Rule
Absence of Vice Delegate; Acting Chair
A. Whenever the Vice Delegate is absent or unavailable for more than 24 hours (or when there is a vacancy in the office of Vice Delegate or the Vice Delegate is serving as Acting Delegate), the Security Council 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 Security Council and preside as the Acting Chair.
B. In the event the Vice Delegate has designated an Acting Chair from among the membership of the Security Council, this Rule shall apply with respect to any absence or unavailability of the Acting Chair that extends beyond 24 hours.
C. The Acting Chair may perform any act previously noticed by the Vice Delegate within the Security Council, or which is deemed required or necessary for the timely conduct of the business of the Security Council. The Acting Chair does not serve as an interim or acting Vice Delegate unless separately designated in the Order of Succession as adopted under the Constitution and Law 30.
D. The Vice Delegate shall take the chair and resume their duties upon their return to the Security Council (or upon posting the oath of office when there has been a vacancy in the Office of Vice Delegate.)
E. After each admission, suspension or removal of members of the Security Council, the incumbent Vice Delegate shall post an updated list of the elected Security Council members, listed according to their seniority. This list shall determine which member may act as the Acting Chair when the need arises under this Rule.
F. As used in this Rule:
1. "Absent or unavailable for more than 24 hours" means that the Vice Delegate has not logged onto the forums, or posted in a governmental thread within the preceding 24 hours; or that some anticipated act by the Vice Delegate within the Security Council 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 period of compliance with the requirements of Law 30 as to influence and endorsement levels or their initial election to the Council, but no longer than the amount of time since the creation of the Security Council under 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 elected membership on the Security Council.
