Sofia2750
Citizen
Congressional Staff
Oakridge Resident
Health Department
5th Anniversary
Change Maker
Popular in the Polls
Statesman
Sofia2750
Clerk
- Joined
- Jan 2, 2025
- Messages
- 217
- Thread Author
- #1
A
BILL
To
Implement a new Constitution
BILL
To
Implement a new Constitution
The citizens of Oakridge, through their elected Representatives in the Town-Council and the force of law ordained to that Town-Council by the people through the constitution of Oakridge, do hereby enact the following provisions into the by-laws:
1 - Short Title and Enactment
(1) This Act may be cited as the 'New Constitution Act.'
(2) This Act shall be enacted the next Town Council term upon its signage.
(3) This Act has been authored by Chief of Staff zLost.
(4) This Act has been co-authored by Mayor Yeet_Boy, modzy_, and JustaDumpling
(5) This Act has been reviewed and proposed by Sofia2750.
(6) This Act has been co-sponsored by modzy_.
2 - Reasons
(1) Our current constitution has many problems, this bill aims to reform the Oakridge Government and Constitution.
3 - New Constitution
All text and images from the current constitution thread will be deleted and replaced with the following:
View attachment 76340
PREAMBLE
We the Citizens of the Town of Oakridge, in order to form a more perfect country, establish this Constitution to guarantee the preservation and protection of Justice, promote the general welfare of our Citizens, and secure the liberty of our participation in the governance of this Town. All the Citizens and the Government of the Town of Oakridge will abide by these set principles to play and unite as a Town, the Town of Oakridge, hereinafter called Oakridge.
The Oakridge Town Government consists of 2 Branches, the Executive and the Town Council. All laws passed by the Federal Government of the Commonwealth of Redmont are to be binding and enforceable within the bounds of the Town of Oakridge.
Federal Government Departments shall not conduct business within the Town of Oakridge without approval from the Mayor, excluding the Department of State to facilitate elections, the Department of Health to maintain the town clinic, the Department of Construction and Transportation to action evictions, and the Department of the Interior to maintain the town animal shelter.
The Oakridge Town Government consists of 2 Branches, the Executive and the Town Council. All laws passed by the Federal Government of the Commonwealth of Redmont are to be binding and enforceable within the bounds of the Town of Oakridge.
Federal Government Departments shall not conduct business within the Town of Oakridge without approval from the Mayor, excluding the Department of State to facilitate elections, the Department of Health to maintain the town clinic, the Department of Construction and Transportation to action evictions, and the Department of the Interior to maintain the town animal shelter.
ARTICLE I - THE COUNCIL
Section I:
The Legislature of Oakridge shall consist of a single, unicameral Town Council which shall consist of Councilors, also known as Council Members.
Section II:
The Town Council shall have the power to:
(i) Author, propose, and pass legislation on any topic by proposing bills. Legislation shall be passed through a majority vote of approval of the Town Council's members, unless the law provides otherwise.
(ii) Approve or deny, through a simple majority, any appointments to Executive Officer by the Mayor.
(iii) Remove the Mayor or Deputy Mayor through a supermajority of the Town Council in agreement.
(iv) Remove any Council Member following a supermajority vote of approval for their removal among the Town Council.
(v) Override a Mayoral veto through a supermajority vote of approval.
Section III:
All Legislation passed by the Town Council, shall, before it become a Law, must be presented to the Mayor of Oakridge. If the Mayor approves, it shall be signed into Law, but if not, it shall be returned to the Council, with the Mayor's objections. Should a tie occur in any vote among the Town Council, the Deputy Mayor shall decide.
ARTICLE II - THE EXECUTIVE
Section I:
The Executive Power shall be vested in a Mayor of Oakridge, who shall be elected with a Deputy Mayor of Oakridge. The Executive shall consist of the following positions:
- Mayor
- Deputy Mayor
- Executive Officers
- Mayoral Advisors
- Chief of Staff
Section II:
The Mayor shall have the power to:
(i) Approve or veto any bills passed by the Town Council before they are signed into law.
(ii) Appoint residents to the position of Executive Officer with approval from the Town Council.
(iii) Appoint Mayoral Advisors.
(iv) Remove Executive Officers, Mayoral Advisors, the Chief of Staff and the Sheriff at their pleasure.
(v) All responsibilities and powers given to the Town of Oakridge by federal law or Executive Order shall be assumed to be under the jurisdiction of the Mayor, unless given to another position by this Constitution or town legislation.
Section III:
The Deputy Mayor shall serve as an assistant to the Mayor, and holds the power to tie-break any votes in the Town Council. The Mayor may delegate any of their powers to the Deputy Mayor.
In the event that the Mayor of Oakridge is absent or unable to perform their duties, the Deputy Mayor shall assume the Office of the Mayor until the Mayor of Oakridge is present and able to perform their duties.
