same manner as a new Bill, it is ratified by the actions of the Assembly, entered into the Record of Legislation, and made Law over the Sovereign's rejection. Any Laws which violate this Constitution are void and null.

(8) In exception to the above, legislation amending this Constitution requires two thirds of the votes cast in each house of the Assembly. The Sovereign must accept or reject proposed Constitutional Amendments as a whole. Constitutional Amendments cannot be made Law over the Sovereign's rejection. Such Constitutional Amendments further require a two-thirds majority of the popular vote in a Constitutional Referendum. All such amendments are then attached to this Constitution

(9) Laws must specify their effective date and cannot be ex post facto.

Article 27 Expenditures

(1) In exception to the above, Bills concerning expenditures, Assembly remuneration, and the Budget may only be introduced by members of the Senate. The proposed Budget must be the first bill introduced in the Senate during the first conclave after general elections and, in exception to general practice, must be voted on immediately and all votes must be complete within the first conclave. Once approved, it will be forwarded to the Council, which must also vote on the Budget immediately. If the Council rejects the proposed Budget, they must provide public and written objections and suggestions for improvement. The Senate shall conduct no other business until a new budget is proposed.

(2) The budget shall be made for the following year. Long-term budget items may be proposed as separate legislation, but no expenditure may be allocated for more than a 6 year period without a 2/3 majority of both houses of the Assembly. No expenditure may be either permanent nor of an indefinite period over the rejection of the King.

(3) At such time as a Budget is approved by the Senate but rejected by the Council twice consecutively, or approved by the Assembly and rejected by the King twice consecutively, the First Senator shall convene a special Conclave of the entire Assembly. Such a special Conclave lasts one week. During this Special Conclave the Budget shall be reviewed and voted upon by the Assembly as a whole. If it is approved by a simple majority of the Assembly as a whole, it is sent to the Sovereign for ratification. If it fails, a second special Conclave shall be called, as above. If this process fails to produce a Budget a second time, the King shall call for the Dissolution of the Assembly.

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