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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 'July 2025 LSA Amendment Act.'
(2) This Act shall be enacted immediately upon its signage.
(3) This Act has been authored by Gribble19.
(4) This Act has been sponsored by Representative Jesseya.
(5) This Act has been co-sponsored by Deputy Speaker of House SirDogeington.
2 - Reasons
(1) There are certain sections of the Legislative Standards Act which are outdated.
(2) There are certain sections of the Legislative Standards Act which are inconsistent with other sections of it.
(3) There are certain sections of the Legislative Standards Act which have inconsistent grammar.
(4) There are changes that can be made to make the Legislative Standards Act easier to read, cleaner, more to the point, and thus better.
3 - Amendments
(1) Section 4 and 5 of the Legislative Standards Act shall be amended as follows:
“4 - Standing Orders
(1) Upon commencing a new congressional session, the first order of business for each chamber is to amend or reconfirm its extant standing orders.
4 - The House of Representatives
(1) Upon commencing a new Congressional session, the chamber's first order of business is to amend or reconfirm it's extant standing orders.
5 - The Senate
(1) Upon commencing a new Congressional session, the chamber's first order of business is to amend or reconfirm it's extant standing orders.”
(2) Section 6 of the Legislative Standards Act shall be amended as follows:
“6 - Sergeant at Arms
(1) The Sergeant at Arms is a temporary position, that is appointed before each Congressional session or hearing by the relevant Presiding Officer, and is relieved when the meeting is adjourned.
(a) The Sergeant-at-Arms must be a serving Police Officer.
(2) The Police Officer will be responsible for the following while acting in the capacity of Sergeant-at-Arms:
(a) Ensuring the safety and the security of the Capitol Building.
(b) Ensuring the safety and the security of Representatives, Senators, and citizens on Capitol Grounds.
(c) Removing anyone from the Capitol grounds at the request of the relevant Presiding Officer.”
(3) Section 7 of the Legislative Standards Act shall be amended as follows:
“5 - The Office of Congressional Affairs
(1) The Office of Congressional Affairs is a statutory body which provides both chambers of congress with administrative support.
(2) The Office of Congressional Affairs is overseen by the Presiding Officers.
(3) The Office of Congressional Affairs is charged with:
(a) Making all necessary changes to documents of law
(b) Assisting the Speaker with the administration of the House
(c) Assisting the President of the Senate with the administration of the Senate
(d) Communicates with the Press and assists in the formatting and drafting of bills, if requested.
(d) Communicating with the Press
(e) Assisting in the formatting and drafting of bills, if requested.
(f) Managing and publishing congressional transparency reports.
(g) Regularly informs the public of motions of significant public interest via government-announcements. Motions of significant public interest include but are not limited to the following:
(i) Nominations/Confirmations
(ii) Impeachments/Removals
(iii) Censures
(iv) New committees or changes to committees
(v) Veto overrides
(4) The members of the Office will be referred to as 'Congressional Staff’ and will comprise of at least two clerks.
(5) The Office of Congressional Affairs will comprise at least two clerks.
(6) Hiring
(a) The Presiding Officers must receive the approval of the Congress to hire Congressional Staff by way of nomination.
(b) A Congressional Staff position will carry over each term until a Presiding Officer actions §5.(6).(a).
(c) Congressional Staff may receive a salary decided by law outside of the Constitution.
(6) Dismissal Process
(a) Congressional Staff serve at the Presiding Officers pleasure.
(7) 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 Office of Congressional Affairs is authorised to adjust the numbering of sections and subsections within acts, provided that such changes do not alter the substantive meaning of the act and are limited to correcting administrative errors in the sequential numbering. “
(4) Section 8 of the Legislative Standards Act shall be amended as follows:
“6 - Bills
(1) Representatives have the ability to officially propose bills to Congress. In order to propose a bill, the Representative will follow the congressional process as defined in §8.
(2) A rejected bill or a bill of the same nature cannot be proposed for a period of 14 days after its rejection unless a motion of reconsideration has been approved by Congress.
(a) A motion to reconsider, if passed, permits the proposal of an identical bill to the rejected bill or a bill of the same nature.
(a) Vetoed bills and bills that failed at referendum are considered rejected bills, and are thus subject to the same limitation.
(b) This limitation only applies to bills rejected during the current congressional session.
(c) All bills will automatically be reconsidered following the enactment of results of a congressional general election.
