Bills

This is bill id#1452 (this information has no legal importance and is technical in nature.

Hopper Thread

WHEREAS, pomp and circumstance is generally good insofar as it gives our legislature the trappings of macronational ones;

WHEREAS, said pomp and circumstance should however merely be accessory to our political process, rather than an integral part of it;

WHEREAS, flexibility and scalability should be features of our institutions as much as practical, owing to the generally discontinuous nature of citizens's political engagement;

AND WHEREAS this is also an opportunity to bring the language of our Oath in line with modern Talossan spelling;

THEREFORE, El Lexhatx title H section 1.1 and all subsections thereof, which currently read:
 

1.1. Following each General Election there shall be an official "State Opening of the Ziu".

    1.1.1. At the start of the State Opening, the new Seneschal shall be sworn to the office publicly. The Sovereign shall then deliver a speech outlining the Government's legislative agenda and program for the term. The contents of this speech shall be communicated to the Sovereign by the incoming Seneschal prior to the ceremony. The Seneschal may announce Cabinet Ministers during the ceremony. A rebuttal by the Leader of the Opposition shall follow, which may be followed by a further rebuttal by the leader of the third largest party.
    1.1.2. When practical, the State Opening may include an official Living Cosă (and 'Living Senats') in which food and drink shall be featured and as many Talossans as possible shall be invited to attend.
    1.1.3. The event shall be organized and conducted by the Speakers of both Houses of the Ziu, working in coordination and cooperation with each other.
    1.1.4. The Seneschal shall be sworn in by reciting the historic Oath of Office in the Talossan language, if possible in the presence of a copy of the historic book, The Loom of Language. He shall raise his right hand and take the Oath verbally in the presence of the King or a member of the Uppermost Cort, either in person or over the phone. In place of reciting the entire Oath he may simply affirm by the word 'üc' his intention to abide by its terms.
    1.1.5. The historic Oath of Office is as follows: "Eu afirm, solenâmînt, që eu, [nôminâ], cün fidálità, rompliarhéu l'ôifisch da Sieu Maxhestà së Seneschál del Regipäts Talossán, és zefençarhéu, àl miglhôr da v'aválità, la sigürità del Estat Talossán. Så viva el Regeu!" (Translation: I do solemnly affirm that I, [name], will faithfully execute the office of His Majesty's First Minister of the Kingdom of Talossa, and will to the best of my ability defend the integrity of the Talossan State. Long live the King!)

are struck in full and replaced with the following:
 

1.1. Following each General Election, an official State Opening of the Ziu shall take place for the purpose of inaugurating the incoming Ziu and Government.
      1.1.1. The State Opening shall be organized and conducted by the Túischac'h and Mençei, working in coordination and cooperation with each other. They shall jointly set the place and time for the meeting to take place. The meeting may take place in person, using video conferencing tools, or on Wittenberg.
      1.1.2. Should there be a change in the holder of the office of Seneschal between the General Election and the State Opening, the new Seneschal shall be sworn in at the beginning of the State Opening.
         1.1.2.1. The Seneschal shall be sworn in by reciting the historic Oath of Office before the Ziu. The Oath shall be administered by the King, or a Commissioner delegated by the King.
         1.1.2.2. Should there be a change in the holder of the office of Seneschal after a State Opening has already taken place in the same term, or in such circumstances as to make it impractical to wait for a State Opening to take place, the new Seneschal may publicly deliver a written declaration addressed to the King to affirm their acceptance of the terms of the Oath.
         1.1.2.3. The historic Oath of Office is as follows: "Affirméu solenéămint q'éu, [nómină], rompliarhéu cün fidalità l'óifisch da Sieu Maxhestà sè Seneschal del Regipäts Talossan, es zefençarhéu, àl miglhor da v'avalità, la sigürità del Estat Talossan. Sà viva el Regeu!" (Translation: I do solemnly affirm that I, [name], will faithfully execute the office of His Majesty's Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Talossa, and will to the best of my ability defend the security of the Talossan State. Long live the King!)
         1.1.2.4. The Oath of Office may alternatively be administered to the new Seneschal in form of a question, as long as it contains an equivalent wording as the historic Oath. The new Seneschal shall affirm their acceptance of the terms of the Oath by answering positively.
      1.1.3. Other business of the Ziu and Government may take place before a State Opening has taken place, without any impediment or condition. A new Seneschal may perform all duties of their office as soon as they have been appointed.
      1.1.4. During the State Opening, the King - or a Commissioner delegated by the King - shall deliver a speech, written by the Government, outlining the Government's legislative agenda and program for the term. The speech may be followed by a rebuttal by the Leader of the Opposition - or a Member of the Cosă or Senator delegated by the Leader of the Opposition - and by further debate.

