Passed General Assembly Resolutions

[Imperium Anglorum]

The Rule of Law [Struck out by GA 569]
A resolution to improve worldwide human and civil rights.

Category: Human Rights
Strength: Strong
Proposed by: Sciongrad

Description: The General Assembly,

Reaffirming its commitment to fair and equitable treatment of all individuals,

Believing that no institution, including the governments of member nations, should be permitted to act in contravention of its own established laws, and that such institutions, including the governments of member nations, should be expected to behave in a manner both transparent and unprejudiced,

Asserting, with the aforementioned in consideration, that the "rule of law" is a fundamental component of fair and just governance, and a necessary element in preventing arbitrary or discriminatory punishment,

1. Mandates that all persons, entities, both public and private, and institutions, including the state, political subdivisions thereof, and its officials, shall be held accountable under the established statutory laws, judicial precedents, or any other principles or guidelines with the equivalent force of law of a relevant member nation;

2. Declares that reasonable, good faith exceptions may be made in instances where:

1. some form of immunity is necessary to ensure that government employees or institutions may carry out essential functions that would not otherwise be possible without the guarantee of immunity or
   
   
2. relevant officials or institutions extend pardons, amnesty, commutations, or other forms of clemency, provided such actions are in accordance with the spirit of this resolution and extant General Assembly legislation.

Votes For: 13,347 (84%)
Votes Against: 2,557 (16%)

Implemented Wed Jun 1 2016

[GA 374 on NS] [Official Debate Topic]

[Imperium Anglorum]

Crime and Punishment [Struck out by GA 438]
A resolution to improve worldwide human and civil rights.

Category: Human Rights
Strength: Significant
Proposed by: SchutteGod

Description: The World Assembly,

Reasserting its authority to protect basic civil rights, including the rights of the accused and condemned for even the most heinous and monstrous of crimes,

Acknowledging the great division among member states as to the morality of capital punishment,

Respecting the rights of nations who view capital punishment as a violation of their deepest held beliefs, and seeking to preserve the rights of said nations to shield their accused from immoral punishments,

Contending that minimal restrictions should be imposed upon member states to ensure that punishments for serious crimes are carried out humanely,

Defining for purposes of this resolution, "execution," "capital punishment," and "death sentence (or penalty)" as the forfeiture of a person's life, as carried out by a state or an agent of the state, as a formal punishment for a crime, and

Specifying for purposes of this resolution, that "nonviolent crime" does not include any offense related to treason, espionage, mutiny, or criminal negligence causing physical death or injury;

Hereby:

1. Declares that member nations may employ capital punishment as a sentence for the gravest and most serious of offenses, provided that such sentences do not violate any relevant point of international law within this or any previous General Assembly resolution still in effect;

2. Forbids member nations from issuing criminal sentences disproportionate to the crime committed;

3. Forbids member nations from sentencing convicted persons to any sort of cruel or barbaric punishment, including any form of torture, or the infliction of intense psychological harm or physical pain or suffering short of death;

4. Forbids member nations from executing any person for misdemeanors or nonviolent crimes;

5. Forbids member nations from executing children, pregnant persons, or persons of limited mental capacity;

6. Forbids member nations from sentencing any individual to death without due process;

7. Forbids member nations from carrying out summary executions;

8. Requires member nations to ban any form of execution that involves any physical pain or suffering that would be unnecessary to achieve a quick and relatively painless death;

9. Requires member nations to take every possible measure to ensure that innocent people are never executed, and further requires members to conduct regular studies of death-penalty cases to verify that proper legal procedures are followed before convicted persons are put to death;

10. Requires member nations to delay any execution wherein the accused may have been denied essential legal protections during their trial or appeal process, and not to carry out any death sentence until it can be verified that the convicted person was not unfairly or unlawfully condemned;

11. Requires member nations to treat the bodies of executed persons with respect, and to prevent the improper handling or desecration of their remains;

12. Forbids member nations from extraditing criminals to other jurisdictions not affected by this mandate, for purposes of avoiding their obligations under international law.

Votes For: 12,853 (77%)
Votes Against: 3,932 (23%)

Implemented Sun Jun 5 2016

[GA 375 on NS] [Official Debate Topic]

[Imperium Anglorum]

Pesticide Regulations
A resolution to increase the quality of the world's environment, at the expense of industry.

Category: Environmental
Industry Affected: Agriculture
Proposed by: New Dukaine

Description: The World Assembly,

APPLAUDING previous efforts at environmental protection,

RECOGNIZING that in many member nations farmers need to rely on chemical pesticides to keep their crops healthy,

CONCERNED of the effects that pesticides could have on the environment and the inhabitants of member nations, such as contamination of waterways, soil, and groundwater, as well as unintended harm to non-target organisms,

UNDERSTANDING that, like all pollution, pesticide run-off does not respect national boundaries,

HEREBY

1. Extends the mandate of the World Assembly Science Program (WASP) to monitor the use of pesticides in member nations, their unintentional environmental effects, as well as disseminate information on how to best avoid environmental contamination,

2. Defines "chemical pesticide" as a chemical designed to prevent or kill pathogens and non-sapient pests, and which is used to protect crops or other organisms,

3. Establishes these regulations on chemical pesticides used and produced in the member nations:

• All pesticide ingredients must be ones that are permitted for the intended use by the nation where the product is used,
  
  
• The ingredients must be listed on the label of the pesticide, which must also contain instructions for safe handling and use,
  
  
• No false advertising or unsubstantiated claims are allowed on the label,
  
  
• The producer of the pesticide must include its name and contact information on the label,

4. Requires that the users of chemical pesticides must act to prevent pesticide runoff with preventative measures, including but not limited to buffer zones, selective application and avoiding irrigation right after applying pesticides,

5. Also requires that should an accident involving pesticides happen at or near the border of another nation, the member nation must contact the neighbouring nation's relevant officials, and offer assistance with possible clean-up measures,

6. Encourages member nations to research and use more environmentally-friendly pesticides as well as non-chemical forms of pest control, if these are not already in use,

7. Reaffirms that the use of pesticides as chemical weapons does not fall under the domain of this resolution.

Co-Authored by Araraukar

Votes For: 12,239 (85%)
Votes Against: 2,169 (15%)

Implemented Fri Jun 17 2016

[376 GA on NS] [Official Debate Topic]

[Imperium Anglorum]

Repeal "Preventing Animal Abuse"
A resolution to repeal previously passed legislation.

Category: Repeal
Resolution: #372
Proposed by: Imperium Anglorum

Description: WA General Assembly Resolution #372: Preventing Animal Abuse (Category: Moral Decency; Strength: Significant) shall be struck out and rendered null and void.