(3) If there’s a tie (this is there are the same number of votes in favour and against independently of the number of abstains), the poll will be held again without the abstain option. If there is a tie once more, the bill will automatically be rejected.
(3) The template for bills will be annexed to this act in a separate thread. Any amendments to the Bill format will be an amendment to this Act.
(4) The title of a bill should explain the purpose of the bill and may not contain any personal identifiers such as names, initials and abbreviations referring to persons.
(5) When assigning a title to a bill it may not contain any personal identifier such as, any names, initials, abbreviations or other such personal identifiers. The bill title should exist to explain the purpose of the bill."
(5) Section 9 of the Legislative Standards Act shall be amended as follows:
“7 - Resolutions
(1) Congress may pass non-binding resolutions to express opinions or make formal requests. These do not require presidential assent.
(2) The template for Resolutions will be annexed to this act in a separate thread. Any amendments to the Resolution format will be an amendment to the Legislative Standards Act.
(3) Resolutions shall follow the same process and rules of Bills as outlined in this Act unless otherwise specified.
(4) Standing orders and other legislation may still make distinctions between Bills and Resolutions.
(5) §8.(5).(a) and §8.(6) do not apply to Resolutions. After a Resolution passes both chambers of Congress, it shall be moved to the Resolutions forum rather than await assent.”
(6) Section 10 of the Legislative Standards Act shall be amended as follows:
"8 - Congressional Process
(1) The Bill is posted to forums by the sponsoring Representative as a Bill: Draft. A link will be posted to #bills by the representative.
(2) After at least 24 hours have passed, the Speaker will then add a publicly visible poll in which congressional members will be able to change their vote on the bill for a 48 hour voting period and the prefix will be changed to Bill: Voting.
(3) After the 48 hours have passed, there will be 2 situations:
(a) If the Bill is passed, the Speaker will change the Bill status to Bill: Pending and move it to the Senate, notifying the President of the Senate; or
(b) If the Bill is rejected, the Speaker will change the Bill status to Bill: Rejected and move it to the Rejected sub-forum.
(c) Passage shall be considered as a simple majority, unless otherwise provided by law, of ayes out of all non-abstention votes cast, and rejection shall be a failure to reach such a majority.
(4) When debate is finished in the Senate, the President of the Senate will re-open the publicly visible poll for 48 hours. The prefix will be changed to Bill: Voting.
(5) After the 48 hours have passed; all votes have been submitted; or a majority is reached, there will be 2 situations:
(a) If the Bill is passed, the Presiding Officer President of the Senate will move the bill to the Congressional forum applying the 'awaiting assent' prefix, notifying the President for their assent; or
(b) If the Bill is rejected, the Presiding Officer will change the Bill status to Bill: Rejected and move it to the Rejected sub-forum with Senate recommendations in the comments.
(c) Passage shall be considered as a simple majority, unless otherwise provided by law, of ayes out of all non-abstention votes cast, and rejection shall be considered as a simple majority, unless otherwise provided by law, of nays out of all non-abstention votes cast. a failure to reach such a majority.
(i) In the case that there is neither a passage nor a rejection, the Vice-President will cast a tie-breaking vote resulting in passage if an aye is cast and rejection if a nay is cast.
(6) If a bill is passed by Congress, the President will do either of the following:
(a) The President will sign the Bill and move it to the Acts of Congress forum. The Speaker’s Office will update the relevant Rules and Laws; or
(b) The President will Veto the Bill and move it to the Rejected forum, providing the reason in the comments.
(7) Once the changes have been made, the Speaker's office will announce the changes to the public. assuming the law is of significant public interest. Laws of significant public interest include but are not limited to the following:
(a) Changes to tax or property laws
(b) New restrictions against common or widespread crimes
(c) Laws requiring public referendum"
(7) Section 11 of the Legislative Standards Act shall be amended as follows:
"9 - Acts of Congress
(1) When amending a Bill everything being edited or changed to the bill must be highlighted in this way.
(a) Any text being removed from the bill must be in red and made bold.
(b) Any text being added to the bill must be in green and made bold.
(c) Any changes to the wording of the text in a bill must be made yellow and be made bold.
(d) In addition changes made must be clear so the previous bill in its entire before any edits must be posted on the thread so it is clear what is being changed.
