Speaker Pro Tempore

Grosseschnauzer

Grosseschnauzer

TNPer
Recent events and controversies make clear that we need to come up with a way for the RA to function when the Speakership is vacant pending an election, or when the Speaker is absent and the RA ir the CLO needs to act in the meantime.

Under the last Constitution, the Prime Minister acted as Speaker, but we don't have one of those these days. Sometimes Delegates and Vice Delegates can't be accounted for, and I don't think that sort of overlap would be a good idea, even om a temporary basis.

What I propose has a real life inspiration. There would be a Speaker Pro Tempore who would preside when (1) the Speaker's office is vacant pending a new election; (2) the Speaker us absent on an announced leave; or (3) the Speaker is absent from the forums for more than a day, and some action by the chair is necessary within the announced plans or procedures of the RA or CLO. The Speaker pro tem would not have a vote in the CLO, but could notify the CLO's members of an issue that may require their attention. The Speaker Pro Tem could open or close a voting period that had already been announced, or when the CLO submit a proposal for an immediate RA vote.

I think this can be adopted as a rule by the RA since it deals with the RA's internal procedure, and the part dealing with the CLO could be adopted by the RA on a recommendation of the CLO (a method for which there is a precedent.)

Thoughts, anyone?
 
A very good idea, Gross.

The concept could be extended to other offices within the government - that is a clear line of succession of authority in the event someone goes absent for an extended period of time.

[addendum]

For instance, have a Speaker, Speaker Pro Tempore, and a 'third' for that position or a means of assigning a 'third' in the event of an emergency.
 
I meant to include how the Speaker Pro Tempore would be chosen.

It would be the RA member with the longer period of uninterruoted continous service in the RA. (If an RA member had to re-appy for admission at anuy point since the current constitution was adopted. then their date of eligibility would be determined from that date of most recent admission to the RA.

And any member who is then serving as Delegate, Vice Delegate, Speaker (obviously), or a member of the Court would be excluded, on separation of powers grounds. All it would take us for someone to go through and compile the dates of most recent admission to the RA of current RA members, and the RA member who is earliest at any point in time would be Speaker Pro Tempore.
 
Forward green marches on, inhibited only by the presence of hair. Whatever shall the dolphin do when the mind awakes in a sea of shoelaces?
 
Montana leaves the lights on when it goes out into a world of color that does not exhibit the light of a cat. In fact, the light is not bright enough for the blindest among the coral.
 
Grimalkin, I have no idea what you are talking about.

I will work at put a draft rule together for a preliminary discussion in the next few days.
 
Grosseschnauzer:
I meant to include how the Speaker Pro Tempore would be chosen.

It would be the RA member with the longer period of uninterruoted continous service in the RA. (If an RA member had to re-appy for admission at anuy point since the current constitution was adopted. then their date of eligibility would be determined from that date of most recent admission to the RA.

And any member who is then serving as Delegate, Vice Delegate, Speaker (obviously), or a member of the Court would be excluded, on separation of powers grounds. All it would take us for someone to go through and compile the dates of most recent admission to the RA of current RA members, and the RA member who is earliest at any point in time would be Speaker Pro Tempore.
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Hm. A few points.

1. I'd prefer the algorithm for selecting the Speaker Pro Tem to be an RA procedure, not Constitutional.
2. I'd prefer there to be a special election held if it's clear the Speaker is gone -- the Speaker Pro Tem would function for those 2 weeks.
3. (Perhaps we'd wait 3 days for the Speaker to come back? or until the end of the absence they've notified us of?)
 
Elu, your points didn't involve how we'd have an automatic process for determining who would be Speaker pro tem at any particular time. If a absent Speaker returns and is otherwise still the officeholder, then he takes the gavel back. If there's a special election, then the Speaker pro tem presides in the RA in the meantime.

Yes, I plan for it to be a rule, but the rule text still have to be adopted. If the Speaker passes the gavel to an RA member while he's absent, that person would preside if they're around, but the rule will be self-executing in the sense that it would make sure someone is presiding -- period.

I should have time in the next few days to write up a draft. I'm catching up on a lot of things in RL, as well as NS, but it's on the list.
 
Here is a first draft.

draft proposed rule:
Rule on Absence of Speaker; Acting Speaker; Speaker Pro Tempore

A. Whenever the Speaker is absent or unavailable for more than 24 hours (or when there is a vacancy in the office of Speaker), the Regional Assembly member who is available and who (1) is not holding an office and (2) has the longest period of seniority, shall take the chair of the Regional Assembly and preside as Speaker Pro Tempore.
B. In the event the Speaker has designated an Acting Speaker from among the membership of the Regional Assembly, this Rule shall apply with respect to any absence or unavailability of the Acting Speaker that extends beyond 24 hours. The authority of an Acting Speaker shall be stated by the Speaker when the designation is made for a specific absence of the Speaker from the Regional Assembly.
C. The Speaker Pro Tempore (or an Acting Speaker when designated by the Speaker) may perform any act previously noticed by the Speaker within the Regional Assembly, or which is deemed required or necessary for the timely conduct of the business of the Regional Assembly. This authority may extend to the role of chair of the Council of Legal Oversight (but not the Speaker’s vote in the CLO).
D. The Speaker (or Acting Speaker) shall take the chair and resume their duties upon their return to the Regional Assembly (or upon posting the oath of office when there has been a vacancy in the Office of Speaker.)
E. After each general, judicial, or special election, (or after the admission or removal of members under Law 28,) the incumbent Speaker shall post an updated list of Regional Assembly members, listed according to their seniority. This list shall determine which member may act as Speaker Pro Tempore when the need arises under this Rule.
E. As used in this Rule:
1. “Absent or unavailable for more than 24 hours” means that the Speaker has not logged onto the forums, or posted in a Regional Assembly thread within the preceding 24 hours; or that some anticipated act by the Speaker within the Regional Assembly is due to be taken, and has not been taken.
2. “Seniority” is determined by the amount of elapsed time since a member’s most recent admission to the Regional Assembly without an interruption, but no longer than the amount since of time since the adoption of the current Constitution.
3. “Holding an office” refers to the Delegate, the Vice Delegate, the head of a Cabinet office, the Attorney General, and any Court justice, but does not include members of the Council of Legal Oversight or members of the Security Council.
Click to expand...

Edited to fix typos and other miscellaneous matter.
 
Now that we have a Speaker again... Are there any objections from Members to submit the draft bill as presented by Grosseschnauzer to Formal Discussion?
 
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