Argument: Applauding the World Assembly’s stance on the paternalising and ethnocentric treatment of animals,

Bemoaning the inherent problems and uncaught exceptions of overarching legislation, believing the provisions set forth are too broad and in the end, self-destructive of animal and sapient rights, and

Observing it is impossible to amend resolutions to patch problems and therefore convinced that the only way to resolve issues is by repealing the target resolution and replacing it with a new resolution,

This august World Assembly hereby:

1. Protests against the implicit moral supremacy in the resolution, imposing an ethnocentric 'morality' upon all nations from the feelings of a subset of World Assembly members and thereby committing a blow against cultural diversity in preventing cultures from exercising their independently formulated religious rights and societal traditions;

2. Recognises that clauses 1 and 3 prevent member nations from taking action to avert ecosystem collapse and preserve the natural environment by intervening against invasive predator species;

3. Notes that this resolution, with its overly-broad definition of animal, makes it illegal for people to exterminate ants, mosquitoes, and other annoying insects while also requiring member nations to pass laws that make such actions illegal;

4. Observes that:

1. clause 4 'requires ... any person who keeps an animal to provide that animal with reasonable and appropriate care necessary to promote the health of the animal and avoid suffering and disease', which thereby prohibits all forms of medical testing, and that
   
   
2. to ensure that drugs are safe and effective to consume, animal testing is required to reduce lethal risks when conducting clinical trials for new pharmaceutical compounds as required by 82 GA 'Universal Clinical Trials Act';

5. Believes the safety of pharmaceutical products and the speedy development of new drugs is increasingly important in an age of antibiotic resistance and globally spreading diseases; and therefore considers 372 GA harmful towards the development of new treatments for a wide array of currently-incurable diseases;

6. Repeals 372 GA 'Preventing Animal Abuse'.

Votes For: 11,285 (81%)
Votes Against: 2,720 (19%)

Implemented Tue Jun 28 2016

[377 GA on NS] [Official Debate Topic]

[Imperium Anglorum]

Digital Network Defense [Struck out by GA 547]
A resolution to improve world security by boosting police and military budgets.

Category: International Security
Strength: Mild
Proposed by: Excidium Planetis

Description: The World Assembly,

Recognizing the importance of digital devices in many nations, and the potential threats they pose in day to day life, especially in terrorist operations,

Seeking to prevent the occurrence of crimes committed on digital devices, and secure such devices for safe use by both military and civilian users,

Defines, for the purposes of this resolution,

• "digital device" as any artificial equipment that utilizes information in numerical form.
  
  
• "network" as any group of digital devices which are connected to allow the transmission and receiving of numerical information between devices in the group.
  
  
• "cyberattack" as any act of unlawful access to or alteration of numerical information stored on digital devices. For the purposes of cooperation with other WA legislation, such acts are to be considered acts of violence.

Encourages nations which possess digital devices to assist in securing such devices against cyberattacks;

Requires nations to make a reasonable effort to secure networks against the threat of cyberattacks;

Prohibits member nations from engaging in cyberattacks themselves, with the exception that member nations may utilize cyberattacks against networks belonging to foreign combatants with which they are in conflict, or against government networks of nations they reasonably suspect pose a real threat to their nation;

Mandates that nations establish cyberattacks as criminal offenses, and ensure individuals caught committing acts of cyberattack are prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law;

Reserves the right of member nations to monitor networks for digital security threats, should national law allow them to do so.

Votes For: 10,125 (76%)
Votes Against: 3,165 (24%)

Implemented Mon Jul 4 2016

[GA 378 on NS] [Official Debate Topic]

[Imperium Anglorum]

Repeal "Nuclear Arms Protocol"
A resolution to repeal previously passed legislation.

Category: Repeal
Resolution: #308
Proposed by: Plessur

Description: WA General Assembly Resolution #308: Nuclear Arms Protocol (Category: Global Disarmament; Strength: Mild) shall be struck out and rendered null and void.

Argument: Recognizing that it is the foremost duty of this World Assembly to preserve the peace that allows this organisation to arbitrate between the nations of the world and create greater happiness and fulfilment;

Noting above all that it is the risk of total war that ultimately hangs over the international community and is the principal enemy of peace and fulfilment; in particular, the further expansion and use of nuclear weapons does not minimise this risk and the damage of war but in fact aggrandizes it;

Realising that not only do forces against international cooperation strengthen this threat, but also well-meaning acts that in fact stand between this World Assembly and greater peace: namely, legislation of the General Assembly that does little to confront this issue and rather prevents any real actions being done to confront the issue, on the basis that this legislation nominally accomplishes what is required;

Thus recognizing that if we wish to achieve real action against aggressive stockpiling and use of nuclear weapons by member states, repealing GAR#308 will be a step in the right direction, due to a number of key and disturbing defects in this piece of legislation, namely:

I: The exact circumstances defined in Item 2 remain distinctively unclear, and can allow belligerent nations to target civilian areas with nuclear weapons on the basis that any military assets are situated there, with no way of establishing whether the other nation deliberately established a policy of concealing ‘key strategic military assets’ within civilian areas;

II: Furthermore, the repercussions of this flaw affect Item 3, which removes all the restrictions provided in this Act in the event of one nation breaching them by deliberately targeting civilian areas, thus creating the potential of both sides being restricted in no way in their use of nuclear weapons in the event of such an incident described in Article I;

III: Above all, this legislation – though no doubt proposed with noble intentions – provides no way of enforcing the rules set out post facto, in the event of one of the accords being breached by a belligerent, particularly if it was breached under circumstances which are unclear whether they are permitted under Item 2.

Above all, this World Assembly must recognize that repealing this faulty piece of legislation will allow nations to establish new rules of warfare in a real and genuine effort to end international conflict, in an effort in which clearer terms may be set down.

Therefore, this World Assembly shall repeal General Assembly Resolution 308 "Nuclear Arms Protocol".

Votes For: 8,605 (68%)
Votes Against: 3,977 (32%)

Implemented Sun Jul 10 2016

[379 GA on NS] [Official Debate Topic]

[Imperium Anglorum]

Humanitarian Aid Expansion Act [Struck out by 381 GA]
A resolution to modify universal standards of healthcare.

Category: Health
Area of Effect: International Aid
Proposed by: Ichu

Description: Concerned by the disturbing rise and phenomenon of natural disasters in many areas and the lives lost as a result; yet,

Aware that natural disasters will always occur, with or without government intervention; however,

Hopeful that at the very least, more lives can be saved with increased humanitarian aid to the rising number of afflicted areas near or around natural disasters;

The World Assembly hereby:

Defines “natural disaster” as a serious disruption of the functioning of a community or a society, caused by naturally occurring phenomenon and involving widespread population, material, economic or environmental losses and impacts, which exceeds the ability of the affected community or society to cope using its own resources.