(2) Sub Forums
(a) Acts of Congress shall be split into the following categories and Acts will be sorted between them based on their primary function:
(i) Budgets
(ii) Constitutional Law
(iii) Property Law
(iv) Wilderness Law
(v) Economic & Business Law
(vi) Breach of Peace Law
(vii) Administrative Law
(viii) Miscellaneous Laws
(ix) Resolutions
(3) Amendments
(a) When an amendment to a bill passes, it will be added as a reply to the original act’s thread under the Bills in Acts of Congress.
(b) The original act will be edited and updated as new amendments are added to it.
(c) When a bill intends to amend an Act of Congress, a link to the Act of Congress must be present within the reasons section of a bill.
(4) All votes on bill polls on the forums are to be made public to ensure Transparency between the public and the elected representatives."
(8) Section 12 of the Legislative Standards Act shall be amended as follows:
"10 - Congressional Motions
A motion in Congressional motion is a formal request for approval or disapproval by Congress. Unless otherwise provided, all motions are passed or failed on a majority basis and can be proposed by any member of a congressional chamber. Examples include, but are not limited to:
(1) Motion of No Confidence
(a) A Motion of No Confidence seeks to remove a presiding officer in a Congressional chamber from their function.
(b) A Motion of No Confidence against a presiding officer may be proposed only by a member in the Congressional chamber which the officer is presiding over and will only be voted on by that chamber.
(c) A Motion of No Confidence requires a supermajority to pass.
(a) Response Requirement. Before voting begins, the officeholder subject to a motion of no confidence must submit a response, which will be posted alongside the vote. If no response is received within 12 hours, the Presiding Officer will proceed without it.
(b) Government Stability. This motion carries serious consequences, as it can destabilize the government. If removal is for an appointment (presiding officer), the subject of the motion will revert to their regular role (Representative or Senator).
(2) Motion to Fund
(a) A Motion to Fund seeks to allocate funds appropriated to Congress and may be used for any purpose that supports legislative operations.
(a) Allocation of Funds. Congress may allocate funds through a simple majority vote, following bugetary regulations.
This motion may be used for any purpose that supports legislative operations.
(b) Individual Chamber Approval. Either the House of Representatives or the Senate may pass a motion to fund independently.
(c) Spending Limits. No chamber may spend more than 50% of the legislative branch’s allocated funds in a fiscal period without joint approval from both chambers.
(3) Motion of Commendation
(a) A Motion of Commendation seeks to award an individual with a Congressional Medal.
(b) A Motion of Commendation requires a supermajority in both chambers of congress to pass.
(a) Scope of Commendation. The motion must specify whether it seeks a Congressional Commendation (requiring approval from both chambers) or recognition in just one chamber.
(b) Public Acknowledgment. If passed, the Office of the Presiding Officers will issue a public statement of commendation, which may be awarded to any community member.
(4) Motion of Urgent Consideration
(a) A Motion of Urgent Consideration seeks to have a bill urgently considered. If passed, the voting on the bill that was motioned for Urgent Consideration must be opened within 12 hours and the bill will receive priority when advancing to the senate.
(b) Proposal and Voting. A Only Representatives may propose this motion, and it will be voted on only by the House of Representatives.
(b) Expedited Process. If passed, the bill must be opened for voting within 12 hours. If approved by the House, it will receive priority when advancing to the Senate.
(5) Motion of Censure
(a) A Motion of Censure seeks to publicly condemn an individual, government department or government agency, and their actions.
(b) A Motion of Censure serves as a formal reprimand but does not impose penalties.
(c) A Motion of Censure may only be made against a single individual or government department at a time. In order to censure multiple individuals, separate motions must be filed.
(d) A Motion of Censure may be passed by any congressional chamber independently.
(a) Purpose and Scope. Any Representative or Senator may move a motion of censure against an individual to publicly condemn their actions. Censure does not impose penalties but serves as a formal reprimand.
(b) Restrictions. A motion to censure may only target one individual at a time. Multiple individuals cannot be censured under a single motion; separate motions must be filed. However, government departments or agencies may be censured collectively.
(6) Motion of Replacement
If a Representative or Senator resigns or is removed, their replacement will be appointed according to constitutional procedures.
(6) Motion of Removal
(a) A Motion of Removal seeks to remove a member of a congressional chamber from their position in congress.
(b) A Motion of Removal may only be made against a single individual at a time.
