Awaiting Assent P.B. 07-002 | Petition Clarification Act

[McBrittle419]

A
BILL
TO
Clarify the steps taken after a petition has been successful​

1 - About this Act
(1) This Act -
(a) may be cited as the Petition Clarification Act.
(b) may be numbered as P.B. 07-002.
(c) has been authored by Minister of Welfare McBrittle419.
(d) has been co-sponsored by Member of Parliament Bloodyrebals.


2 - Amendments to the Government Organization Act
(1) Part V of the Government Organization Act shall be amended as follows:

“26 - Petitions

[...]

(3) Once 15 signatures are met, Parliament is obligated to hold a Referendum on the contents of the petition within 3 days, unless the petition revolves around a matter
(a) which is beyond the powers of the Government, as set forth by the Constitution or Acts of Parliament,
(b) relating to criminal investigations or proceedings,
(c) relating to judicial proceedings,
(d) relating to a player’s employment with the Government or,
(e) of foreign relations.

(4) Once 15 signatures are met, and if the petition revolves around a matter of legislation, the government is not obligated to hold a Referendum. Instead, the government, representable by the Prime Minister, the Deputy Prime Minister or any Minister, must, within 14 days, submit a bill to the Parliament seeking to fulfill the request brought forward by the petition or publish an official statement explaining why they will not submit such bill.

27 - Referendums
(1) A referendum is a vote hosted by the Ministry of Internal Affairs relating to a Constitutional Amendment, a referendum to vacate the Monarchy, or other provision prescribed by law.
(2) A constitutional amendment referendum shall require a supermajority of votes cast to be AYE in order to pass.
(3) A referendum to vacate the monarchy shall require greater than 80% of votes cast to be AYE in order to pass.
(4) Should a referendum spawned by a petition according to §256(3) pass by a 3/5ths majority, the Government shall be obligated to comply with the results.
(5) All referendums shall be open for public voting for a period of 72 hrs."

3 - Amendments to the Public Opinion Act.
(1) Sections 2 and 5 of the Public Opinion Act shall be amended as follows:
"2 - General Provision
[...]
(4) Voting on such public opinion referendum shall last for 4872 hours, unless otherwise specified in the initiating resolution, but may never last for less than 24 hours.

[...]

5 - Candidate Referendum
[...]
(3) After the nomination period concludes a voting period is started. Normally voting period lasts for 24 hours."

 

[McBrittle419]

IGNITE
Through Their Member of Parliament McBrittle419
Moves to Pass
The Petition Clarification Act​

Parliament notes:
(1) The instructions on what to do following the passage of petitions is not explicitly clear if it is a matter of legislation. Previously to this amendment, it could be argued that all passed petitions would require a referendum which I do not believe is correct.
(2) Due to other amendments to the Government Organization Act, the referenced sections in §27(4) were incorrect. This has been fixed.

Based on this, Parliament decides:
(1) To amend the Government Organization Act to clarify the process for passed petitions.

To fulfill this, Parliament projects the following expenses:
(1) None.

Further, Parliament projects the following administrative efforts:
(1) Amendments to the Government Organization Act.

 

[Parliament]

The original text of P.B. 07-002 | Petition Clarification Act is preserved below.

A
BILL
TO
Clarify the steps taken after a petition has been successful​

1 - About this Act
(1) This Act -
(a) may be cited as the Petition Clarification Act.
(b) may be numbered as P.B. XX-XXX.
(c) has been authored by Minister of Welfare McBrittle419.
(d) has been co-sponsored by Member of Parliament Bloodyrebals


2 - Amendments to the Government Organization Act
(1) Part V of the Government Organization Act shall be amended as follows:

“26 - Petitions

[...]

(3) Once 15 signatures are met, Parliament is obligated to hold a Referendum on the contents of the petition within 3 days, unless the petition revolves around a matter
(a) which is beyond the powers of the Government, as set forth by the Constitution or Acts of Parliament,
(b) relating to criminal investigations or proceedings,
(c) relating to judicial proceedings,
(d) relating to a player’s employment with the Government or,
(e) of foreign relations.

(4) Once 15 signatures are met, and if the petition revolves around a matter of legislation, the government is not obligated to hold a Referendum. Instead, the government, representable by the Prime Minister, the Deputy Prime Minister or any Minister, must, within 14 days, submit a bill to the Parliament seeking to fulfill the request brought forward by the petition or publish an official statement explaining why they will not submit such bill.