In the event that the Deputy Mayor of Oakridge is absent or unable to perform their duties, the Mayor shall assume the Office of the Deputy Mayor until the Deputy Mayor of Oakridge is present and able to perform their duties.
Section IV:
Should the Mayor position become vacant, the Deputy Mayor shall assume Office of the Mayor. The new Mayor shall then nominate a new Deputy Mayor, which shall assume Office only when approved with a majority vote from the Town Council.
Should the Deputy Mayor position become vacant, the Mayor shall nominate a new Deputy Mayor, which shall assume Office only when approved with a majority vote from the Town Council.
Section V:
Within a week of a new Town Council being elected, the Mayor must nominate five Executive Officers for each of the following positions:
- Head of Commerce
- Head of Event Coordination
- Head of Legal Affairs
- Head of Residence
- Head of Urban Development
The Executive Officers serve a term that is concurrent with the Town Council. Executive Officers serve at the pleasure of the Mayor. An Executive Officer may serve up to one week extra beyond their term until someone else has been nominated and appointed.
Section VI:
During their term, the Mayor may appoint up to 2x Mayoral Advisors who serve as advisors to the Mayor. The Mayor may assign them a designated area of expertise for which they shall provide advice for.
Mayoral Advisors hold no power and serve in an advisory capacity.
Section VII:
The Chief of Staff serves as a spokesperson and clerk for the town and is nominated by the Mayor and must be approved by the Town Council with a majority vote of approval. The Chief of Staff serves a term that is concurrent with the Mayor of Oakridge.
The Chief of Staff bears the following responsibilities:
(i) Holding press briefings on behalf of the Town Government.
(ii) Facilitating voting on bills proposed by the Town Council, and ensuring their timely passage.
(iii) Assisting the Town Council and the Executive with their duties.
Section VIII:
The Sheriff is a member of the Executive who is in charge of the Oakridge Police Department. The Sheriff must be a current Police Officer or higher rank in the Department of Homeland Security.
The Sheriff is nominated by the Mayor and must be approved by the Town Council with a simple majority. The Sheriff serves a term that is concurrent with the Mayor.
ARTICLE III - OFFICES
Section I:
Oakridge shall have offices which shall be established in this Constitution. Each office shall have specific duties, responsibilities, and powers which shall be listed in this article. The Head of an Office shall retain the power to decide the rank structure of their respective Office. The following are the Offices of Oakridge:
Office of Commerce
The Office of Commerce is charged with the following responsibilities:
(1) Administration of town grants and the registration of local businesses.
(a) Office of Commerce leadership shall not accept their own grants.
(2) Approval of commercial structures or spaces.
(3) Creation of economic regulations, if approved by the Town Council and not overridden by an Act of Council.
(4) Protection of the Town's economic interests.
Leadership:(1) Head of Commerce
Office of Urban Development
The Office of Urban Development is charged with the following responsibilities:
(1) Creation of Government infrastructure, including commercial and residential structures.
(2) Management of public transport within Oakridge.
Leadership:(1) Head of Urban Development
Office of Community Affairs
The Office of Community Affairs is charged with the following responsibilities:
(1) Maintaining an active and satisfied Oakridge community.
(2) Holding regular Press Conferences with the public.
(3) Hosting events within the Town of Oakridge.
(4) Managing any social media accounts owned by the Town of Oakridge.
(5) Providing aid to residents seeking to host their own events within the Town of Oakridge.
(6) Creating monthly approval ratings surveys for elected officials and major changes within the Town of Oakridge.
(7) Facilitation of guided tours throughout the Town of Oakridge.
Leadership:(1) Head of Event Coordination
Office of Legal Affairs
The Office of legal affairs is charged with the following responsibilities:
(1) Advising the Mayor and town council over any legal matters.
(2) Make sure all Town laws are abiding by the Commonwealth's.
Leadership:(1) Town Attorney General
Office of Residence
The Office of Residence is charged with the following responsibilities:
(1) Approval of residential structures or spaces built by the Office of Urban Development.
(2) Creation of building regulations, if approved by the Town Council and not overridden by an Act of Council.
(3) Maintenance and enforcement of building regulations.
(4) Management of evicted plot auctions within Oakridge.
Leadership:(1) Head of Residence
Oakridge Police DepartmentThe Oakridge Police Department is charged with the following responsibilities:
(1) Maintaining the peace and good order of the Town of Oakridge, through lawfully exercising its power equally to enforce the laws of the Town of Oakridge
(2) Providing security to Oakridge government officials and events
(3) Maintaining criminal records for local crimes within Oakridge
(4) Providing criminal records upon request (the requesting individual must be party to the record requested, or be a court ordered request) within 7 days.