(c) A Motion of Removal may only be proposed by the officer presiding over the chamber of which the target of the motion is a member and will only be voted on in that chamber.
(d) A Motion of Removal in the House of Representatives requires approval of 4/5th of the chamber (excluding the individual in question) to pass.
(e) A Motion of Removal in the Senate requires approval of every member of the chamber (excluding the individual in question) to pass.
Congress may remove a member in accordance with constitutional processes.
This power should only be exercised under appropriate circumstances, such as repeated censures.
(8) Motion of Nomination
(a) Legislative Nominations. A majority vote in both chambers is required to confirm a nomination to the Legislative Branch.
(b) Judicial Nominations. A majority vote in the Senate alone is required to confirm a nomination to the Judiciary.
(7) Motion to Override
If the President vetoes a bill, Congress may override the veto with a two-thirds majority vote.
(a) A Motion to Override seeks to override a presidential veto.
(b) A Motion to Override requires a supermajority in both chambers of congress to pass.
(8) Motion to Subpoena
(a) Congress may A Motion to Subpoena seeks to subpoena personnel or records for the purposes of a hearing or investigation.
(b) A Motion to Subpoena may be passed by any congressional chamber independently.
(9) Motion for Classification and Motion for Declassification
(a) Motion for Classification. A Representative or Senator may propose a motion A Motion for Classification seeks to classify information, a motion and its voting records, preventing public release.
(b) A Motion for Declassification. A previously classified motion may be declassified through a separate motion. seeks to declassify information that is currently classified, allowing for public release of the information.
(c) A Motion for Classification may be passed by any congressional chamber independently.
(d) A Motion for Declassification requires to be passed in all chambers where the Motion for Classification that originally classified the information was passed in order to pass.
(c) Voting Requirements. Classification or declassification requires a simple majority in all chambers where the original motion was passed.
(d) Justification for Classification. A motion should only be classified if its disclosure could harm government stability or the well-being of Redmont.
(e) Voting Restrictions. While a Motion for Classification is under vote, the Motion for Classification and the information it seeks to classify motion in question may not be publicized unless classification fails.
(10) Motion to Amend
(a) A Motion to Amend seeks to amend a bill that is currently undergoing voting in a Congressional Chamber.
(b) Members of both chambers can propose a Motion to Amend a bill that is currently up for vote in the House of Representatives.
(c) Members of the Senate can propose a Motion to Amend a bill that is currently up for vote in the Senate.
(a) Amendments During Voting. A Representative may propose a motion to amend a bill that is currently undergoing voting in the House of Representatives, and a Senator may propose a motion to amend a bill that is currently pending in the Senate or undergoing voting in the Senate. A Motion to Amend a bill cannot be proposed once that bill has passed voting in both chambers.
(d) Required Majority. A Motion to Amend proposed in the House of Representatives requires the same majority required for passage of that bill in only that chamber, and a Motion to Amend proposed in the Senate requires the same majority required for passage of that bill in both chambers.
(e) Procedure. Following the passage of a Motion to Amend a bill, the bill will restart voting for 48 hours in the chamber it was in when the motion to amend was proposed, if that bill was up to vote in that chamber at any point between the motion’s proposal and the motion’s passage.
(11) Motion of Reconsideration
(a) A Motion to Reconsideration seeks to allow a bill to be re-proposed within 14 days of its rejection.
(b) The passage of a Motion of Reconsideration permits the proposal of a bill identical to or of the same nature as the rejected bill which has been motioned for reconsideration.
(c) A Motion of Reconsideration must be voted on and pass the vote in both chambers in order to pass.
(12) Motion to Hold in Contempt
(a) A Motion to Hold in Contempt seeks to summarily convict someone of Contempt of Congress.
(b) A Motion to Hold in Contempt may be passed by any congressional chamber independently.
(c) Upon passage of a Motion to hold in Contempt, the presiding officer of the chamber which passed the motion shall inform the Department of Homeland Security to action the punishment.
(13) Motion of Nomination
(a) A Motion of Nomination seeks to nominate someone to be hired as congressional staff.
(b) A Motion of Nomination must be voted on and pass the vote in both chambers in order to pass. ”
(9) Section 13 of the Legislative Standards Act shall be amended as follows:
"11- Voting
(1) Conflict of Interests. If or when there is a motion or vote against or relating specifically to a member of Congress, that member of congress shall not be allowed to vote on that motion or vote. their vote shall not be included. (e.g. Motion of nomination, no confidence, removal)
(2) Abstentions. An abstention vote may be submitted during voting if the member is not voting for or against the matter before congress. Failure to vote at all will be considered a non-vote and for the purposes of all other acts will be counted as an abstention.”