Further Defines "security check" as any measure(s) a host nation chooses to take to verify the identity, authenticity, and/or lack of a security threat of personnel and aid that are requested to enter the borders of the host nation in order to fulfill their duties as mandated by the International Humanitarian Aid Coordination Committee.

Highly recommends that the host nation attempt to provide efficient distribution of and easy access to any available domestic or foreign humanitarian aid with assistance from nearby member nations if the host nation is unable to support itself. All humanitarian aid originating from outside the borders of the host nation are subject to any extensive security checks imposed by the host nation in order for it to be sent to the afflicted areas.

Mandates that host nations allow any personnel working with humanitarian organizations that are involved with the relief effort to enter afflicted areas, with all personnel being subject to any extensive security checks imposed by the host nation. If the personnel pass the security checks, the host nation must provide transportation so the personnel can reach the afflicted areas, if deemed necessary.

Requires the maintaining or rebuilding, if necessary, of essential infrastructure in threatened areas, such as hospitals and distribution centers, which is necessary to provide effective disaster relief in times of crisis.

The International Humanitarian Aid Coordination Committee shall be expanded to:

• Be granted authority to send out unbiased inspectors, who are appointed by the powers within the WA, to conduct inspections of the essential infrastructure and supplies stockpiles, without interference from the host nation, within threatened areas inside host nations, especially during times when a natural disaster is believed to be imminent.
  
  
• Grant funds to international humanitarian organizations based in member nations which are involved in active disaster relief operations in order to ensure that the necessary resources are present.

Votes For: 10,684 (63%)
Votes Against: 6,221 (37%)

Implemented Tue Jul 19 2016

[380 GA on NS] [Official Debate Topic]

[Imperium Anglorum]

Repeal "Humanitarian Aid Expansion Act"
A resolution to repeal previously passed legislation.

Category: Repeal
Resolution: #380
Proposed by: Imperium Anglorum

Description: WA General Assembly Resolution #380: Humanitarian Aid Expansion Act (Category: Health; Area of Effect: International Aid) shall be struck out and rendered null and void.

Argument: The General Assembly,

Confident that humanitarian aid has already been expanded by passing such resolutions as 340 GA "Access to Humanitarian Aid" and 51 GA "Humanitarian Aid Coordination";

Concerned about a number of issues with the resolution that cause unintended consequences, most of which were not picked up due to the premature submission and passage of the target resolution;

Conceding that repeal is the only option, as it is impossible to amend legislation and patch these issues;

Worried about the incredible costs associated with:

1. forcing governments to expand their public sectors and subsidise rebuilding efforts when a nation may simply choose to move people out of harm's way via evacuation and
   
   
2. transportation to and fro for foreigners at the national expense;

Troubled by the possibility of using this resolution to bypass quarantine regulations, since the resolution fails to provide any clauses allowing nations to prevent aid workers from entering quarantine areas; and

Flabbergasted with the requirement in 380 GA § 6(b) of rewarding nations which are unwilling to help their own citizens by wasting World Assembly funds in paying private organisations to provide 'aid' without any necessary oversight to ensure that World Assembly contributions are not wasted, squandered, or used to commit crimes against the people which this resolution would ostensibly help; hereby

Repeals 380 GA "Humanitarian Aid Expansion Act".

Votes For: 10,879 (75%)
Votes Against: 3,533 (25%)

Implemented Thu Jul 28 2016

[381 GA on NS] [Official Debate Topic]

[Imperium Anglorum]

Environmental Warfare Act
A resolution to slash worldwide military spending.

Category: Global Disarmament
Strength: Mild
Proposed by: West Angola

Description: The World Assembly,

DISMAYED at the damage caused to ecosystems by the introduction of invasive species,

RECOGNIZING the suffering of nations whose ecosystems are affected by these species,

FURTHER RECOGNIZING the major national security threat such species could represent,

Hereby,

1. DEFINES, for purposes of this resolution:

1. "Invasive Species" as a non-native, non-sapient species whose behavior results in extreme harm to ecosystems into which it is introduced,
   
   
2. "Environmental Warfare" as the intentional introduction of an invasive species into a foreign ecosystem for purposes of damaging it,

2. PROHIBITS member nations from carrying out acts of environmental warfare against other nations,

3. MANDATES member nations take reasonable action to prevent those in their nation from carrying out acts of environmental warfare abroad, and to guard against such acts within their own borders,

4. EMPOWERS the World Assembly Commission on Biological Agents to:

1. Ensure nations remain up-to-date on the latest information regarding identification and prevention of invasive species, and
   
   
2. Aid civilian populations who have been subjected to a environmental warfare attack in mitigating and reversing the effects of such.

Votes For: 10,201 (63%)
Votes Against: 5,906 (37%)

Implemented Wed Aug 10 2016

[382 GA on NS] [Official Debate Topic]

[Imperium Anglorum]

Right to Sexual Privacy
A resolution to improve worldwide human and civil rights.

Category: Human Rights
Strength: Significant
Proposed by: Bananaistan

Description: The General Assembly,

Recognising the right of individuals to privacy in their sexual relationships,

Resolving to uphold and protect this right from undue interference, while

Affirming that society in general has a legitimate public interest in
- preventing procreation in incestuous unions,
- restricting the exploitation of vulnerable or underage individuals, and
- enforcing fair sexual ethics in professions,

Hereby:

1) Defines “individual sexual activity”, for the purposes of this resolution, as acts undertaken individually without any external stimulus for the purposes of achieving sexual arousal of the individual,

2) Defines “collective sexual activity”, for the purposes of this resolution, as acts undertaken with at least one other participating individual for the purposes of achieving sexual arousal of one or more of the participants, where such acts cause no permanent physical harm to any of the participants,

3) Defines “age of consent”, for the purposes of this resolution, as the age at which an individual is considered to be legally responsible for actively consenting to engage in collective sexual activity,

4) Mandates that member states shall not restrict, regulate, proscribe or criminalise any individual sexual activity where such individual sexual activity is practised in private and away from public exposure, where it does not directly cause physical harm to any other individual,

5) Mandates that, subject to the exceptions listed in clause 6 of this resolution, member states shall not restrict, regulate, proscribe or criminalise any collective sexual activity between consenting individuals who have reached the age of consent where such collective sexual activity is practised in private and away from public exposure, where it does not directly cause physical harm to any non-participant,

