This amendment created procedures related to amending proposals that had already gone to vote.
May 20th, 2020 to October 23, 2020 (passage of the Procedural Rules Simplification Act)
Spoiler
Title
1. This Act shall be cited as the Procedural Rules of the Underhusen Act.
Underhusen Procedure
2. Any Skrifa may introduce legislation to the Underhusen at any time after the selection of the Speaker.
3. Any proposal introduced into the Underhusen must be considered by the Underhusen for a minimum of two days before a motion to vote or table can be made. If no motion has been made or seconded after five days, Skrifa must enter a motion to vote, table, or extend discussion.
(a) Any Skrifa may motion to expedite at any time after a proposal has been introduced. If the motion receives a second, the bill will proceed to a vote no later than 24 hours after the second. If the bill is a Revocation of Citizenship, the ability to expedite shall be relinquished.
(b) A motion to Extend Debate may include a time period shorter or longer than 48 hours, but is not shorter than 4 hours and is not longer than 1 week. Should no time period be given or should the time period be shorter or longer than what is allowed, the extension shall be 48 hours. If little to no active discussion has happened by the deadline of the first extension, the ability to extend debate/discussion shall be relinquished and a Skrifa other than the Speaker must motion to vote or table the bill. Active discussion shall be defined as any debate or discussion on a bill or its merits with significant or productive contributions from a majority (50% or more) of Skrifa.
(c) For a motion to table to pass, the motion must be seconded by not less than one half of current Skrifa. The Speaker may only second a motion to table in the event of a tie.
(d) Tabled bills may be revived if a motion to revive or vote has been proposed and seconded. If either motion passes, the Underhusen resumes normal procedure for discussion or voting, respectively.
4. Proposals on which, by the end of a session, no motion or valid motion has been made (being valid upon receiving enough seconds in accordance with Section 3) shall be considered tabled.
(a) Any Skrifa may reintroduce tabled proposals from previous sessions at any time during a session.
5. Any Skrifa other than the Speaker may motion to vote or second a motion to vote on any proposal once the two-day debate period has expired. The Speaker shall open the vote no later than five days after the motion to vote has passed.
6. Underhusen representatives may cast one of the following votes on proposals before the Underhusen:
(a) Aye, indicating that the representative is voting in favor of the proposal;
(b) Nay, indicating that the representative is voting against the proposal;
(c) Abstain, indicating that the representative is voting neither in favor of nor against the proposal but wishes his or her vote to be recorded.
(d)"Abstain" votes shall not be considered when determining whether a bill has passed, tied, or failed. Only "Aye" and "Nay" votes shall be considered.
7. Once brought to a vote, a proposal shall remain at vote for seven days or until the requisite number of Underhusen representatives have voted in favor of or against the proposal.
(a) In the event that a vote is tied, the bill shall be directed to the Overhusen to determine the outcome.
8. 8. A bill that is presently at vote may have an amendment to the bill proposed.
(a) This proposal must reproduce the full text of the bill.
(i) If deletions are made, the amended sections of the bill must be struck through.
(ii) If additions are made, the amended sections of the bill must be bolded.
(iii) If text is replaced altogether, it may simply be bolded, as if only additions were made; there is no need to have both the deleted text and its replacement visible in this amended bill.
(b) After the proposal of the amendment, Skrifa may vote on the bill and the amendment separately.
(i) The Speaker may veto any amendments proposed on the grounds of vexatiousness.
(ii) If, after the proposal of an amendment, a Skrifa articulates only a single vote, it shall be considered to be directed towards the original form of the bill, and they will be considered to have voted 'Nay' on the amendment.
(iii) Skrifa who had previously voted on the bill prior to the introduction of the amendment need not necessarily vote on the amendment; they will be considered to have abstained by default unless they subsequently amend their votes.
(iv) If, after two days, a majority has not been reached on the amendment, and the Speaker has not vetoed the amendment, Skrifa who had voted on the bill prior to the amendment must re-register their vote to take the amendment into account.
(c) A variety of outcomes may then occur depending on the results of the vote.
