The Rules Committee Deactivation Act

[Sir Lüc]

WHEREAS, the Standing Rules of the Senate have mostly been followed after their main proponent (me) stepped down from the role of chief enforcer; and

WHEREAS, this is good and makes me happy; and

WHEREAS, the Rules Committee has not even assembled since then; and

WHEREAS, it admittedly was my pet project, but pet projects shouldn't stand in the way of efficiency and streamlining, and they should be capable to stand on their own legs;

THEREFORE, El Lexhatx H.18, which currently reads

18. The Senate shall autonomously determine the rules of its proceedings. To this goal, the Mençei shall mantain a body of Standing Rules of the Senate.
    18.1 At the beginning of a new term, and optionally at any subsequent time during a term, the Senate shall consider a motion to estabilish a Senate Committee on Rules and Administration. Upon successful passage, any previously estabilished Committee shall disband and a new one be formed; upon failure, a Committee shall not be formed.
        18.1.1 Regardless, any previous iteration of the Committee shall disband at the beginning of a new term of the Senate, as defined by the publication by the Chancery and/or the respective provincial conducting officers of final results for all of the seats up for elections, or the beginning of a First Clark, whichever comes first.
        18.1.2 Upon disbandment, a Committee shall not be allowed to complete debate on any proposal, but shall be empowered to complete any voting that already was in progress by the time the disbandment was effective.
    18.2 The Senate Committee on Rules and Administration shall be formed by three Senators, appointed by the Mençei. The Senate shall be empowered to object to the appointments by passing a motion to suggest an alternate composition; successful passage shall override the Mençei's appointments with the Senate's suggestion.
    18.3 The Senate Committee on Rules and Administration shall be chaired by the Mençei, but unless him- or herself was appointed to the Commitee, the Mençei shall not be considered a member of the Committee.
    18.4 Any member of the Senate Committee on Rules and Administration, and the Mençei, shall be empowered to submit to the Committee proposals regarding the estabilishment of a new Standing Rule, or the amendment or deletion of any of the preexisting Standing Rules of the Senate. After due debate, the Committee shall vote on the proposal, and the proposal shall be considered to be adopted by majority vote. Unless he/she is a member of the Committee, the Mençei shall only vote to break a tie, in the event that at least one of the three members abstained or did not vote by the end of the allotted voting time.
    18.5 The Senate Committee on Rules and Administration's proceedings shall be public; and the Mençei shall not deny a Senator's request to speak and be heard in front of the Committee. Additionally, any Senator shall place a proposal for the Committee's consideration, and upon endorsement of the proposal by any member of the Committee, or the Mençei, said proposal shall be debated and voted on as described in 21.4.
    18.6 Any proposal that has been adopted by the Senate Committee on Rules and Administration shall be referred to the whole Senate for approval. The Senate shall then vote to uphold the proposal by majority vote; upon successful passage, the proposal shall take effect. Should the Senate instead reject the proposal, it shall return to the Committee's consideration for amendments, or be discarded at the original proposer's discretion.
    18.7 No Standing Rule shall infringe on any Organic or Statutory provision, and Standing Rules shall be germane to the Senate's operations.
    18.8 The Senate shall be empowered to waive any Standing Rule for the remainder of the current term by majority vote, without consulting the Senate Committee on Rules and Administration.
    18.9 At any time a vacancy in the Senate Committee on Rules and Administration arises, the Mençei shall be empowered to appoint another Senator to the empty seat. The Senate shall be empowered to object to the appointment by passing a motion to suggest an alternate Senator; successful passage shall override the Mençei's appointment with the Senate's suggestion.
            18.9.1 Should a Senator resign or be expelled from the Committee, resign, strike out or be expelled from the Senate, the member will still be empowered to cast his or her vote in any Committee votes that are currently open, but not any that are initiated after the notice of resignation or expulsion is published.
            18.9.2 Failure to stand for reelection to the Senate shall not impede a member of the Committee from taking part in any of the Committee's activities prior to disbandment as per 21.1.1 and 21.1.2.
            18.9.3 Failure of a member of the Committee who is standing for reelection to the Senate to win his race, according to any provisional results, shall not impede said member of the Committee from taking part in any of the Committee's activities prior to disbandment as per 21.1.1 and 21.1.2.
    18.10 At any time, due to inactivity, other impediments to normal activity or subsequently to an individual motion of censure, the Senate shall be empowered to remove any of the Senate Committee on Rules and Administration's members, through a motion adopted by simple majority.

is repealed in full and replaced by the following:

18. The Senate shall autonomously determine the rules of its proceedings.
    18.1 To this goal, the Mençei shall mantain a body of Standing Rules of the Senate.
    18.2 The Senate may amend the Standing Rules at any time between the first day of a First Clark and the Cosă being dissolved, by a vote of a majority of Senators duly chosen and seated.
    18.3 No Standing Rule shall infringe on any Organic or Statutory provision, and Standing Rules shall be germane to the Senate's operations.
    18.4 The Senate may waive any Standing Rule for the remainder of the current term, by a vote of a majority of Senators duly chosen and seated.

Noi urent q'estadra så,

Sir Lüc da Schir (MC-IND/FreeDems)
Baron Alexandreu Davinescu (MC-TNC)
Mximo Carbonel (Senator-FL)

[Baron Alexandreu Davinescu]

As someone who recently had to review the law around this committee in detail, I think this is a great change to make. The existing stuff is fine and certainly well written, but simpler is usually better.

I'd love to co-sponsor this.

[Sir Lüc]

As someone who recently had to review the law around this committee in detail, I think this is a great change to make. The existing stuff is fine and certainly well written, but simpler is usually better.

That's my gripe with it - it works fine if and when there's interest. The existing language was clearly overkill when it was written, never mind now.

The law around this kind of pet projects should strike the balance between clearly defining scope and boundaries, and allowing the entity to stand on its own legs when interest wanes. (Ironically, larger parts of the Senate rules were themselves deliberately written in order to allow for this autopilot behaviour.)

[mximo]

Can a Senator sponsor this bill.

If so add my name.

Mximo Carbonèl

[Sir Lüc]

Of course!