Bill: Draft Congressional Support Reform Act

[End]

A
BILL
To

Amend the Legislative Standards Act​

The people of the Commonwealth of Redmont, through their elected Representatives in the Congress and the force of law ordained to that Congress by the people through the constitution, do hereby enact the following provisions into law:

1 - Short Title and Enactment

(1) This Act may be cited as the 'Congressional Support Reform Act.'

(2) This Act shall be enacted immediately upon its signage.

(3) This Act has been authored by End.

(4) This Act has been co-sponsored by RealImza

2 - Reasons

(1) The LSC and OCA duties are duplicated.

(2) It has become apparent that there is a desire for the role of draftsman to be re-raised.

(3) The LSC’s functions should be integrated into the Legislative Standards Act with the OCA.

(4) Impartiality requirements for congressional administrative staff must be strengthened.

3 - Repeal

(1) Legislative Service Commission Act

(2) All references to the LSC are removed from the Standing Orders and the LSA becomes the primary source of truth.

4 - Amendments to the Legislative Standards Act

6 - The Office of Congressional Affairs

(1) The Office of Congressional Affairs is a statutory body which provides both chambers of congress with impartial administrative support.

(2) The Office of Congressional Affairs is responsible to congress, but reports to and is tasked by the Presiding Officers through the Director of Legislative Affairs.

(3) The Office of Congressional Affairs is charged with:

(a) Making the following changes to documents of law:

(i) correcting administrative errors in sequential numbering

(ii) implementing congressional amendments.

(b) Assisting the Speaker with the administration of the House

(c) Assisting the President of the Senate with the administration of the Senate

(d) Communicating with the Press

(e) Assisting in the formatting and drafting of Bills

(f) Managing and publishing congressional transparency reports.

(g) Regularly informing the public of motions of significant public interest via government-announcements. Motions of significant public interest include but are not limited to:

(i) Nominations/Confirmations

(ii) Impeachments/Removals

(iii) Censures

(iv) New committees or changes to committees

(v) Veto overrides

(h) Legislative research and drafting support for bills and resolutions.

(i) Impartial research on law and policy to aid legislators.
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(4) The OCA shall maintain neutrality and may not engage in political campaigning or advocacy.

(5) The members of the Office will be referred to as 'Congressional Staff':

(a) Director of Legislative Affairs - Presiding Officer's delegate in the management and coordination of the Office. This position is limited to one qualified attorney.

(b) Clerks - Responsible for OCA administrative functions and the facilitation of the Congressional Process under the guidance of the Presiding Officers.

(c) Draftsman - Responsible for legislative procedure, research, providing impartial advice to Members of Congress upon request, and drafting legislation upon request.

(5) The Office of Congressional Affairs will comprise at least two clerks.

(6) Hiring

(a) The Presiding Officers must obtain approval of Congress to appoint the Director of Legislative Affairs.

(b) The Director of Legislative Affairs may hire or contract Congressional Staff, limited to five individuals in total.

(c) Congressional Staff may receive salaries as determined by law.

(b) A Congressional Staff position will carry over each term until a Presiding Officer actions §6(7)(a).

(7) Tenure and Dismissal Process

(a) Congressional Staff are not tied to congressional terms and remain in office until dismissed.

(b) Congressional Staff serve at the pleasure of the Presiding Officers.

(c) Congressional Staff are prohibited from holding any leadership role in a political party or elected congressional office during their tenure.

(d) Congressional Staff must serve in a strictly neutral capacity in support of all Members of Congress.

(8) In the Presiding Officer’s absence, or if otherwise delegated, the Deputy Presiding Officer will assume the Presiding Officer's authority over Congressional Staff.

(8) The OCA is authorised to correct section and subsection numbering within Acts, provided such corrections do not alter the substantive meaning of any provision and are limited solely to administrative numbering errors.

(9) The Presiding Officers fund the OCA's activities through provisions in the Legislative budget.

4 - Amendments to the Congressional Discord

(a) All existing channels and categories previously used by the Legislative Service Commission (LSC) shall be merged, restructured, and renamed to represent the Office of Congressional Affairs (OCA).

(b) The OCA will establish a channel within the OCA's category for:

(i) Congressional staff liaison and conversation with congress members.

(iI) Congressional staff liaison and conversation with presiding officers.

(c) The OCA will be otherwise limited in it's access to speak and view outside of these channels, with a view to ensure that questions are streamlined to one area and that they don't receive an unfair advantage over influencing the presiding officers.