(i) If the original bill passes, but the amendment does not, only the text of the original bill will be considered legal.
(ii) If the amended bill passes, but the original bill does not, the amended bill will be directed to the Overhusen to determine the outcome.
(iii) If both the original bill and the amendment pass, the amended bill will be considered to have primacy, and accordingly will be the only bill of the two directed to the Overhusen to determine the outcome.
8 9. In accordance with Section 9 of the Fundamental Laws, the Underhusen may override a veto by the Overhusen.
(a) In the event that a vote is tied, the bill is to be directed to the Overhusen to determine the outcome. For matters concerning matters that is the sole discretion of the Underhusen, or are not a part of a bill, a vote that is tied is considered as having failed unless otherwise required within this, or any other relevant law.
(b) If the bill recieves a two-thirds supermajority vote, the Overhusen veto shall be overruled, and the bill passed as law.
9 10. The Underhusen may, through the normal conduct of business, establish Committees. There are four types of Committees: Standing, Select, Special, and Joint.
(a) All Committees have a Chairperson, here-in a Chair, who is selected in accordance with procedure for that Committee as laid out in their establishment. If no procedure is laid out the Speaker has the right to appoint a Chair. Committees may call certain people before them and may set who has the right to comment before the Underhusen. Membership to the Committees is to be controlled by the establishing resolution, or the Speaker if the resolution is silent.
(b) Standing and Select Committees may only be established after a successful vote of the Underhusen on a resolution to establish them. A Standing Committee remains after the end of the term. A Select Committee expires upon the end of the term. Special and Select Committees may consider legislation and may be assigned legislation to review. Legislation must be approved by a simple majority vote of the Committee to be referred to the whole of the Underhusen.
(c) Special Committees are formed by the Speaker to consider certain matters and expire upon expiration of the term, dissolution by the Speaker, or passage of a dissolution resolution by the Underhusen. Special Committees may consider legislation, but any legislation before a Special Committee may be, at any time, put to the full Underhusen without approval by the Committee.
(d) Joint Committees are formed by the acceptance of a resolution by both the Underhusen and of the Overhusen -- in accordance with Overhusen Custom and Procedure. Joint Committees may be either a Standing or Select Committee, as determined by the resolution. Joint Committees are dissolved if either the Underhusen or Overhusen dissolve the Committee.
The Speaker of the Assembly
10 11. At the conclusion of each Underhusen election, the Monarch shall announce a forty-eight-hour (48 hours) nomination period in which elected Skrifa may stand as a prospective candidate for Speaker of the Underhusen. Following the nomination period, each Skrifa shall have one (1) vote for Speaker of the Underhusen in a poll lasting forty-eight (48) additional hours or until all elected Skrifa have voted and no tie for first place has occurred.
(a) Should there be only one (1) candidate for Speaker, the candidate shall be Speaker immediately following the nomination period. There shall be no voting period in this instance.
(b) The nomination and/or voting period may be shortened at the discretion of the Monarch if the relevant Underhusen session is shortened.
11 12. The Speaker of the Assembly shall have the power to bring matters before the Underhusen to a vote within the parameters established by Section 4 of this Act.
12 13. The Speaker will close votes after seven days of voting, or if enough votes have been cast to decide the outcome of the proposal.
(a) In order for a proposal to pass (excluding amendments to the Fundamental Laws), the number of "Aye" votes cast during the voting period must exceed the number of "Nay" votes.
(b) After closing a vote, the Speaker shall decide the outcome of the vote according to the above criteria and notify the Citizens of Wintreath with the result.
(c) The Speaker may close a vote, but leave the record open to allow other Skrifa to record their votes. Votes cast after the vote has been closed will not affect the result of the vote.
13 14. The Speaker of the Assembly shall have the power to invite any citizen to speak before the Underhusen for any duration that he or she deems necessary during the term.
(a) The Monarch shall have a standing invitation to speak before the Underhusen.
