The State Opening of the Ziu Act

[Eðo Grischun]

WHEREAS it was a plank of the coalition government to introduce legislative proposals that seek to create explicit cultural duties for the Monarch, and

WHEREAS the law was amended so that a regular State Opening of the Cosa would be held, and

WHEREAS my intention was that the word Cosa in that paragraph referred to the Opening of the Cosa Session not just the Cosa House, and

WHEREAS if the Cosa House makes this their own affair then in times when the Seneschal, Leader of the Opposition, leader of the third party or Cabinet members are not sitting members of the Cosa they may not be able to attend and participate, so

THEREFORE be it enacted by the Ziu assembled that El Lexhatx H.1 which currently reads:

Following each General Election there shall be an official "State Opening of the Cosa". At the start of the State Opening, the new Seneschal shall be sworn to the office publicly.  The Sovereign shall then deliver a speech outlining the Government's legislative agenda and programme for the term. The contents of this speech shall be communicated to the Sovereign by the incoming Seneschal prior to the ceremony. The Seneschal may announce Cabinet Ministers during the ceremony. A rebuttal by the Leader of the Opposition shall follow, which may be followed by a further rebuttal by the leader of the third largest party. When practical, the State Opening shall be held during an official Living Cosă for which food and drink shall be featured and as many Talossans as possible shall be invited to attend.

is hereby amended to read:

Following each General Election there shall be an official "State Opening of the Ziu". At the start of the State Opening, the new Seneschal shall be sworn to the office publicly.  The Sovereign shall then deliver a speech outlining the Government's legislative agenda and programme for the term. The contents of this speech shall be communicated to the Sovereign by the incoming Seneschal prior to the ceremony. The Seneschal may announce Cabinet Ministers during the ceremony. A rebuttal by the Leader of the Opposition shall follow, which may be followed by a further rebuttal by the leader of the third largest party. When practical, the State Opening may include an official Living Cosă (and 'Living Senats') in which food and drink shall be featured and as many Talossans as possible shall be invited to attend. The event shall be organised and conducted by the Speakers of both Houses of the Ziu, working in coordination and cooperation with each other.

[Sir Txec dal Nordselvă, UrB]

Just a thought...maybe call it "State Opening of the Ziu" - that would encompass both houses and the Monarch. They don't call it a State Opening of the Commons in the UK but a State Opening of Parliament.

[Eðo Grischun]

Just a thought...maybe call it "State Opening of the Ziu" - that would encompass both houses and the Monarch. They don't call it a State Opening of the Commons in the UK but a State Opening of Parliament.

It might work.

Although technically the Senats never closes for it to have to be officially re-opened.  The Cosa House is regularly prorogued, while the Senats is always seated.

The Cosa session is what should be getting opened. In other words the opening of the 55th Cosa, in which both houses of parliament carry out business.

It is also possible that there may be times when a member from neither House would need or want to be present.  For example, a Cabinet Minister doesn't need to be an MZ.  It's unlikely to ever happen, but the party leaders don't even need to be MZs.

Maybe it was poor legislating on my part, but when my intent wasn't for this ceremony to be a thing of the Houses.  It was supposed to be the King opening the new session.

[Eðo Grischun]

I've spent the past hour searching for this, but can't find it. I'm 100% certain that there used to be a webpage that explained that there were two definitions of the word Cosa. One referring to the House and one referring to the parliament session.  It used to be on KoT.net, but that info is now lost it seems.

So, the question is, is that dual definition still accepted or are we now saying that the word Cosa only refers to the Cosa House?  If the word now only has a single definition, I will amend this Bill to read State Opening of the Ziu.

(I also note that the word Cosa and the word Ziu both translate to Parliament.  I don't know what to make of that).

[Miestră Schivă, UrN]

The big issue is that Cosa did mean the same thing as Ziu until 1997, in effective terms. There was no effective Senäts before then - KR1 kept threatening to appoint one, especially when the opposition won Cosa elections, but in the old days they meant the same thing. Even after the 1997 OrgLaw, Senators usually simultaneously held Cosa seats, you know, if they were friends of the King.

IMHO, this is the State Opening of the Ziu, just like when Parliament is opened in the UK, the Lords as well as the Commons attend - in fact, the Commons go to the House of Lords because the Monarch's not allowed in the House of Commons. And if the Túischac'h wants to contest that, I will ask for legislative authority as to where the Túischac'h has authority over any of this. Either he should co-ordinate with the Mençéi, or I'll formally ask the SoS to step in and take over.

[Eðo Grischun]

Following each General Election there shall be an official "State Opening of the Ziu". At the start of the State Opening, the new Seneschal shall be sworn to the office publicly.  The Sovereign shall then deliver a speech outlining the Government's legislative agenda and programme for the term. The contents of this speech shall be communicated to the Sovereign by the incoming Seneschal prior to the ceremony. The Seneschal may announce Cabinet Ministers during the ceremony. A rebuttal by the Leader of the Opposition shall follow, which may be followed by a further rebuttal by the leader of the third largest party. When practical, the State Opening may include an official Living Cosă (and 'Living Senats') in which food and drink shall be featured and as many Talossans as possible shall be invited to attend. The event shall be organised and conducted by the Speakers of both Houses of the Ziu, working in coordination and cooperation with each other.