6) a) Member states are permitted to establish in law prohibited degrees of consanguinity and may restrict, regulate, proscribe or criminalise sexual activity between individuals falling within a prohibited degree of consanguinity but only to the extent that such sexual activity could result in procreation,

b) Member states are permitted to restrict, regulate, proscribe or criminalise collective sexual activity where one participant has responsibility for or authority over another participant,

c) Member states are permitted to allow the exercise of disciplinary power by organisations on members and employees who engage in sexual activity with individuals for whom they are directly professionally responsible or otherwise directly exercise authority over,

7) Mandates that, for the purposes of clause 5, member states set a biologically appropriate age of consent which gives due regard to the typical age at which the physical and emotional development of individuals in their society provides them with the capabilities of granting genuine, informed consent to participation in sexual activities, and further mandates that there shall be no reference to the gender status or the sexual orientation of the participating individuals nor shall collective sexual activities be subcategorised in age of consent laws,

8) Clarifies that this resolution does not require the legalisation of any materials or artefacts which may be used for the purposes of individual or collective sexual activities, however urges member states to legalise such materials or artefacts where it would not cause harm to non-participating individuals and is otherwise permitted by international law.

Votes For: 12,233 (86%)
Votes Against: 2,027 (14%)

Implemented Sat Aug 20 2016

[383 GA on NS] [Official Debate Topic]

[Imperium Anglorum]

Repeal "Foreign Patent Recognition"
A resolution to repeal previously passed legislation.

Category: Repeal
Resolution: #347
Proposed by: Wallenburg

Description: WA General Assembly Resolution #384: Foreign Patent Recognition (Category: Free Trade; Strength: Mild) shall be struck out and rendered null and void.

Argument: Recognizing the utility of patents to many member states;

Encouraging well-reasoned legislation on the issue of patent rights and intellectual property;

Noting that GA #347 provides insufficient framework to prevent private entities and states from filing patents to block technological and scientific development in other nations, even if they have no interest in the technologies they patent;

Regretting that the target resolution allows patent holders to severely restrict use and availability of vital pharmaceutical products, thereby extending the suffering of citizens in many member nations who cannot afford to purchase exclusively patented medicines;

Noticing that GA #347 leaves many less advanced member states and their inhabitants to suffer the loss of their intellectual rights to more advanced member states and their inhabitants;

Concerned that, in order to enforce their patents abroad, patent holders must divulge the specifications of their technology, even if said technology's secrecy is a matter of crucial security;

Unconvinced that the ten-year minimum for foreign patent recognition set in clause four (4) is anything but an arbitrarily set number, with no absolutely consideration for the varying value of time on different member nations;

Aware that the concept of a patent is foreign to many member states' economic philosophies or ideologies, and may run entirely contrary to those of several member states;

Worried that GA #347 effectively forces nations without a patent system to adopt one, without recognizing the effects patents may have on their economic model or their ideological rights;

Disappointed that this resolution seeks to impose national law beyond its jurisdiction into other nations, compelling nations to recognize the legal power of patent agreements made in foreign nations;

Ultimately convinced that GAR #347 needlessly reduces economic freedoms and limits property rights;

The World Assembly hereby repeals General Assembly Resolution #347, "Foreign Patent Recognition".

Co-authored by Caracasus.

Votes For: 9,830 (63%)
Votes Against: 5,654 (37%)

Implemented Wed Aug 24 2016

[384 GA on NS] [Official Debate Topic]

[Imperium Anglorum]

Quarantine Regulation [Struck out by 387 GA]
A resolution to modify universal standards of healthcare.

Category: Health
Area of Effect: Healthcare
Proposed by: Umeria

Description: The World Assembly,

Understanding that there are many communicable diseases which spread easily if they are not treated hastily;

Noting that there are times when some communicable diseases cannot be treated hastily;

Realizing that such diseases should instead be promptly contained to prevent an international epidemic;

Hereby

1) Tasks the Epidemic and Pandemic Alert and Response Center to define as a "serious disease" any disease which is harmful and contagious enough to create the need of a quarantine in the case of an outbreak of the disease;

2) Defines, for the purposes of this resolution:

1. an "epidemic" as a time, in a nation, when there are enough people with the same serious disease(as defined by the EPARC) to significantly decrease the nation's functioning and/or well-being;
   
   
2. an "infected person" as any person with a serious disease in a nation undergoing an epidemic of that disease;
   
   
3. a "quarantine" as any area where infected persons are kept in isolation in order to halt the spread of the disease;
   
   
4. a "treatment" as any action done to an infected person with the purpose of:
   
   
   1. curing the infected person;
      
      
   2. rendering the infected person non-contagious;
      
      
   3. ensuring the infected person does not undergo any unnecessary harm; and/or
      
      
   4. ensuring the infected person is not deprived of any necessities a non-infected person would normally receive;

3) Urges that all member nations, in the event of an epidemic in their nation, screen for any infected persons in that nation not yet known to be infected;

4) Requires that all member nations, to the best of their capability:

1. create at least one quarantine per epidemic in the nation;
   
   
2. move all infected persons into the appropriate quarantine that is nearest to their current location;
   
   
3. provide every treatment to all infected persons that are in a quarantine while taking any available precaution to ensure that the people administering these treatments are not infected;
   
   
4. move anyone that ceases to be an infected person out of the quarantine;
   
   
5. disband any quarantine that ceases to be of use; and

5) Mandates that the EPARC cover the costs of the requirements in clause 4 for any member nation that has difficulty maintaining quarantines.

Votes For: 12,728 (89%)
Votes Against: 1,642 (11%)

Implemented Fri Sep 2 2016

[385 GA on NS] [Official Debate Topic]

[Imperium Anglorum]

Reducing Statelessness
A resolution to improve worldwide human and civil rights.

Category: Human Rights
Strength: Mild
Proposed by: Imperium Anglorum

Description: Aware that people have been deprived of their citizenship by unscrupulous states to prevent them from exercising their societally guaranteed political rights,

Believing that this unjustly prevents people from exercising those rights to which they are rightfully entailed, and

This august World Assembly hereby:

1. Prohibits nations from depriving a national of their nationality should such an action leave that national stateless; mandates that no national will be deprived of their nationality without the due process of law;
   
   
2. Expands the remit of the Global Emigration, Security, Travel And Passport Organisation, hereafter referred as the Passport Organisation, to include the issuance of World Assembly identification documents and passports to the former nationals of member states who have been deprived of their nationality by their government;
   
   
3. Determines that nations are to recognise passports verifiably and legitimately issued by both other member nations and by constituted World Assembly agencies as valid passports; reminds member nations that no mandates are here imposed on the nature of their border controls; and
   
   
4. Requires that these passports follow the Passport Organisation's international norms on the standards for security and identification in all internationally recognised passports.