(b) All officers of the Underhusen are permitted to have a standing invitation to speak before the Underhusen
14 15. The Speaker of the Assembly shall have the power to appoint a Speaker pro tempore from among the representatives of the Underhusen who shall, during a temporary absence of the Speaker of the Assembly, preside over the Underhusen.
a) The Speaker must select a Speaker pro tempore within one hundred sixty-eight (168) hours of being elected. Should the Speaker fail to select a Speaker pro tempore, the Speaker pro tempore is automatically the candidate with the second-highest vote total in the Speaker election, if applicable. Should there be two or more candidates tied for the second-highest vote total, the Monarch shall select a Speaker pro tempore from the tied candidates. Should there have been no other candidates for the election of the Speaker, the Speaker pro tempore shall be selected at random from the Underhusen, excluding the Speaker.
(b) The Speaker pro tempore, whenever he or she is presiding over the Underhusen, shall assume all of the responsibilities of the Speaker as listed in relevant law, and shall be subject to all constitutional and statutory restraints placed upon the Speaker.
(c) Any Underhusen representative may make a motion to empower the Speaker pro tempore in the event that the Speaker of the Assembly is absent without notice for longer than five days. Such a motion shall be brought to a vote by the Speaker pro tempore immediately upon being seconded by another representative.
(d) The Speaker pro tempore shall cease to preside over the Underhusen upon the return of the Speaker of the Assembly.
(e) In the absence of both the Speaker of the Assembly and the Speaker Pro Tempore, the Underhusen may decide on a temporary Speaker pro tempore from its number by process of a majority vote.
(f) The Speaker Pro Tempore may be dismissed at the discretion of the Speaker, provided that the Speaker appoint a replacement within twenty-four (24) hours. The dismissed Speaker Pro Tempore remains in their position until a replacement is appointed. If no replacement is appointed within twenty-four (24) hours, then the Speaker Pro Tempore remains, and the Speaker may not dismiss the Speaker Pro Tempore for the remainder of that session, or until the Underhusen dismisses the Speaker Pro Tempore by a vote.
Amendments of the Procedural Rules
15 16. The Speaker has the authority to create and dissolve Offices of the Underhusen at their will, and is to grant such officer positions a mandate. The Speaker has the authority to appoint or dismiss any citizen as an Officer of the Underhusen, and may title or style the Officer at the discretion of the Speaker. No Officer that is not an elected member of the Underhusen is empowered or allowed to cast a vote within the Underhusen.
(a) The Speaker and Speaker Pro Tempore of the Underhusen are to be Permanent Offices of the Underhusen, and the mandate and the positions can not be amended by the Speaker, amended by a vote of the Underhusen, nor may it be dissolved by the Speaker or dissolved by a vote of the Underhusen, outside of an amendment to this document. The Speaker may add additions onto the mandate of the Speaker or Speaker Pro Tempore, but may not restrict it past the mandate established by this document.
(b) Any Skrifa may introduce a motion to create an Office of the Underhusen. The motion must outline the mandate of the Office of the Underhusen, as well as its title. Upon the motion being seconded, the Underhusen is to hold a vote on the matter. If the motion succeeds with a two-thirds (2/3rds) supermajority vote, then the officer position is created and is to be considered a Standing Office of the Underhusen. The Speaker must fill a Standing Office so long as it remains a Standing Office.
(c) Any Skrifa may introduce a motion to amend an Office of the Underhusen. The motion must outline the changes to the mandate and/or to the title. Upon the motion being seconded, the Underhusen is to hold a vote on the matter. If the Office of the Underhusen is a Standing Office, then the vote must pass with a simple majority vote. If the Office of the Underhusen being amended is not a Standing Office, then the vote must pass with a two-thirds (2/3rds) supermajority vote. If the vote passes, the amendments are to be enacted. If the Office of the Underhusen in question is not a Standing Office, then the Office becomes a Standing Office.
