RA Rules Amendment

RPI

RPI

TNPer
Our RA Rules have become outdated. I think it's time for an update:

RA Rules Amendment:
The Regional Assembly Rules shall be amended to read:
Section 3. Deputy Speaker and Vacancies

1. The Speaker may, at their discretion, appoint a number of citizens as Deputy Speakers. The Speaker may, at their discretion, remove an existing Deputy Speaker.

3. Unless otherwise specified by law, the Speaker may delegate any of their powers and duties to any of the Deputy Speakers. Delegation under this section does not relieve the Speaker of any of their powers and duties. Any provisions of law related to the powers and duties of the Speaker, when exercised by a Deputy Speaker under the provisions of this clause, shall apply to the Deputy Speaker.

4. When there is a vacancy or absence in the position of Speaker, the Deputy Speaker with the longest tenure will assume the powers and duties of the office of the Speaker and become Acting Speaker for the duration of the vacancy or absence. When there is simultaneously a vacancy or absence in the positions of Speaker and Deputy Speaker, the citizen who is available, has the longest period of citizenship, does not decline the position, and is not otherwise prohibited by law will assume the powers and duties of the office of the Speaker for the duration of the vacancy or absence.

4. A citizen's period of citizenship is defined as the amount of elapsed time since that citizen's most recent approved citizenship application without an interruption.
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What this would do is update the Rules so that it reflects the possibility that a Speaker may have more than one deputy.
 
It's been legal under the Speaker's Discretion Clause, so there's no urgency in the matter. The question then becomes whether to require only one approach of future Speakers by the adoption of the rule. I wonder if there's a way to make the addition more, rather than less discretionary, while giving a basis on a R.A. rule for the overall process of deputies and delegation.
 
I like the idea of it being required. It just makes it simpler. I do, however, see what you mean, and I wouldn't object to that. Anyone else... thoughts?
 
Currently, under the standing procedures, the speaker may designate at any time (not necessarily preceding an announced absense) an acting speaker to take over in case of absence or vacancy. Ranking of deputies beyond that seems unnecessarily hierarchical.

I support amending the phrasing of the rules to make it plain that multiple deputies are allowed, but I don't support further changes.
 
Maybe I'll just take the part about ranking out for now just so that we can update the Rules, but I will likely bring something similar up for discussion at a later date in the way Grosse suggested.
 
I'd like to move for this to go into formal debate, and so it now is in formal debate. I will have Ivo handle this proposal so that he can learn the voting procedure and how it all works.
 
I am not convinced we need a rule change on this. the question is, have we been getting on quite fine without this rule in place?

I think the answer is "yes".
 
The amendment as it currently reads removes the ability of the speaker to designate an acting speaker, and requires that the deputy speaker with the longest tenure assume the duties of the office in the case of absence or vacancy. This would weaken the office, and I am against it.
 
I don't believe it does.
Unless otherwise specified by law, the Speaker may delegate any of their powers and duties to any of the Deputy Speakers. Delegation under this section does not relieve the Speaker of any of their powers and duties. Any provisions of law related to the powers and duties of the Speaker, when exercised by a Deputy Speaker under the provisions of this clause, shall apply to the Deputy Speaker.
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EDIT: It appears that by simply rewording the Rules to include multiple deputies, it has created this possible issue. hmm...
 
The portion I was referring to was this:
RPI:
4. When there is a vacancy or absence in the position of Speaker, the Deputy Speaker with the longest tenure will assume the powers and duties of the office of the Speaker and become Acting Speaker for the duration of the vacancy or absence.
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Yes, I realize that now. By changing the wording to include multiple deputies, it also caused that issue. It might need further rewording.
 
In that case, since voting has not begun: I object to the speaker's decision to schedule a vote on this bill.

I invite 2 other RA members to support my objection, so that the vote may be cancelled.
 
The scheduled vote on this bill is hereby canceled. I would like input on how to reword the bill.
 
Perhaps the concept of deputies and the concept of Acting Speaker should be completely separated and treated as different subjects in the rules.

And I stand by my earlier observation that the language needs to add to and not take aware from the scope of discretion of the Speaker as to delegation and deputies.
 
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