This is bill id#1453 (this information has no legal importance and is technical in nature.

Hopper Thread

Whereas Cézembre is an integral part of the Kingdom of Talossa and citizens of Cézembre are full citizens with equal rights to those of the other provinces, and

Whereas election night is considered one of the main social events for Talossans, with activity and participation often spiking and the reveal of the election results often being combined with other cultural activities, and

Whereas the election deadline is set at 19:30 Talossan Standard Time, and

Whereas 19:30 TST is 02:30 am in Cézembre, and

Whereas many Cézembreans and citizens of other provinces living in Europe work 9 to 5, what a way to make a living, and

Whereas this schedule does not allow Cézembreans to stay up past 2:30 am on weekdays, and

Whereas bringing the deadline forward 2,5 hours would allow more citizens to experience this magical feast of democracy, and

Whereas this would set the election at 17:00 TST, which is the end of business hours and not at all unreasonable for those living in the GTA or elsewhere in the western hemisphere, and

Whereas El Lexhatx refers to some non-existent tradition of keeping the polls open until midnight, now

Therefore Article V, Section 2 of the Organic Law, which currently reads

 

All elections to the Cosa are to be conducted during a period beginning from the fifteenth day of the calendar month following the dissolution of the prior Cosa until 11:59 p.m. on the fourteenth day of the subsequent month. All ballots must be cast by 7:30 p.m. on the first day of the subsequent month. The first day of this period is called "Balloting Day", the first day of the subsequent month is called the "Election Deadline", and the final day of the period is called the "Certification Deadline."

 is amended to read as follows:
 

All elections to the Cosa are to be conducted during a period beginning from the fifteenth day of the calendar month following the dissolution of the prior Cosa until 11:59 p.m. on the fourteenth day of the subsequent month. All ballots must be cast by 5 p.m. on the first day of the subsequent month. The first day of this period is called "Balloting Day", the first day of the subsequent month is called the "Election Deadline", and the final day of the period is called the "Certification Deadline."

Furthermore, provided the amendment to the OrgLaw contained in this bill is a approved and ratified, Lex B.10., which currently reads
 

Notwithstanding the purely traditional practice of "keeping the polls open" till midnight of the last day of an election (or of a month, for Clark purposes), the Secretary of State is hereby instructed to keep a sort-of conventional "business day" where the deadline for any official business (ballots, Clarks, etc.) is set at 7:30 p.m. of the day in question.

shall be amended to read
 

The Secretary of State is hereby instructed to keep a sort-of conventional "business day" where the deadline for Clarks is set at 7:30 p.m. of the day in question.

This is bill id#1454 (this information has no legal importance and is technical in nature.

Hopper Thread

The Succession Amendment

Whereas, the monarchy is a central pillar of the country and its survival depends on its planned future as well as its activity,

and Whereas, this allows for democratic confirmations without becoming wholesale elections,

THEREFORE, the Ziu directs that Article II of the Organic Law, which currently read:

Section 1 The Kingdom of Talossa is a constitutional Monarchy with a King (or, if female, Queen) as its head of State.

Section 2 The King is the symbolic head of the nation. The nation democratically grants the King certain Royal Powers and duties as described in this Organic Law and in statute law. The Ziu may establish procedures for when the King fails to perform a duty.

Section 3 The King of Talossa is King John I, until his demise, abdication, or removal from the throne. Should the King at any time renounce or lose his citizenship, that renunciation or loss shall be deemed to imply his abdication of the Throne. Upon the demise, abdication, or removal from the Throne of the King, the Uppermost Cort shall be a Council of Regency.

Section 4 In dire circumstances, when the King is judged by competent medical authority to be incapable of executing his duties, or if he is convicted by the Talossan Uppermost Cort of violation of this Organic Law, treason, bribery, nonfeasance endangering the safety, order or good government of the Kingdom, or other high crimes, the nation may remove the King from the Throne. The Cosa shall pronounce by a two-thirds vote, with the approval of the Senäts, that the King is to be removed, and this pronouncement shall immediately be transmitted to the people for their verdict in a referendum. If a two-thirds majority of the people concur, the King is removed.