Leadership:(1) Sheriff
ARTICLE IV - ELECTIONS
Section I:
Council Members serve a two-month term. Elections for Councilor shall begin in February, April, June, August, October, and December, on the 15th day of each assigned month. Elections for all Council seats shall be conducted in a single general election
There shall be 5 Councilors in the Oakridge Government.
Section II:
The Mayor and Deputy Mayor of Oakridge both serve a four-month term. Mayoral Elections shall begin in January, May, and September, on the 15th day of each assigned month.
A Mayoral candidate will choose a running mate prior to the electoral ballot, to serve as Deputy Mayor.
Section III:
Elections shall be facilitated by the Department of State.
The Town Council shall be elected by a system of STV (Single Transferable Vote) as outlined in §5 of the Electoral Act.
The Mayor and Deputy Mayor shall be elected by a majority of votes by a system of IRV (Instant-Runoff Voting) as outlined in §7 of the Electoral Act.
If there is only one candidate for Mayor, a vote of confidence shall be held for that candidate. The candidate must receive a majority of votes in favor to be elected. If the candidate fails to receive a majority of votes in favor in the Vote of Confidence, a Special Election shall be held for that position.
If there are less than five candidates for Town Council, declarations shall be extended by 24 hours. This will repeat three times or until at least five candidates have declared for Town Council. After the third repeat, the declared candidates will all be automatically elected and a special election will be held for the remaining council seats.
If exactly five candidates declare, they will be elected automatically.
Section IV:
All elections, except for special elections, shall have a nomination period of 72 hours, followed by voting, which shall be open for 72 hours.
All special elections shall have a nomination period of 24 hours, followed by voting, which shall be open for 24 hours.
A vote of confidence shall be open for 72 hours.
Section V:
In case both the Mayor and Deputy Mayor positions are vacant, a special election for the the Mayor shall be facilitated within 24 hours, given there is no Mayoral election scheduled in the following 7 days.
In case of a Council Member's seat being vacant, a special election for their seat shall be facilitated within 24 hours, given there are no Town Council elections scheduled in the following 7 days, excluding special elections.
Section VI:
No legislation shall be made into town law that amends the electoral process during an Oakridge election.
ARTICLE V - RIGHTS AND FREEDOMS
Right I:
No legislation shall be made into town law that prohibits or in any way restricts a resident of Oakridge from voting for the Mayor or for the Town Council, unless as reasonable requirements to ensure legitimate and active voters.
Right II:
The right to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed. All weapons, excluding weapons deemed to be Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMDs) by the Federal Government, are able to be held in possession by the resident of Oakridge, and no legislation shall be made into town law that prohibits or in any way restricts this right.
ARTICLE VI - REQUIREMENTS
Section I:
Each position in the Town of Oakridge shall need certain requirements that must be fulfilled before a person may run for or be appointed to that position which are listed here:
Town Council
- Has been 1 week since the player's initial join date;
- Has accrued 16 hours of total playtime;
- Has accrued 8 hours of active playtime within the last 30 days;
- Is an Oakridge Resident.
- Has been 1 month since the player's initial join date;
- Has accrued 48 hours of total playtime;
- Has accrued 12 hours of active playtime within the last 30 days;
- Is an Oakridge resident;
- Has not served as Mayor during both the previous two Mayoral terms;
- Has not served as Deputy Mayor during both the previous two Mayoral terms (required for Deputy Mayor only);
- Has not served as Mayor during the last Mayoral term (required for Deputy Mayor only);
- Is not a Mayor/Deputy Mayor of another town.
- Has been 1 week since the player's initial join date;
- Has accrued 16 hours of total playtime;
- Has accrued 8 hours of active playtime within the last 30 days;
- Is an Oakridge resident.
The Mayor may not serve as an Executive Officer, Mayoral Advisor, Chief of Staff, or Sheriff.
No person may simultaneously hold more than one of the following offices: Executive Officer, Chief of Staff, and Sheriff.
ARTICLE VII - KEY DEFINITIONS
Section I:
The following are definitions that apply across this Constitution and Oakridge's legislation:
Majority - "a vote of greater than 50% of valid votes cast, excluding abstentions"
Supermajority - "a vote of greater than or equal to 2/3 of valid votes cast, excluding abstentions"
Law - For the purposes of this Constitution, the generalized term "law" refers to any legally binding federal legislation, town legislation, and Executive Orders.
Bill - "any proposal by the town council seeking to amend legislation"
Section II:
Any usage of the generalized terms having the same name as Oakridge positions without specifying Oakridge in Oakridge legislation shall refer specifically to positions in Oakridge unless specified otherwise, including, but not limited to:
- Town Council
- Mayor
- Deputy Mayor
- Executive Officer
- Mayoral Advisor
- Chief of Staff
- Sheriff
- Resident
ARTICLE VIII - CHANGES TO THE CONSTITUTION
Section I:
A bill that amends the Constitution of Oakridge must receive a supermajority vote of approval from the Town Council in order to be made into town law.