Votes For: 14,100 (80%)
Votes Against: 3,517 (20%)

Implemented Mon Oct 24 2016

[386 GA on NS] [Official Debate Topic]

[Imperium Anglorum]

Repeal "Quarantine Regulation"
A resolution to repeal previously passed legislation.

Category: Repeal
Resolution: #385
Proposed by: Umeria

Description: WA General Assembly Resolution #385: Quarantine Regulation (Category: Health; Area of Effect: Healthcare) shall be struck out and rendered null and void.

Argument: The World Assembly,

Understanding that the logistics of quarantines raise many issues due to the individual's needs conflicting with society's;

Acknowledging that the resolution puts a number of measures into place which fixes some of these issues and improves the standards of quarantines;

Regretting that 385 GA fails to cover many issues involving medical ethics and medicine within a quarantine;

Questioning whether the resolution's four point definition of "treatment" is malleable enough to cover untested methods or procedures;

Concerned that 385 GA requires any appropriate treatment available to be given to infected persons regardless of whether the treatment would, as a side effect, permanently cripple the person;

Unsettled by the resolution's mandate to put infected persons in the nearest quarantine to them, causing drastic displacement if a person happened to be far away from their home at the time;

Distraught by 385 GA's complete lack of information on what constitutes appropriate force when restraining infected persons attempting to escape a quarantine;

Believing that the resolution does not properly address these matters, and skims many central issues on the topic of quarantines;

Worried that 385 GA makes it extremely difficult to pass further legislation on ethical problems as pertaining to quarantines;

Hoping to clear the hastiness of the resolution from these halls and pass a new resolution that fills the gaping hole 385 GA created;

Hereby repeals "Quarantine Regulation".

Votes For: 15,674 (86%)
Votes Against: 2,653 (14%)

Implemented Mon Nov 7 2016

[387 GA on NS] [Official Debate Topic]

[Imperium Anglorum]

Foreign Patent Act [Struck out by 393 GA]
A resolution to reduce barriers to free trade and commerce.

Category: Free Trade
Strength: Mild
Proposed by: Wallenburg

Description: Observing the importance of intellectual property rights in many member states,

Cognizant of the risks associated with unnecessary interference in national policy on intellectual property,

Honoring this Assembly's pledged commitment to national sovereignty with regard to economic philosophy and ideology,

The World Assembly hereby:

1. Defines, for the purpose of this resolution:

1. "patent" as an official government statement granting an entity the legal right to exclude others from producing or generating profit with a particular invention,
   
   
2. "invention" as a process, good, device, or technology created by an entity,

2. Recognizes member nations' right to develop or not develop patent systems in general,

3. Forbids member nations from granting or recognizing patents for illegal inventions, as well as patents for any form of sapient life,

4. Directs a World Assembly Patent Service (WAPS) to grant any entity originating from a member state a patent, only if:

1. The entity holds a valid patent granted by the member nation it originates from for the same invention the entity seeks to patent via the WAPS,
   
   
2. The WAPS has not already granted a patent on the invention the entity seeks to claim as its intellectual property,
   
   
3. The entity demonstrates full responsibility for the development of the invention, an inventive step in developing it beyond merely observing or analyzing an already existing invention, and reasonable novelty and uniqueness of the invention in the member nation from which the entity originates,
   
   
4. The request meets any other basic formatting standards set by the WAPS in order to guarantee the legitimacy of the entity's patent request,

5. Tasks the WAPS with archiving all patents granted by member states or itself, and making its archives public to all member states and their citizens,

6. Further tasks the WAPS with evaluating the conditions of member states' economies and conducting any other relevant research in order to determine and set unbiased and appropriate expiration dates in each member nation on a case-by-case basis for its granted patents,

7. Mandates that all member states with patent systems observe all patents granted by the WAPS given that:

1. The patented invention is neither illegal, nor obsolete, nor in the public domain in that member nation at the time the inventive entity receives the patent,
   
   
2. The patented invention is of practical, commercial, or industrial use in that nation,
   
   
3. The patent holder has demonstrated intent to exercise its patent in that nation,
   
   
4. Previously passed World Assembly resolutions do not permit that member nation not to recognize the patent.

8. Requires all member states without patent systems to refrain from asserting intellectual property beyond their own borders.

Votes For: 10,008 (52.6%)
Votes Against: 9,026 (47.4%)

Implemented Sun Nov 27 2016

[388 GA on NS] [Official Debate Topic]

[Imperium Anglorum]

Rights Of The Quarantined
A resolution to modify universal standards of healthcare.

Category: Health
Area of Effect: Healthcare
Proposed by: Umeria

The World Assembly,

Understanding that there are many communicable diseases which spread easily if they are not treated hastily;

Noting that there are times when some communicable diseases cannot be treated hastily;

Realizing that such diseases should instead be promptly contained to prevent an international epidemic;

Recognizing that in order to efficiently contain a disease, drastic measures are sometimes necessary;

Further understanding that in those cases, individual rights are often subverted in order to efficiently contain the disease;

Further noting that there are nations that take this subversion too far, and oppress their citizens in the name of disease control;

Wishing to ensure that every victim of an epidemic, even those in nations otherwise unable to promptly contain an outbreak, is safely quarantined without any unnecessary impingement of basic rights;

Hereby

1) Tasks the Epidemic and Pandemic Alert and Response Center to define as a "serious disease" any disease which is harmful and contagious enough to create the need of a quarantine in the case of an outbreak of the disease;

2) Defines, for the purposes of this resolution:

1. an "epidemic" as a time, in a nation, when there are enough people with the same serious disease(as defined by the EPARC) to be clearly in excess of the normal expectancy;
   
2. an "infected person" as any person with a serious disease in a nation undergoing an epidemic of that disease;
   
3. a "quarantine" as any area where infected persons are kept in isolation in order to halt the spread of the disease;
   
4. a "treatment" as any action done to an infected person with the purpose of:
   
   1. curing the infected person;
      
   2. rendering the infected person non-contagious;
      
   3. ensuring the infected person does not undergo any unnecessary harm; and/or
      
   4. ensuring the infected person is not deprived of any necessities a non-infected person would normally receive;

3) Recommends that all member nations, in the event of an epidemic in their nation, screen for any infected persons in that nation not yet known to be infected;

4) Requires that all member nations, to the best of their capability:

1. create at least one quarantine per epidemic in the nation;
   
2. move all infected persons into the appropriate quarantine that is nearest to their current location;
   
3. provide every treatment to all infected persons that are in a quarantine while taking any available precaution to ensure that the people administering these treatments are not infected;
   
4. move anyone that ceases to be an infected person out of the quarantine;
   
5. disband all quarantines of a certain epidemic when the epidemic ends; and

5) Mandates that the EPARC cover the costs of the requirements in clause 4 for any member nation that has difficulty maintaining quarantines;

6) Establishes a medical ethics board within the EPARC, tasking it to:

1. review matters of necessity and promulgation within quarantines;
   
2. ensure that such matters are handled with proper consideration of the infected person's well-being;
   
3. ensure that infected individuals are treated fairly with regards to individual freedom and dignity; and

7) Urges that member nations provide infected persons with comfort and security, to help them recover from their unfortunate situation.

