The Going Bicameral Act

[Lüc da Schir]

WHEREAS the current composition of the Legislative Chancellery typically only allows for members of parties to be appointed to seats; and
WHEREAS many Benitians who are not affiliated to a party are effectively cut out from participating in the Chancellery's business; and
WHEREAS this includes of course most of the provincial offices; and
WHEREAS it's still right and desirable that the Maestro is elected by an elected assembly, but something the current law doesn't allow is having an independent Maestro; and
WHEREAS it's also desirable to allow experienced people to serve in the Chancellery and offer their invaluable contribution to Benito and its provincial life and culture;

THEREFORE we, the Legislative Chancellery, hereby amend Benito's Constitution as follows:

A) The section named "The Provincial Chancellery" shall be renamed "The Legislative Chancellery".

B) Article 7, which reads:

Legislative power in the Sovereign Province of Benito is invested in a Provincial Chancellery. The Provincial Chancellery shall consist of 11 seats filled by representatives of political parties granted legislative seats in the general election.

Shall be amended to read:

Legislative power in the Sovereign Province of Benito is invested in the Legislative Chancellery. The Legislative Chancellery is composed of two Houses: the Assembly of Benito and the Senate of Benito.

C) Two new articles shall be added after Article 7 to read:

The upper house of the Legislative Chancellery is the Senate of Benito. It shall be composed of all recipients of the Order of Benito and all people who have served as Senator of Benito in the past, provided that they are citizens of Benito and Talossa when the Senate is seated. The Maestro can appoint a number of additional Senators up to half the members of the Senate by right, who shall serve in the Senate until the Legislative Chancellery is dissolved. A Speaker shall be elected among the Senators by simple majority as the first order of business of each newly seated Senate with a Motion to Elect a Speaker ("That Senator X do take the Chair as Speaker"). The composition of the Senate cannot be altered between two General Elections, except by appointment by the Maestro, removal or resignation. A Senator can only hold one seat, even if he is entitled to multiple seats.

and

The lower house of the Legislative Chancellery is the Assembly of Benito. It shall consist of 11 seats filled by representatives of political parties granted legislative seats in the general election. Its members shall be known as Members of the Assembly (MAs), and may decide to cerimonially represent any subdivision of the Province or the entire Province at-large. A Maestro shall be elected by the Members of the Assembly as the first order of business of each newly seated Assembly. The presiding officer of the Assembly is the Arvitieir Prima, who is appointed by the Maestro.

D) Article 8, which reads:

The Provincial Chancellery shall have power to pass any bill into law by a simple majority vote of its members. Voting sessions shall open at the first hour of the first day of each month except during national General Elections. At the dissolution of the Cosa, the Provincial Chancellery will also be dissolved. Seats in the Provincial Chancellery will be redistributed according to the ballots cast in the General Election by citizens of the Province.

Shall be amended to read:

The Legislative Chancellery shall have power to pass any bill into law by a simple majority vote of both Houses; a bill shall be introduced in the House of its principal sponsor, and upon approval be commanded to the other House, after which if successful will become law. Votes on bills in both Houses shall last a maximum of seven days, or will end as soon as all members have voted or as soon as there is no possibility for the remaining members to change the outcome of the vote. Votes on motions in both Houses shall last two days.

At the dissolution of the Cosa, the Assembly will also be dissolved; the Senate will be cerimonially closed to business and the mandate of the appointed Senators will cease.

E) Article 9, which reads:

Members of the Provincial Chancellery shall be known as Chancellors and must participate in each open session of the Chancellery. Failing to vote or abstain in 3 consecutive legislative sessions shall make a Chancellor eligible for removal.

Shall be amended to read:

Members of the Assembly (MAs) and Senators are collectively known as Chancellors and must participate in each session of the Legislative Chancellery. Failing to vote or abstain in 3 consecutive votes in their House shall make a Chancellor the eligible for removal.

F) Article 10, which reads:

A Chancellor may be removed from their seat in the Provincial Chancellery following conviction by the Cort pü Inalt, Dismissal from the Talossan Military, death, incapacitation or failing to vote or abstain in 3 consecutive legislative sessions. Removal shall not be automatic. Following one or more of these incidents, any member of the Provincial Chancellery may present a Writ of Impeachment at the next legislative session which shall clearly state for which of the aforementioned reasons a Chancellor should be removed. The Writ shall be authorized upon receiving a 3/5 majority vote and then presented to the applicable party leader by the Maestro. Political Parties will have until the next session or 30 calendar days, whichever is greater, to fill vacant seats. Any seats left vacant after such time will be turned over to the Viceré for distribution.