(10) Section 16 of the Legislative Standards Act shall be amended as follows:
"14 - Congressional Funds
(1) Codified Spending:
(1) The reference to the legislative budget in this bill relates to the respective balance of the 'DCGovernmentLEG' account.
(2) The legislative branch may pass bills to limit or enforce spending on a specific subject.
(3) Spending of congressional funds remains subject to all bills regarding appropriations, including the logging and transparency of such spending.
(2) Facilitation of Funding
(a) The Office of the Presiding Officers is responsible for appropriating the proper funds once a Motion to Fund is passed, unless otherwise directed in such motion.
(3) Legislative bonuses
(4) Congressional members are barred from appropriating themselves and or accepting bonuses for the purpose of extra remuneration.
(a) Members of the speakers office are the only members exempt from this exclusion.
(b) Representatives may still receive appropriations to assist them in the course of their official duties (e.g. paying a staffer).
(5) Any official gifts made to a Representative or Senator are to be property of the state and should be surrendered to the Speaker's office at the member's first opportunity.
(a) The speaker's office may choose to display or simply retain and archive these gifts.”
(11) Section 17 of the Legislative Standards Act shall be amended as follows:
"17 - Contempt of Congress
(1) The House of Representatives, Senate, or any committee may vote to hold a person "in contempt" by a majority vote. The Speaker will then report the incident to the Department of Justice to be actioned.
To refuse to testify, won't provide information requested by the House or the Senate, or obstructs an inquiry by a congressional committee.
First Offence: $1500 fine and 10 minutes of jail time
Second Offence: $2000 fine and 20 minutes of jail time
Third Offence: $4000 fine, 40 minutes of jailtime, and a Censure”
(12) Section 18 of the Legislative Standards Act shall be amended as follows:
"15 - Redundancy
(1) A 'Redundant' prefix will be made available to the Speaker's office.
(2) This prefix may be applied to bills by the Speaker's office where a bill no longer has legal relevance. Bills with the redundancy prefix will be moved to the rescinded / vetoed / rejected Congress’s archive folder on the forum.
(3) Redundant bills will remain law until they are formally rescinded.”
(13) Section 19 of the Legislative Standards Act shall be amended as follows:
"16 - Peer Review
(1) A co-sponsor is required on all bills proposed.
(a) A co-sponsor must be a willing Representative or Senator who is not the proposer of the bill and this co-sponsor must be willing in the process of co-sponsorship.
(b) The bill and resolution format will be updated to include a space under section 1 for the co-sponsor to be put.
(b) If a listed co-sponsor claims that legislation was introduced without their consent, it is to be withdrawn from consideration at the discretion of the presiding officer of the House unless evidence of consent is provided. Consent may not be withdrawn once legislation is introduced.”
(14) Section 20 of the Legislative Standards Act shall be amended as follows:
"17- Oath of Office
(1) Any Presiding Officer of a chamber of Congress may choose to hold a swearing-in ceremony for their chamber each term.
(2) All Representatives and Senators in attendance of such a ceremony shall be sworn in by the Clerk with the following oath: 'I, (username), do solemnly swear that I will support and defend the Constitution of the Commonwealth of Redmont for the people. So help me End and Tech.'
(a) Congressional staff may be sworn in by a Presiding Officer with the same oath.
(3) Congressional swearing-ins are entirely ceremonial and shall have no legal effect.”
(15) Section 21 of the Legislative Standards Act shall be amended as follows:
"18 - Ethical Standards
(1) Members of Congress must recuse themselves from any investigations in which they may have a conflict of interest.
(2) Members of Congress cannot engage in questioning, proposing subpoenas, or any other investigative matter in which they have a conflict of interest. This may only be overridden via a supermajority of Congress.
(3) Members of Congress should maintain the same level of activity required for voters in Section 16 of the Electoral Act. If a member of Congress continues to not be active on Discord, Forums, or in-game it may be considered a failure to perform duty and a removable offense.”
(16) Section 22 of the Legislative Standards Act shall be amended as follows:
"22 - Amendments
(1) Any changes to this process should take the form of an amendment to the Legislative Standards Act.”
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