Votes For: 14,782 (76%)
Votes For: 4,632 (24%)

Implemented Fri Dec 2 2016

[389 GA on NS] [Official Debate Topic]

[Imperium Anglorum]

Compliance Commission
A resolution to improve world security by boosting police and military budgets.

Category: International Security
Strength: Mild
Proposed by: Imperium Anglorum

Concerned that nations are unwilling to prosecute violators of World Assembly legislation and actively destroying evidence of crimes against humanity,

Asserting that members have an obligation to comply with policies enacted by the democratic mandate of the World Assembly as they have consented into its jurisdiction, and

Believing that cases of non-prosecution or destruction of evidence ought be investigated and archived so that a more objective conception of the truth can be established for future reference,

This august World Assembly hereby:

1. Establishes and empowers the WACC, hereafter referred to as the Compliance Commission, to conduct investigations on matters vis-à-vis observance with World Assembly resolutions and thereby establish an impartial and objective factual basis for future claims of jurisdiction and prosecutions thereof;
   
   
2. Requires both civilian and military police forces to create a liaison point with the Commission to provide evidence on war crimes in particular and adherence to WA legislation in general, and to those ends, demands that documents requested by the Commission not to be destroyed and to be handed over promptly so long as state security permits;
   
   
3. Permits the Compliance Commission, in specific investigations, to accept information and data which are presented by non-member nations and nations not party to that investigation; allows the Compliance Commission to request the assistance of nearby nations to more accurately assess and access the facts of the matter under investigation;
   
   
4. Strongly encourages nations to cooperate with the Compliance Commission on matters relevant to their security and conduct their own investigations into compliance with World Assembly resolutions as soon as possible; mandates the Compliance Commission inform nations of the passage of legislation, promulgation of regulations, or enactment of administrative policies relevant to their nation; and
   
   
5. Reminds member nations that this resolution establishes the Compliance Commission as a truth-seeking commission and does not grant it the ability to enforce or compel warrants, subpoenas, or judicial action on any nation, its leaders, or its citizens.

Votes For: 13,286 (70%)
Votes For: 5,812 (30%)

Implemented Sun Dec 11 2016

[390 GA on NS] [Official Debate Topic]

[Imperium Anglorum]

Securing Nuclear Materials From Dastardly Menaces [Struck out by 392 GA]
A resolution to improve world security by boosting police and military budgets.

Category: International Security
Strength: Mild
Proposed by: Imperium Anglorum

Affirming the right of member nations to possess nuclear weapons and to use them in the case that they are attacked by hostile forces,

Concerned that there does not yet exist any legislation to protect the manufacture of nuclear weapons from being banned by the World Assembly,

Observing that there are more than six times more non-WA nations than member nations and believing that such protections are necessary for the security of member nations,

This august World Assembly hereby:

1. Maintains the right of member nations to manufacture and trade nuclear weapons or reactors, to possess the materials required in such manufacture, and to acquire the materials required in such manufacture;
   
   
2. Maintains the right of member nations to have knowledge of the manufacture and trade of nuclear weapons or reactors, to possess such knowledge, and to acquire such knowledge;
   
   
3. Mandates that member nations take all practical actions to safeguard the manufacture and knowledge spoken of in the first two clauses from the wrong hands, especially those which conspire against the stability of member nations; and
   
   
4. Directs the Nuclear Energy Safety Commission (NESC) to ensure that nuclear materials and knowledge are secured from the wrong hands by providing funds and assistance to nations which are unable to defend their own nuclear knowledge and technology.

Votes For: 10,874 (55%)
Votes Against: 8,848 (45%)

Implemented Thu Dec 15 2016

[391 GA on NS] [Official Debate Topic]

[Imperium Anglorum]

Repeal “Securing Nuclear Materials From Dastardly Menaces”
A resolution to repeal previously passed legislation.

Category: Repeal
Resolution: #391
Proposed by: Wallenburg

Description: General Assembly Resolution #391: Securing Nuclear Materials from Dastardly Menaces (Category: International Security; Strength: Mild) shall be struck out and rendered null and void.

Argument: The World Assembly,

Understanding the need for member states to remain capable of self defense,

Recognizing the right of member states to possess nuclear weapons,

Concerned that GAR#391 fails to adequately address the issue of nuclear arms production,

Recognizing that the text of GAR#391 is entirely identical to that of GAR#351, "Nuclear Materials Safeguards", which was repealed handily for glaring issues that persist in this iteration,

Disappointed that clause four of GAR#391 grants generous funds to aggressive and warlike nations, and that it may encourage them to further develop their nuclear arsenals at the expense of the World Assembly,

Aware that ambiguous references to the "wrong hands" only leave room for subjective and conflicting perspectives on which nations ought to have the right to possess nuclear weapons, contrary to the principle of existing legislation on that subject,

Hereby repeals GAR#391, "Securing Nuclear Materials From Dastardly Menaces".

Votes For: 13,394 (76%)
Votes Against: 4,244 (24%)

Implemented Fri Dec 23 2016

[392 GA on NS] [Official Debate Topic]

[Imperium Anglorum]

Repeal "Foreign Patent Act"
A resolution to repeal previously passed legislation.

Category: Repeal
Resolution: #388
Proposed by: Auralia

Description: General Assembly Resolution #388: Foreign Patent Act (Category: Free Trade; Strength: Mild) shall be struck out and rendered null and void.

