Bills

WHEREAS people can have the feeling to have their home micronation;
THEREFORE the Ziu hereby resolves that
(a) A Talossan citizen can join another micronation nation only if the Ziu approves with a simple majority vote. (b) Talossans have to receive approval from the Ziu each time they want to join a new micronation.

Talossans can only be citizens in another micronation if this micronation has no contact with Talossa. Contact is defined as messages posted on Wittenberg, e-mail, membership of any organisation where Talossa has or receives membership, and snail mail.

If a citizen of Talossa is found to be in violation of this law he will forfeit his Talossan citizenship.

The Dual-Citizenship law will always apply.

The Ziu hereby resolves that a micronation is:
A country with 1 or more citizens, which is not recognised by the international community of nations.

And that by "participation in a micronation" it means when a person either:
may vote in general elections
may participate in legislative referenda
may partake of the decisionmaking in one of the 3 branches of government
may participate in local debating fora
publishes newspapers
makes a website
participates in local discussions via snail- or e-mail
is a naturalised citizen.

WHEREAS Brent Kesler has fulfilled all the requirements given by the Immigration Ministry; and
WHEREAS the Cort has approved of his application;
THEREFORE the Ziu now votes to naturalise Brent Kesler as a Talossan citizen.

WHEREAS Matt Dabrowski has fulfilled all the requirements given by the Immigration Ministry; and
WHEREAS the Cort has approved of his application;
THEREFORE the Ziu now votes to naturalise Matt Dabrowski as a Talossan citizen.

WHEREAS the safeguarding of religious and ideological liberty is a hallmark of a free society, the Ziu hereby adopts the following law:
Churches and religious communities administer their own affairs. In particular, they constitute their own institutions, inaugurate their clergy, organize the teaching of religion, and establish religious orders and similar institutions independently of state interference.
The state does not have the right to intervene either in the nomination or the installation of ministers of any religion whatsoever.
Religious organizations are subject to their own rules and procedures, and are free to discipline their members. All adult Talossans have the right to leave any religious association from which they dissent.
Religious freedom can be limited only by law, if such a measure is unavoidable in a democratic society to protect health, public order, public morality, or the rights and liberties of nonmembers.

WHEREAS the Organic Law contains detailed provisions for citizenship and naturalization, unlike most countries where such questions are handled by statute; and
WHEREAS this prevents Talossa from "tinkering" with its citizenship laws, experimenting to find the optimum balance of friendliness to newcomers vs. defence of the nation;
THEREFORE the Ziu hereby approves the following Amendment to the Organic Law and sends this question to the people for their verdict in a referendum:

Article XVII, Sections 2-8 are hereby repealed. In their place, the following is added to the Organic Law:

Art. XVII, Sec. 2. Any foreigner or Cestoûr who feels in his heart that he is Talossan may acquire Talossan citizenship. The exact procedures by which Talossa admits persons to citizenship shall be determined in a special Citizenship Law.

Art. XVII:Sec. 3. Residents of Talossan territory who are not Talossan citizens are considered "Cestoûrs" (indigenous persons) and are not entitled to participate in the political process of Talossa.

Art. XVII, Sec. 4. The Citizenship Law shall be passed by a majority of both houses of the Ziu with the consent of the King and of the Uppermost Cort. Either house of the Ziu, or the King, or the Uppermost Cort may block any change in the Citizenship Law.

Art. XVII, Sec. 5. The Citizenship Law shall make provision for the Uppermost Cort to review and approve or reject prospective Citizens before any other procedure, if any, passes final judgement upon them.

Art. XVII, Sec. 6. The Citizenship Law shall make such other requirements for citizenship as the Talossan nation, through its elected representatives, deems necessary for the increase of the Talossan population and the defence of the national identity.

Art. XVII, Sec. 7. Pending any change in the existing laws of citizenship, the procedure for citizenship established in the 1997 Organic Law, as amended to date (December 1998) shall remain in force.

WHEREAS Talossans have for years been the victims of hostile attacks from groups of oddballs calling themselves "micronations"; and
WHEREAS this harassment has often come in the form of uninvited, obscene or provocative posts to Talossa's discussion group, "Wittenberg"; and
WHEREAS Talossa itself must continue to be a light unto the nations, always exemplary in both its internal affairs and external relations;
THEREFORE the Ziu hereby legislates that it is henceforth illegal for any Talossan citizen to post any message on any micronational newsgroup, discussion board, or similar type of forum, which in any way disparages the host micronation, or lends aid and comfort to any micronation which in turn disparages Talossa. Since Talossa is not a micronation, and since freedom of speech and of the press are protected within the bounds of Talossa, these restrictions do not apply to messages posted in Talossan forums.
Violation of this act shall be punishable as the Uppermost Cort deems necessary and appropriate to the magnitude of the offence, the punishment not to exceed removal from the Ziu for one term or prohibition to vote in one national election.

WHEREAS Min Jenny Pan, Queen of Talossa, has fulfilled all the requirements given by the Immigration Ministry; and
WHEREAS the Cort is expected to approve of her application;
THEREFORE the Ziu now votes to naturalise Min Jenny Pan, Queen of Talossa, as a Talossan citizen, pending the Cort's approval.