The Hero Act

[Dreadton]

Mr. Speaker,

I bring forth the following bill to amend the Legal Code Section 9 to add the following:

Section 9.5: Hero of the North
23. The Hero of the North is an award for an especially meritorious contribution to the security or regional interests of the North Pacific, international contributions, cultural or other significant public endeavors.
24. Any citizen may nominate a current or past citizen for this award.
25. It shall take a two-thirds majority vote of the Regional Assembly to issue, modify, or revoke this award.
26. There shall be an appropriate public place that lists all recipients of this award and their Commendation.
27. The Commendation shall use the following format:

*Name of Recipient*
*Positions held within the region if any or known*​

*Name of Recipient* distinguished themselves by *list accomplishments for which the award is being sought.* *Name of Recipient* actions reflect the highest credit upon himself, the North Pacific, and is of the highest traditions of the region.

28. Recipients of this award shall be the only persons permitted to use the title “Hero of the North.”

As we have seen in the past, sometimes international politics prevents us from recongizing players who have contributed to the region and the game via a Commend in the World Assembly. We should at least be able to highlight outstanding accomplishments within our region. However, just like an ingame Commend, this award should not be given for the average achievements, but for an particularly meritorious achievement or contribution to the region.

Spoiler: Original Verison

Section 9.5: Hero of the North
23. The Hero of the North is an award for an especially meritorious contribution to the security or regional interests of the North Pacific, international contributions, cultural or other significant public endeavors.
24. Any citizen may nominate a current or past citizen for this award.
25. It shall take a ⅔ majority vote of the Regional Assembly to issue or revoke this award.
26. There shall be an appropriate public place that lists all recipients of this award and their Commendation.
27. The Commendation shall use the following format:

*Name of Recipient*
*Positions held within the region if any or known*​

*Name of Recipient* distinguished themselves by *list accomplishments for which the award is being sought.* *Name of Recipient* actions reflect the highest credit upon themselves, the North Pacific, and is of the highest traditions of the region.

28. Recipients of this award shall be the only persons permitted to use the title “Hero of the North.”

 

[Comfed]

Hmm...
We certainly would not be the first to do this.

 

[Cretox]

Small nitpick:

*Name of Recipient* have distinguished themselves by *list accomplishments for which the award is being sought.* *Name of Recipient*'s actions reflect the highest credit upon themselves, the North Pacific, and and exemplify the highest traditions of the region.[important bit bolded]

I also think it would be a good idea to have some process for amending commendations. One annoying thing about the SC is that C/C's can't be updated to reflect current achievements, and need to be repealed and replaced instead.

 

[St George]

I also think it would be a good idea to have some process for amending commendations. One annoying thing about the SC is that C/C's can't be updated to reflect current achievements, and need to be repealed and replaced instead.

This could be done with just a motion from the RA imo, but maybe a process for amendments would be nice.

 

[Dreadton]

I could modify Clause 25 to read:

It shall take a ⅔ majority vote of the Regional Assembly to issue, modify, or revoke this award.

That way we can avoid the possibility of someone who cannot get enough votes to revoke an award, try to gut the commendation through a simple majority vote.

 

[Syrixia]

Great concept, but if I may play devil's advocate: sure, there would be a high threshold for the RA to give or take awards but if any citizen were able to make nominations, couldn't that still be abused on account of a bunch of nominations being made and the RA having to then do a bunch of votes?

 

[Eluvatar]

We use the wording "a two-thirds majority vote" in the legal code. We do not use numerals or fraction notation.

I think this bill is too detailed.

At the same time, I'm concerned the nomination process is too wide open.

 

[Marcus Antonius]

This is a great idea.
Full support.

 

[Comfed]

We use the wording "a two-thirds majority vote" in the legal code. We do not use numerals or fraction notation.

I think this bill is too detailed.

At the same time, I'm concerned the nomination process is too wide open.

Echo what Eluvatar says - this needs stricter restrictions on nominations going to vote.

 

[Oracle]

Say it requires 1/3rd of a quorum to go to a vote?

 

[Pigeonstan]

mmm
good idea
maybe we could give a special badge with 5 stars on it called hero
like the thinks like citizen

 

[9003]

By putting to many restrictions on how one gets a nomination to vote may cause many of our heroes to go unrecognized. I don't think having a quorum requirement is anythign more then an extra hoop to jump through that will catch only a few of these before the RA just fully shuts them down anyway.

As for amending them I would support the ability to amend them as these way they can be given out to people who have gone above and beyond the average but not yet reached their personal peaks. A common argument in the C&C world is that it has to be a capstone and that makes no sense to me if someone does something truly worthy of it even if they are keen on going even more above and beyond they deserve the recognition.