Shall be amended to read:

A Chancellor may be removed from their seat in their respective House following conviction by the Cort pü Inalt, dismissal from the Talossan Military, death, incapacitation or failing to vote or abstain in 3 consecutive votes in their respective House. Removal shall not be automatic. Following one or more of these incidents, any member of their same House may present a Motion to Remove a Member ("That Assemblyman/Senator X be removed from this House and his seat be vacated") to their House at the next legislative session which shall clearly state for which of the aforementioned reasons a Chancellor should be removed. The Motion shall be authorized upon receiving a 3/5 majority vote, and upon passing shall determine the vacation of the seats held by the Chancellor.

G) Article 11, which reads:

The Maestro shall be the majority leader in the Provincial Chancellery. He shall have the power to issue proclamations which have the force of law. These proclamations may be appealed or amended as regular laws.

Shall be amended to read:

The Maestro shall be the leader of the Benitian government, and the majority leader of the House he sits in. He shall have the power to delegate some of his functions to appointed representatives, which shall be styled "aldermen", and to appoint a leader to the House he does not sit in, to serve as the representative of his government. He shall have the power to issue proclamations which have the force of law. These proclamations may be appealed or amended as regular laws.

H) Article 12, which reads:

A new Maestro may be chosen at any time by a resolution approved by a majority of the Provincial Chancellery, but a resolution electing a new Maestro or continuing the current Maestro in office must be approved by the Provincial Chancellery at least once in every term of the national Cosa. The first order of business of each newly assembled Provincial Chancellery will be to elect a new Maestro from among its members.

Shall be amended to read:

A new Maestro may be chosen at any time by a Motion to Elect a Maestro ("That Assemblyman/Senator X do take the post of Maestro of the Sovereign Province of Benito") approved by a simple majority of the Assembly. The first order of business of each newly assembled Assembly will be to elect a new Maestro from among its members. Only the Assembly can force the Maestro to resign through a simple majority vote on a Motion of No Confidence ("That the Assembly does not have confidence in the current Maestro of Benito.").

I) Article 16, which reads:

The Arviteir Prima (in English, Chief Umpire) shall serve as the nonpartisan presiding official of the Legislative Chancellery. The rulings and judgments of the Arviteir Prima in this role may be appealed to a vote of the members of the Chancellery.

Shall be amended to read:

The Arviteir Prima (in English, Chief Umpire) shall serve as the nonpartisan presiding official of the Assembly. The rulings and judgments of the Arviteir Prima in this role may be appealed to a vote of the members of the Assembly.

FURTHERMORE, all articles are renumbered accordingly.

FURTHERMORE, a cerimonial Benitian order of precedence shall also be estabilished as follows: the Maestro of Benito; the Representanteu Noval; the Arvitieir Prima; the Speaker of the Senate; all Order of Benito appointees; all Assemblymen; all other Senators; and all Aldermen appointed by the Maestro.

FURTHERMORE, the dispositions contained in this Amendment will take effect on the first day of the first month following its ratification. The new Assembly will have the same composition of the current unicameral Legislative Chancellery; the Senate will be composed of the following members by right, plus up to half the members by right (3) additional appointment the Maestro will make according to this law:
Former Senators: Asmourescu, Taiwos, Carschaleir, Molinar, N. Casalmac'h
Recipients of the Order of Benito: L. da Schir, Perþonest

Ureu q'estadra sa
Don Lüc da Schir, O.Be., Chancellor, MRPT
Don Istefan E. Perþonest, O.Be., Chancellor, RUMP

[Lüc da Schir]

Any comments? I'd like to get going on this in the next week.

[Flip Molinar]

I have to say I really like this idea because we need to get more people involved in Benitian politics.

[Istefan Perþonest]

Cosponsor.

[Lüc da Schir]

Done. Also made some minor changes, such as specifying the wording of the various motions that are mentioned and to correct a sentence which didn't take into account that there are two Houses now.

[Lüc da Schir]

Additional edits made such as an order of precedence and fixed times for votes (let's get rid of "I think we can call it over" posts!).

The bill will be submitted to the (hopefully last) Chancellery for approval next Monday.