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This is a Storting/Underhusen reform bill that has been in the works for quite some time now, ever since the advent of Wintreath's Second Constitutional Convention. Currently, this seems to be the consensus for the best proposal to amend our Storting and change activity to an as-needed basis. If this bill passes the Underhusen and Overhusen, it will need to be ratified by the Citizenry as early as possible.

Here is the bill:

The Storting Reformation Amendment Act

1. Article I of the Fundamental Laws shall be amended as follows:

Article I: The Storting

1. The legislative authorities and duties of Wintreath shall be vested in a unicameral legislature called the Storting.

Membership of the Storting
2. The Storting shall consist of all Citizens of Wintreath.

3. The Storting shall have the authority to suspend a member's voting rights for a period of no more than three months at a time with a 3/4 supermajority vote of those voting. At the conclusion of the three-month period, the Storting may consider an additional suspension.

Storting Officers
4. The Speaker shall serve as Presiding Officer of the Storting.

5. The Storting shall have the right to create, modify, and remove any other Officer positions. The Storting shall have the authority to delegate duties to these Officers, except for those duties which require the full participation of the Storting.

6. All Officer positions shall come up for election on the first day of January, April, July, and October, and elections shall last for a period of seven days, after which the winners shall take their Offices. All Citizens whose voting rights are not suspended as of the end of the election may run for any Officer position.

The Legislative Process
7. All legislation shall be introduced in the Storting, which shall have the right to discuss and amend the legislation before putting it to a vote. Unless specified otherwise in this document, legislation shall pass the Storting by majority vote of those voting.

8. Upon passage by the Storting, the Speaker shall present the legislation to the Monarch for Royal Assent. Legislation signed by the Monarch shall become law immediately, while legislation vetoed by the Monarch shall not become law unless the Storting votes to override the veto with a 2/3 supermajority vote of those voting. In the event that the Monarch neither signs or vetoes the legislation, it shall become law one week after passage by the Storting.

9. Legislation concerning matters subject to alternative approval methods as approved by both the Storting and Monarch (or the previous Overhusen chamber) shall be exempt from Section 6 and instead follow the methods specified in the relevant legislation. Legislation concerning the Procedural Rules of the Storting, the voting rights of members, and Officers of the Storting shall also be exempt from Section 6 and shall be considered law upon passage by the Storting.

Authorities and Duties of the Storting
10. The Storting shall have the authority to pass legislation, repeal previously passed legislation, propose amendments to these Fundamental Laws, and take any other action deemed necessary and proper to execute the authorities and duties vested in the Storting by these Fundamental Laws.

11. The Storting shall have the authority to create and revise their own procedural rules.

12. The Storting shall have the authority to declare war upon another region or organization.

13. The Storting shall have the authority to ratify or reject treaties with other regions and organizations.

14. The Storting shall have the authority to issue non-binding resolutions expressing the opinion of the Storting in relation to all matters.

15. The Storting shall have the authority to interpret these Fundamental Laws and statutory laws and consider the constitutionality over laws brought before the Storting, determine rulings and verdicts in regard to violations of these laws, and determine punishments for violations of these laws within the parameters of these Fundamental Laws and any other laws.

16. The Storting shall have the authority to issue advisory opinions on matters of constitutionality and legality to anyone whom the Storting has determined has standing to seek an advisory opinion.

17. The Storting shall have the authority to create and revise the rules of judicial proceedings for judicial panels.

2. Article III Section 1 of the Fundamental Laws shall be amended as follows:

1. Upon the filing of cases within the Storting, a judicial panel shall convene to determine whether to accept the case and then to make an initial ruling if the case is accepted. The judicial panel shall be presided over by the Monarch or their designee as Chief Justice, and the Speaker of the Storting and a random Citizen who has voted in the last four votes of the Storting shall serve as Associate Justices. In the event that no Citizen has participated in the last four votes, a random Citizen from those has participated in the most consecutive votes including the last shall be chosen instead.

3. Article IV Section 2 of the Fundamental Laws shall be amended as follows:

2. Elections shall follow the optional preferential voting system, and the results shall be determined by either via instant runoff in single-seat positions or single transferable vote in multi-seat positions. Elections shall be overseen by the Monarch or the Monarch's designee. No person shall oversee an election in which they are running.

3. Article IV Sections 4-6 of the Fundamental Laws shall be removed, and subsequent sections renumbered accordingly.

4. Article VII shall be amended as follows:

1. No section under Administration may be amended without the consent of The Winter Nomad.

2.The Storting shall have the authority to propose amendments to these Fundamental Laws by a two-thirds supermajority vote of those voting, after which amendments shall require consent of the Monarch to be considered ratified.

5. Upon ratification, this Amendment shall go into effect on 8 April 2016, with Speaker elections beginning one week prior.

I really think that we should consider putting in a month or so wait period before persons can be members of the Storting. The situation with Red/Sci is exactly what it would prevent.

I don't think that would really help, Robin. Also, I fully support this Amendment.

Well even if it wouldn't help with that, it is a good incentive for people to hang around for a while after getting citizenship.  It's not a one-dimensional proposition designed to just tackle one thing; it helps in a variety of ways.  Also, I think that people need to get acclimated to how we operate before they join our legislature. 

Direct democracy requires buy-in from the electorate in order to be successful.  New arrivals don't have that until they've invested a bit in the region.  While that cannot be measured, I feel like the best approximation we have is the duration of one's stay in the region.  If anyone comes up with a better approximation to ensure buy-in, I'd be glad to consider it, though! 

I know of the perfect buy in. How about getting enough people to vote for you to become a UH member?

Oh wait...

I used to be in favour of a waiting period, but I feel that defeats the purpose of democracy. If the people do not feel you've invested enough in the region, they won't vote for you. It's as simple as that. An arbitrary account age won't determine trustworthiness or level of accomplishment.

And Wintermoot has mentioned that several of our Underhusen members were elected immediately with no hassle at all.

Yeah, I agree with North and Barnes. In theory, having requirements to join the Storting would be a good idea, but I feel it wouldn't really prevent much in reality -- at least not significantly. Besides, it'll be an open assembly, so newcomers won't be in a position of power like the UH. As North pointed out, the best option for a requirement would be this:

I know of the perfect buy in. How about getting enough people to vote for you to become a UH member?

Oh wait...

but that obviously failed, so what would be the point?

Just to butt in, but assuming this passes we may need to change the implementation from March to June...I'm not sure there's enough time left to ratify the Amendment in time begin the new system in March.

Could we not change it so elections are on January, April, July, and October, then have it implemented in April?

Could we not change it so elections are on January, April, July, and October, then have it implemented in April?

I second this because it works threefold: not only does it delay implementation for enough time to finish debate/voting/ratification, it also allows the current Underhusen to finish their full term, while also aligning elections to the calendar year.

Could we not change it so elections are on January, April, July, and October, then have it implemented in April?

I second this because it works threefold: not only does it delay implementation for enough time to finish debate/voting/ratification, it also allows the current Underhusen to finish their full term, while also aligning elections to the calendar year.

That'd give us more time for to ensure that we get this wording right—I'd rather have a slight delay than present a half-baked document to the populace for ratification.

It seems to me that at least three out of the four of us are in support of changing the timing of terms. I'm amending the bill to reflect that.

I, to, support changing the timing.

It's been forty-eight hours since the bill was introduced (nearly to the minute!) Are we going to decide to vote, table, or extend discussion?

I motion to vote. We need this thing passed and now.