(d) Any Skrifa may introduce a motion to dissolve an Office of the Underhusen. The motion must name the Office being dissolved and the reason as to why. Upon the motion being seconded, the Underhusen is to hold a vote on the matter. If the Office of the Underhusen in question is a Standing Office, then the vote must pass with a simple majority vote. If the Office of the Underhusen in question is not a Standing Office of the Underhusen, then the vote must pass with a two-thirds (2/3rds) supermajority vote. If the vote passes, the Office is to be dissolved. If the Office is not a Standing Office, then the Office is to be prohibited from being reformed, and no office can hold that mandate for the duration of the session. If the Office is a Standing Office then the Office is simply dissolved, and the Speaker may create a new office with that mandate.
(e) Any Skrifa may introduce a motion to appoint an Officer of the Underhusen at any time. The motion must name the person nominated and name the Office of the Underhusen the nominee would fill. Upon a second to the motion, a vote on the appointment is to begin. If the vote of appointment receives a simple majority vote in favor, the candidate is appointed. The candidate named within the motion must meet all requirements for holding that office as required by law, or by the office, and the office must be vacant upon the conclusion of voting. An Aye vote is a vote in favor of the appointment of the individual, and a Nay vote is a vote against the appointment. The Speaker may propose a motion to appoint an Officer of the Underhusen or second an already-introduced motion.
(f) Any Skrifa may introduce a motion to dismiss an Officer of the Underhusen at any time. The motion must name the officer being dismissed and the reason for the dismissal. Upon a second to the motion, a vote on the dismissal is to begin. If the vote of dismissal receives a simple majority in favor, the candidate is dismissed, and another person may be appointed to that office. The office must have an officer occupying it at the time of the motion, and if an individual resigns before the conclusion of the vote and it passes, then the individual is still considered 'dismissed.' An Aye vote is a vote to dismiss the officer, and a Nay vote is a vote to retain the Officer. The Speaker may propose a motion to dismiss an Officer of the Underhusen or second an already-introduced motion. A person that was dismissed may not be reappointed after being dismissed.
(g) No prohibition on a mandate for an Office of the Underhusen is to continue after the end of the session, without an amendment to this document. The Speaker and Speaker Pro Tempore are to be dismissed automatically, and any extension to their mandate ends upon the start of a new session.
16 17. The Speaker of the Underhusen, or Speaker Pro Tempore if he/she is in use, shall maintain a link to all amendments to these Procedural Rules of the Underhusen.
17 18. If a Skrifa feels another Skrifa (including the Speaker) has made some violation of law or procedural rules, the Skrifa can appeal the action(s) by making an objection. The objection must state the alleged violation of the law or Underhusen Procedural Rules. The accused Skrifa is entitled to present their interpretation of the law before Section (a) comes into effect.
(a) If the objection receives a second, each Skrifa shall declare themselves in support of or opposed to the accused Skrifa's action in question. The accused Skrifa does not get a vote. If the number of Skrifa declaring opposed exceeds the number declaring in favor, the Skrifa's action will be reversed and the Underhusen will be prohibited from using a similar interpretation of the relevant portion(s) of law for the remainder of the term. If the vote is tied or fails, the action stands.
18 19. The Speaker of the Underhusen, or Speaker Pro Tempore if he/she is in use, may deem members of the Underhusen "inactive" if they are not present for a prolonged period of time; this status may be ignored if supplanted by either the "inactive" member stating they are no longer inactive in the Underhusen or by majority vote of all current Skrifa. This status must be noted and maintained in a public listing in the Underhusen.
(a) The "inactive" label may only be placed on a Skrifa that has not taken part in any discussion or vote in the Underhusen for the last 14 days (336 hours).
(b) If the majority (equal to or more than 50%) of the Underhusen is deemed "inactive", then requirements on the speaker to not initiate motions may be waived for the interim. Namely, in Sections 3(b) and 3(c). Thus, the Speaker would be able to initiate motions to vote or table discussions.
(c) If all Skrifa bar the Speaker, or Speaker Pro Tempore if he/she is in use, are deemed "inactive", then the term will be immediately suspended until either the Skrifa return, or the term ends. During this suspension, no proposals may be introduced, motioned on, or voted on in the Underhusen.
19 20. The term "mandate" is defined within this document as: A statement or declaration outlining the duties, responsibilities, and authorities that an Office holds, and that which an Officer may have the entirety or any subset of such duties