 

[Siwale]

Can't we just say "thank you"?

 

[St George]

Great concept, but if I may play devil's advocate: sure, there would be a high threshold for the RA to give or take awards but if any citizen were able to make nominations, couldn't that still be abused on account of a bunch of nominations being made and the RA having to then do a bunch of votes?

We use the wording "a two-thirds majority vote" in the legal code. We do not use numerals or fraction notation.

I think this bill is too detailed.

At the same time, I'm concerned the nomination process is too wide open.

Echo what Eluvatar says - this needs stricter restrictions on nominations going to vote.

There is currently absolutely nothing stopping a citizen from proposing a motion of recognition or congratulations or thanks - or indeed, anything else - and motioning for it to vote, in the same way any non-legislative motion would be dealt with - with a second from another citizen.

I don't see a reason to treat this any differently tbh.

 

[Eluvatar]

Having the process explicitly established means people would be more likely to use it.

 

[St George]

I'm not sure activity in the Regional Assembly is inherently an issue.

 

[Dreadton]

Small nitpick:

I also think it would be a good idea to have some process for amending commendations. One annoying thing about the SC is that C/C's can't be updated to reflect current achievements, and need to be repealed and replaced instead.

Bill adjusted, I corrected the error and added "modify," to line 25.

Great concept, but if I may play devil's advocate: sure, there would be a high threshold for the RA to give or take awards but if any citizen were able to make nominations, couldn't that still be abused on account of a bunch of nominations being made and the RA having to then do a bunch of votes?

We use the wording "a two-thirds majority vote" in the legal code. We do not use numerals or fraction notation.

I think this bill is too detailed.

At the same time, I'm concerned the nomination process is too wide open.

I have corrected the two thirds issue. I thought about requiring a nomination by the delegate. But I thought there would be a possibility that a delegate could refuse to nominate someone they disagreed with. No matter how we change the nomination process, I do expect there to be an initial influx of nominations. The MoWA has the Heros of the North Program and there are several players on that list that should have this award.

Say it requires 1/3rd of a quorum to go to a vote?

This is also an option. I would like more people to weigh in on an alternative nomination option.

I would also state that the Speaker does have the ability to end debate. So if we do get an influx of jokes or crappy nominations, the speaker can table them.

 

[Cretox]

Have you considered simply requiring that certain information be included in the commendation rather than codifying an exact and inflexible format?

 

[Dreadton]

Have you considered simply requiring that certain information be included in the commendation rather than codifying an exact and inflexible format?

The idea was to have some uniformity in the Commendation. Just like there is general uniformity in SC commendations. I am not opposed to the idea of removing the format I included above, but I think it would lead to a jumble of different commendation types.

 

[Pallaith]

I’m all for the RA doing more resolutions that dont require modifying the legal code. It’s under-utilized and really easy. Let’s talk about where we should keep track of that sort of thing, it’s much more interesting than a stuffy legal code debate.

Supportive of the idea, opposed to this execution of it.

 

[Pigeonstan]

I’m all for the RA doing more resolutions that dont require modifying the legal code. It’s under-utilized and really easy. Let’s talk about where we should keep track of that sort of thing, it’s much more interesting than a stuffy legal code debate.

Supportive of the idea, opposed to this execution of it.

well we already have added a lot of badges like
NPA
CITIZEN
MINISTER
so HERO could also be one

 

[St George]

I’m all for the RA doing more resolutions that dont require modifying the legal code. It’s under-utilized and really easy. Let’s talk about where we should keep track of that sort of thing, it’s much more interesting than a stuffy legal code debate.

Supportive of the idea, opposed to this execution of it.

The Speakers Office could maintain a topic that lists such things, like how the Standing Orders topic exists?

 

[Comfed]

Theoretically, any citizen could propose to create a new legal document.

 

[Pallaith]

The Speakers Office could maintain a topic that lists such things, like how the Standing Orders topic exists?

That's probably the best way to do it. I love it when the Speaker's office can pioneer new traditions and practices.

 

[Pigeonstan]

yes
but also who gives out the minister and citizen badges
and can you add one for heroes
that way people will know what they have donw

That's probably the best way to do it. I love it when the Speaker's office can pioneer new traditions and practices.

yes i do

 

[Dreadton]

The more I think on it, the more it seems like the 1/3 quorum maybe the way to go. I will wait for more to weigh in before I adjust the bill.

 

[Pigeonstan]

yes good idea

 

[Lord Dominator]

I agree with the notion of a new legal document of some form being created for this, it would certainly enable a simpler record-keeping on the presumably multiple people so awarded.