Argument: Recognizing that many World Assembly member states use patents to encourage scientific and technological innovation,

Affirming that the complete public disclosure of an invention in exchange for temporary exclusive rights to the invention constitutes a fair trade between inventors and the public,

Commending GAR #388, "Foreign Patent Act", for contributing to the harmonization of patent law throughout the World Assembly by establishing an international system for patent recognition,

Concerned, however, that the target resolution permits World Assembly member states to completely opt-out of the system it establishes,

Noting that research and development of new inventions requires a great investment of time, labour, and capital,

Emphasizing that if member states are free to refuse to recognize patents, they are also free to mass produce and sell inventions at a fraction of the cost required to develop them and so will inevitably undercut the original inventor on global markets,

Observing that this leaves inventors with substantial risks and few rewards, thus significantly reducing the incentive of inventors to innovate, as well as the incentive of investors to fund the research and development necessary for innovation, throughout the World Assembly,

Alarmed that the resolution also lacks any mechanism for inventors to appeal decisions of the authority responsible for international patent recognition,

Hoping that replacement legislation shall soon be passed,

The General Assembly,

Repeals GAR #388, "Foreign Patent Act".

Votes For: 15,011 (84%)
Votes Against: 2,798 (16%)

Implemented Mon Feb 27 2017

[393 GA on NS] [Official Debate Topic]

[Imperium Anglorum]

International Patent Agreement [Struck out by GA 638]
A resolution to reduce barriers to free trade and commerce.

Category: Free Trade
Strength: Mild
Proposed by: Auralia

Description: Recognizing that many World Assembly member states use patents to encourage scientific and technological innovation,

Believing that the disclosure of an invention in exchange for temporary exclusive rights to the invention is a fair trade between inventors and the public,

Convinced that the international recognition of patents will incentivize the research and development of inventions throughout all member states while providing inventors with a fair reward for their labours,

The General Assembly,

1. Defines "invention", for the purposes of this resolution, as a machine, article of manufacture, composition of matter, process, or improvement thereof;
   
   
2. Further defines "patent", for the purposes of this resolution, as the set of exclusive rights granted to the creator of an invention, including the right to:
   
   1. prevent others from using, manufacturing, offering for sale, importing, or exporting the invention without permission,
   2. sell or license any of these rights to others,
   3. seek an injunction and fair damages against any entity that infringes upon these rights, and
   4. extinguish any of these rights;
3. Establishes the World Assembly Patent Office (WAPO), which is hereby directed to:
   
   1. receive and process WAPO patent applications exclusively from inventors who are citizens or legal permanent residents of member states at the time of filing,
   2. establish appropriate conditions for the patentability of an invention with the WAPO, including the requirement that the invention:
      
      1. is patentable subject matter, which is to be determined by the WAPO but excludes in particular sapient life,
      2. was not disclosed or made available to the public prior to the filing of a WAPO patent application for that invention,
      3. is not obvious, even to others skilled in the same field, and
      4. has some practical application,
   3. establish appropriate regulations for the structure and content of WAPO patent applications, including the requirement that the application provide sufficient description to allow a reasonable person in the same field to make and use the invention,
   4. grant patents for inventions described by valid WAPO patent applications on a first-to-file basis,
   5. set an appropriate term for each class of WAPO patent that ensures that inventors receive a fair reward for their labours,
   6. establish and maintain an archive of WAPO patent applications and patents accessible to the general population of all member states, and
   7. establish and maintain an appeals process for challenging WAPO decisions on the grounds that they violate international law or WAPO regulations;
4. Requires all member states to recognize WAPO patents for at least the term set by the WAPO, to the extent permitted by previously passed World Assembly resolutions;
   
   
5. Authorizes member states to create reasonable limitations and exceptions to WAPO patents when the patent holder uses the rights associated with the patent in a manner determined to have:
   
   1. effectively broadened the scope or lengthened the term of the patent,
   2. caused substantial anti-competitive effects, or
   3. unfairly blocked access to the invention in a member state;
6. Urges member states to pursue harmonization of patent law with other member states to the extent practicable;
   
   
7. Clarifies that nothing in this resolution should be interpreted as prohibiting member states from recognizing patents granted independently of the WAPO.

Votes For: 13,985 (77%)
Votes Against: 4,134 (23%)

Implemented Sat Mar 11 2017

[394 GA on NS] [Official Debate Topic]

[Imperium Anglorum]

Open Internet Order [Struck out by 396 GA]
A resolution to reduce income inequality and increase basic welfare.

Category: Social Justice
Strength: Mild
Proposed by: The Free and Sovereign State of Thailand

Description: The General Assembly,

Recognizing the essential role of the Internet in areas such as economic, social, and political activity;

Concerned that Internet Service Providers hold all the tools necessary to deceive subscribers and block or otherwise degrade content;

HEREBY:

1. Defines the following:

(a) "Internet Service Provider" as an entity that directly controls and operates facilities that are used to provide Internet access.
(b) "Reasonable Network Management" allows Internet Service Providers to temporarily throttle access to the network on legal grounds such as avoiding network congestion or contractual obligations.
(c) "Lawful" allowed by international law and/or national law (If international law and national law conflict, international law takes precedence over national law).
(d) "Internet" refers to the collection of technical protocols that allows different devices on different platforms to communicate with each other.
(e) "Subscriber" refers to a person who pays to receive and/or access a service.

2. Prohibits Internet Service Providers from:

(a) Arbitrarily blocking access to lawful content and/or access to the network; subject to reasonable network management.
(b) Arbitrarily throttling access to lawful content and/or access to the network; subject to reasonable network management.

3. Requires Internet Service Providers to disclose to new and existing subscribers:

(a) Any and all pricing information related to the service plan.
(b) Any and all caps related to the service plan as well as the consequences of exceeding such cap.

4. Permits Internet Service Providers to employ reasonable network management controls.

5. Establishes the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority.

6. Empowers the Telecommunication Regulatory Authority to issue fines, enforce provision(s) of this resolution and conduct investigations against Internet Service Providers. The Telecommunication Regulatory Authority may also issue declaratory rulings, at its discretion.

Votes For: 14 893 (81.0%)
Votes Against: 3 487 (19.0%)

Implemented Wed Mar 15 2017

[395 GA on NS] [Official Debate Topic]

[Imperium Anglorum]

Repeal "Open Internet Order"
A resolution to repeal previously passed legislation.

Category: Repeal
Resolution: #395
Proposed by: Imperium Anglorum

Description: General Assembly Resolution #395 "Open Internet Order" (Category: Social Justice, Strength: Mild) shall be struck out and rendered null and void.