27 - Referendums
(1) A referendum is a vote hosted by the Ministry of Internal Affairs relating to a Constitutional Amendment, a referendum to vacate the Monarchy, or other provision prescribed by law.
(2) A constitutional amendment referendum shall require a supermajority of votes cast to be AYE in order to pass.
(3) A referendum to vacate the monarchy shall require greater than 80% of votes cast to be AYE in order to pass.
(4) Should a referendum spawned by a petition according to §256(3) pass by a 3/5ths majority, the Government shall be obligated to comply with the results."

 

[Parliament]

AMENDMENT 01
The below new section was inserted into the bill by the posting sponsor pursuant to her power under Standing Orders §5(3). Although the Speaker was notified of the amendment, the amendment was never filed in this thread; the Office of the Speaker hereby corrects that.

3 - Amendments to the Public Opinion Act.
(1) Sections 2 and 5 of the Public Opinion Act shall be amended as follows:
"2 - General Provision
[...]
(4) Voting on such public opinion referendum shall last for 4872 hours, unless otherwise specified in the initiating resolution, but may never last for less than 24 hours.

[...]

5 - Candidate Referendum
[...]
(3) After the nomination period concludes a voting period is started. Normally voting period lasts for 24 hours."

 

[McBrittle419]

AMENDMENT 02
The following amendments have been made to preserve the need for a referendum for legislation-related petitions, clarify who is responsible for posting such legislation, and remove the requirement for a referendum to be held should the action requested in the petition be taken by either government or Parliament.

2 - Amendments to the Government Organization Act
(1) Part V of the Government Organization Act shall be amended as follows:

"26 - Petitions

[...]

(3) Once 15 signatures are met, Parliament is obligated to hold a Referendum on the contents of the petition within 3 days, unless the petition revolves around a matter
(a) which is beyond the powers of the Government, as set forth by the Constitution or Acts of Parliament,
(b) relating to criminal investigations or proceedings,
(c) relating to judicial proceedings,
(d) relating to a player's employment with the Government or,
(e) of foreign relations.

(4) Once 15 signatures are met, and if the petition revolves around a matter of legislation, the government, representable by the Prime Minister, the Deputy Prime Minister or any Minister, governing faction in Parliament must, within 14 days, submit a bill to the Parliament seeking to fulfill the request brought forward by the petition or publish an official statement explaining why they will not submit such bill.

(5) Should the action requested in the passed petition be fully completed by Government or Parliament prior to a referendum being held, no referendum shall be held."

 

[McBrittle419]

AMENDMENT 03
I failed to specify whether or not legislation-related petitions should go to referendum. It is still a bit unclear. Therefore, should Amendment 03 pass, the reworded Section 2 according to Amendment 02 shall be struck and replaced with the following amendment:

2 - Amendments to the Government Organization Act
(1) Part V of the Government Organization Act shall be amended as follows:

"26 - Petitions

[...]

(3) Once 15 signatures are met, Parliament the Ministry of Internal Affairs is obligated to hold a Referendum on the contents of the petition within 3 days, unless the petition revolves around a matter

(a) which is beyond the powers of the Government and/or Parliament, as set forth by the Constitution or Acts of Parliament,
(b) relating to criminal investigations or proceedings,
(c) relating to judicial proceedings,
(d) relating to a player’s employment with the Government or,
(e) of foreign relations.

(4) Once 15 signatures are met, and the petition revolves around a matter of legislation, the government, representable by the Prime Minister, the Deputy Prime Minister or any Minister, must, within 14 days, submit a bill to the Parliament seeking to fulfill the request brought forward by the petition or publish an official statement explaining why they will not submit such bill.

(4) Should the action requested in the passed petition be fully completed by Government or Parliament prior to a referendum being held, no referendum shall be held.

27 - Referendums
(1) A referendum is a vote hosted by the Ministry of Internal Affairs relating to a Constitutional Amendment, a referendum to vacate the Monarchy, or other provision prescribed by law.

(2) A constitutional amendment referendum shall require a supermajority of votes cast to be AYE in order to pass.

(3) A referendum to vacate the monarchy shall require greater than 80% of votes cast to be AYE in order to pass.

(4) Should a referendum spawned by a petition according to §25(3) pass by a 3/5ths majority, the Government shall be obligated to comply with the results.following action(s) shall be taken:

(a) The Government shall be obligated to comply with the results.
(b) Should the petition referendum revolve around a matter of legislation, the governing faction in Parliament must, within 14 days, submit a bill to the Parliament seeking to fulfill the request brought forward by the petition or publish an official statement explaining why they will not submit such bill."