Section 5 The King may, at whim, appoint, replace, or remove a Regent (or a Council of Regency, which is considered equivalent to a Regent), who shall administer the government in the name of the King, and exercise all powers Organically or legally vested in the King, except the power to appoint or replace a Regent. No person not a citizen of Talossa shall be competent to serve as Regent or member of a Council of Regency. The Ziu may by law remove or replace any appointed Regent, and if the Ziu removes a Regent appointed by the King, the King may not reappoint the same person Regent without the prior consent of the Ziu.

Section 6 The King may grant titles of nobility and confer awards and decorations.

shall be amended to read as follows:

Section 1 The Kingdom of Talossa is a constitutional Monarchy with a King as its head of State.

Section 2 The King is the symbolic head of the nation. The nation democratically grants the King certain Royal Powers and duties as described in this Organic Law and in statute law. In addition, the King may grant titles of nobility and confer awards and decorations. The Ziu may establish procedures for when the King fails to perform a duty.

Section 3 The King of Talossa is King John I, until his demise, abdication, or removal from the throne. Upon his demise, abdication, or removal from the throne, the new King shall be the Heir Presumptive, who shall be the duly-designated successor to the throne. The new King shall likewise be succeeded in the same manner, and thus forever in perpetuity.

Section 4 Should the King at any time renounce or lose his citizenship, that renunciation or loss shall be deemed to imply his abdication of the Throne. However, the King may abdicate without renouncing his citizenship.

Section 5 In dire circumstances, when the King is judged by competent medical authority to be incapable of executing his duties, or if he is convicted by the Talossan Uppermost Cort of violation of this Organic Law, treason, bribery, nonfeasance endangering the safety, order or good government of the Kingdom, or other high crimes, the nation may remove the King from the Throne. The Cosa shall pronounce by a two-thirds vote, with the approval of the Senäts, that the King is to be removed, and this pronouncement shall immediately be transmitted to the people for their verdict in a referendum. If a two-thirds majority of the people concur, the King is removed.

Section 6 The King may, at whim, appoint, replace, or remove a Regent (or a Council of Regency, which is considered equivalent to a Regent), who shall administer the government in the name of the King, and exercise all powers Organically or legally vested in the King, except the power to appoint or replace a Regent. No person not a citizen of Talossa shall be competent to serve as Regent or member of a Council of Regency. The Ziu may by law remove or replace any appointed Regent, and if the Ziu removes a Regent appointed by the King, the King may not reappoint the same person Regent without the prior consent of the Ziu.

Section 7 The King may nominate an Heir Presumptive by special decree to the Ziu. This decree shall take effect upon approval of a two-thirds supermajority of the Cosa and majority approval of the Senäts, and by a majority of the people.

Section 8 Upon any vacancy on the Throne with no Heir Presumptive, the Secretary of State shall announce a convocation of succession. This announcement will include details of the convocation of succession, as described by the Secretary of State. This announcement shall further include a list of all those who have been citizens no fewer than seven full years prior to that date, and who are therefore eligible electors of the convocation. The Secretary of State shall shall immediately thereafter notify all of these electors of the convocation and their responsibilities. The Secretary of State shall also include in this announcement a set of proposed rules and procedures for the convocation of succession, for public debate and consideration. The convocation of succession's first order of business shall be to approve, with or without modifications, the rules under which it will operate, which may differ from the Secretary of State's proposals, but may not contradict this Organic Law.

Fourteen days after this announcement, the convocation shall be deemed to have commenced. It shall be chaired by the Secretary of State in a fair manner designed to foster open discussion and faithful service, unless a different chair is elected by the convocation of succession by the expressed preference of an absolute majority of members, or by the expressed preference of a plurality of members within a period of seven days. The convocation shall vote by secret ballot on a King. All electors' votes shall have equal weight, and whichever candidate first receives the support of two-thirds of the convocation shall be deemed the nominee of the convocation of succession. No votes for ineligible candidates shall be considered. This choice shall be submitted to the people by referendum for their approval. Should a majority of the people approve of the nominee, they shall be King of the Kingdom of Talossa.

Section 9 For the duration of any time during which the throne is empty, the Uppermost Cort shall be a Council of Regency.