I do thoroughly enjoy the House system. I think it's incredibly interesting and I'd love to participate in it somehow someday. I also seriously considered embracing my authority as a Jarl to name some Knights of Integration as a way to recognize sccomplishments, but again, I don't want this to become the Land of Many Titles and Styles.
In which case, I nominate
@Gerrick for winning so many integration contests
I suppose this is somewhat of an offshoot, but I didn't feel like making my own thread about the subject.
In order to encompass both the possibilities of an upper house and a lower house while also incorporating the nobility, what if we had our upper house of noble houses and a lower house of common houses? Nobility, after all, have served our region and could be considered worthy enough to influence its legislature.
All members are required to join a house. If one does not join a house, they are assumed to be a house of one.
Noble families are conferred by the Monarch, meaning anyone granted a Wintreath noble title is granted a noble house. Noble houses cannot have fewer than two members, so if a house of one is elevated to nobility, the Wintreath noble must immediately select a member to join their house. Noble families vote on accepting new members, meaning that houses of one can be dissolved and those from common houses can be promoted into noble houses if they wish.
Noble families gain one representative in the upper house automatically (elected by the members of each house); larger houses gain one member in the legislature for every four members, rounded up.
Members of common houses or lone houses can run for a number of at-large seats in the lower house every two/three months.
There are as of present four noble/royal houses: Kestar (one member), Meindhert (two active members), Penguon (four active members), and Valeria (seven active members), so four houses would be represented in the upper house like there are now. Five members, actually, if you account for the second Valeria representative.
There are quite a few other Citizens who could be represented in common houses either already existing or created under the new system.
The legislative process could either be the same or have either house eligible to introduce legislation. If either house is able to introduce legislation, the same bill (without amendments) must pass both houses as before. If amendments are allowed, the bill must go to a conference committee (like the U.S. House of Representatives).
I prefer keeping the names of the chambers the same: Underhusen and Overhusen. I also hope this proposal isn't too similar to any others that were proposed. I promise I've read all of the discussion, but that was only when it was current, and to revive this, I haven't caught back up from what I've forgotten.