Argument: This august World Assembly,

Restating, again that:

1. one-size-fits-all legislation of this sort generally fails to adequately consider the specific situations in which nations may find themselves, thereby preventing them from applying relevant and situationally apt policy and
2. it is impossible to amend legislation and patch these issues, thereby making repeal the only option,

Concerned that Open Internet Order imposes cumbersome regulations which, due to high transaction costs, cannot be worked around, thereby leading to delays in network expansion and access,

Believing that the resolution's definition of 'internet service provider' includes national governments, as many governments provide information services to their citizens so they can access information necessary for fulfilling and productive lives,

Extremely distressed by clause 6 in the resolution, empowering the Telecommunication(s) Regulatory Authority to issue fines and declaratory rulings against ISPs at its own discretion, which when combined with the general vagueness of the resolution, allows the World Assembly to use these discretionary powers to raise revenue against national governments,

Perturbed with the privacy and national security implications of permitting an international agency to examine ISP (and therefore, government) data, information, and services without any oversight, at its own discretion, allowing international bureaucrats to look into the finances of subscribers, trade secrets of domestic companies, and the security preparations of the government,

Laughing at the ineffectiveness of the resolution at actually fulfilling its goals, as its definition of 'reasonable network management' allows a massive loophole of undefined 'legal grounds', which can easily be expanded by national governments, meaning the author has created a terrifying regulatory agency which fails to actually expand access in any way, saddling the member nations with all the costs of regulation and none of the benefits,

Disappointed that the resolution provides a cut-out for governments to create unlawful content, thereby allowing them to censor information and render the benefits of creating an open Internet utterly meaningless, and

Suspecting that any consistent interpretation of the resolution is in an incredible double-bind, as either it:

1. prevents internet providers from prioritising basic switching packets, thereby slowing down the entire network and restricting access for everyone, or
   
2. falls into 'reasonable network management', which means that practically all traffic prioritisation schemes can be run through such a loophole, making the resolution meaningless,

Hereby repeals 395 GA 'Open Internet Order'.

Votes For: 14 459 (81.7%)
Votes Against: 3 232 (18.3%)

Implemented Tue Mar 21 2017

[396 GA on NS] [Official Debate Topic]

[Imperium Anglorum]

World Assembly Central Library Compact
A resolution to promote funding and the development of education and the arts.

Category: Education and Creativity
Area of Effect: Cultural Heritage
Proposed by: The United Royal Islands of Euramathania

Description: The World Assembly,

Recognizing the work of the Universal Library Coalition (ULC), its Executive Committee (ULCEC), and their Universal Literary Exchange Network (ULEN), in promoting literacy;

Concerned, however, by a lack of protections for preserving physical written works, and thus, that the mission of digitizing and distributing literary works may be hindered by not having a central repository from which to conduct this import work;

Therefore, Hereby:

Establishes & builds a World Assembly Central Library Complex (WACLC), with the purpose of:
-Restoring & Replicating older written works, which may have become damaged with age,
-Collecting new & informative written works for archival purposes,
-Displaying rare, unique, or important works from nations,
-Providing scholastic access to such works, and maintaining the circulation of important written works among nations;

Mandates that WA Nations seek to preserve &, wherever possible, restore the historic & cultural written works of their nation, which may have become damaged through age;

Further, Requires all WA nations adopt standards governing the preservation, restoration, and security of historical, cultural, or important written works;

Encourages that all WA Nations unable to provide for the preservation and security of historic & cultural written works, seek wherever permissible to donate such works to the WACLC;

Mandates, that in order to achieve these goals, that the ULC be tasked with:
- Collecting & Preserving written texts as donated by entities to the WACLC, and when applicable returning original texts to their donor,
- Providing for the storage & security of written works;
- Creating replicated copies of works which may not be stable enough for public handling,
- Comparing digital copies of works to original written works to prevent tampering,
- Restoring & Repairing, at fair cost, written texts, at the request of donor entities;

Mandates that ULCEC oversee & consult with donors on:
- Ongoing funding efforts for WACLC operations,
- The importance, or literary value of a written work donated to the WACLC,
- The restoration or replication of written works provided, to ensure authenticity and validity,
- The security of written works donated to the WACLC,
- New standards of preservation, restoration, and protection of written works against loss or damage,
- Transfers of written works from donors to the WACLC;

Mandates that the Office of Building Management (OBM) locate suitable land(s) and/or a planet, in international territory on which to build the WACLC, which shall:
- Have adequate access to transportation to & from the WACLC & WA Nations,
- Be sufficiently large enough to include for future expansion(s) of the WACLC,
- Ensure necessary protection against fire, natural elements, or other natural phenomena;

Encourages all WA Nations seek wherever possible to donate new, informative written works to the WACLC and the ULEN for circulation amongst nations and/or archival purposes;

Affirms that all donors retain cultural ownership of all written works donated to the WACLC, and may elect to remove their work from circulation by providing written notice to the ULCEC;

Clarifies that nothing herein shall be read as to remove written works from member states, and that all contributions to the WACLC must be voluntary;

Affirms the rights of all WA Nations in promoting, as they see fit, the written works and literary traditions of their nation.

Votes For: 16 203 (90.2%)
Votes Against: 1 754 (9.8%)

Implemented Sun Mar 26 2017

[397 GA on NS] [Official Debate Topic]

[Imperium Anglorum]

Internet Neutrality Act [Struck out by 406 GA]
A resolution to reduce income inequality and increase basic welfare.

Category: Social Justice
Strength: Mild
Proposed by: Draconae

Description: The General Assembly,

ACKNOWLEDGING that the Internet is a means of communication, collaboration, expression, and business for many;

BELIEVING that access to all lawful content on the Internet is fundamental to both freedom of expression and the growth of small businesses;

DISTURBED that WA nations or Internet Service Providers could arbitrarily restrict access to lawful content or the Internet itself;

HEREBY:

1. DEFINES
   
   1. “Internet” as a system of interconnected networks of digital devices used to transfer data between said devices and their networks,
   2. “Internet Service Provider” as an entity that provides the ability to access the Internet to businesses, residents, or other customers such as shops, schools, or libraries, excluding entities who only offer the ability to access the Internet as an additional benefit and not as a primary source of Internet access,
   3. “Bandwidth throttling” as the intentional act of decreasing the speed of a connection below the maximum possible connection speed,
2. PROHIBITS WA Nations from blocking access to or bandwidth throttling the Internet or specific lawful content, directly or indirectly, including content that is critical of the government or of other government interests,
   
   
3. PROHIBITS Internet Service Providers from blocking access to or bandwidth throttling the Internet or specific lawful content, unless allowed by Clause Four,
   
   
4. ALLOWS blocking access or bandwidth throttling by Internet Service Providers to
   
   1. Allow all digital devices to receive access to the Internet,
   2. Allow all digital devices access to necessary services in extreme situations, such as natural disasters, or
   3. As a result of a published scale of prices for connection speeds and data caps disclosed to all customers of the Internet Service Provider.

Votes For: 13 631 (73.1%)
Votes Against: 5 017 (26.9%)

Implemented Thu Apr 6 2017

[398 GA on NS] [Official Debate Topic]