Passed General Assembly resolutions

[Imperium Anglorum]

Promotion of Bee-keeping
A resolution to reduce barriers to free trade and commerce.

Category: Free Trade
Strength: Mild
Proposed by: Bears Armed Mission

Description: The World Assembly,

Happily aware that Bees not only play a major role in pollinating many species of plants, including quite a few species that are useful to people, but can also produce both honey and beeswax in quantities that makes their harvesting by people worthwhile,

Open to the fact that keeping one or more hives can therefore provide people with a useful supplement to their diets and incomes, as well as assisting the pollination of some local crops,

Not at all happy that some nations might, for one reason or another, play unnecessary restrictions on bee-keeping;

Enthusiastically urges all WA member nations to _
1. Legalise bee-keeping, without setting unreasonable limits on whereabouts keepers may allow their bees to roam;
2. Legalise both domestic and international trade in hives or swarms of bees, honey, beeswax, bee-hives, and other relevant goods;
3. Refrain from imposing unreasonably strict or petty regulations upon bee-keeping and the associated activities, and from taxing these matters at rates that would render them not worthwhile for the bee-keepers;
4. Recognise the legal right of people from adjoining nations to reclaim swarms of bees that those people owned within those other nations under those other nations' own laws but that have strayed or even been lured across the international border;
5. Ensure that training in bee-keeping and in the processing of the bees’ products is available easily enough within their jurisdictions to meet the needs of any of their people who are interested in this possibility;
6. Discourage the reckless use of general-purpose insecticides, because those could harm bees (and other useful insects) as well as the 'pest' species that people actually want to get rid of;

Yearning to ease international trade in these goods, enacts that (subject to any restrictions imposed by earlier GA resolutions that are still in force) all WA member nations are required _
1. To allow the importation and exportation of any bees, bee-keeping equipment and/or products of bee-keeping of types whose possession would be legal within their borders, without unreasonably strict or petty regulation, subject to any restrictions that they apply to international trade in general in time of war or other national emergency, except as is genuinely necessary to prevent the spread of disease;
2. To limit any place customs duties, tariffs, or other taxation, that they place on the international trade in bees, bee-keeping equipment, and/or the products of bee-keeping, to levels that do not exceed taxation on the internal trade in such goods within their borders, except that if any imported goods received government subsidies within their country of origin at higher rates than equivalent goods are subsidised within the receiving nation then additional tariffs may be imposed to balance that difference.

Votes For: 8,599
Votes Against: 2,463

Implemented Fri Nov 2 2012

[WAR224 on NS] [WAR 224 on NSwiki] [Official Debate Topic]

[Imperium Anglorum]

Repeal "Assitance Givers Protection"
A resolution to repeal previously passed legislation

Category: Repeal
Resolution: #106
Proposed by: The Dourian Embassy

Description: WA Resolution #106: Assitance Givers Protection (Category: Advancement of Industry; Area of Effect: Tort Reform) shall be struck out and rendered null and void.

Argument: Applauding the intentions of Ga #106 "Assitance Givers Protection,"

Seeking, however, to improve the quality of international law,

Believing that the resolution in question is poorly written,

Regretting that the ambiguity of its language precludes several of its clauses from being effectively enforced,

Recognizing that simply believing yourself capable of helping someone does not necessarily indicate capability to help effectively,

Notes that the resolution bars simple actions such as removing someone from harm's way, when doing so would be both warranted and acceptable.

Feeling that GA #106 unnecessarily ties the hands of nations who might be better arbiters of the merits of each individual case,

Emphasizes that harm resultant of negligence, even in the course of providing assistance, should still be actionable in civil court in at least some cases,

Accepting that most nations will pass their own laws on the subject without the interference of the World Assembly,

Hereby repeals Ga #106 "Assitance Givers Protection."

Votes For: 9,744
Votes Against: 1,004

Implemented Tue Nov 6 2012

[WAR225 on NS] [WAR225 on NSwiki] [Official Debate Topic]

[Imperium Anglorum]

WA Development Foundation
A resolution to reduce barriers to free trade and commerce.

Category: Free Trade
Strength: Mild
Proposed by: Auralia

Description: Recognizing that developing member nations often encounter significant difficulties in making capital investments and attracting foreign investment,

The General Assembly adopts the following resolution:

Article I: Mandate

1. The World Assembly Development Foundation is established, mandated with promoting socioeconomic development in developing member nations through foreign investment and international trade.

Article II: Development Strategies

1. The Foundation shall conduct extensive research relating to socioeconomic development in all developing member nations. All of the Foundation's research shall be released to the general public.

2. Based on its research, the Foundation shall create a comprehensive development strategy for all developing member nations, including as necessary:

a. capital investment projects designed to improve the infrastructure required to support future economic development and provide basic public services;

b. governmental reforms designed to promote good governance and remove barriers to foreign investment and international trade, including but not limited to austerity measures, balanced budgets, trade liberalization, privatization and deregulation, sustainable development programs, democratic reforms, improved respect for fundamental human rights, and increased spending on basic public services as appropriate; and

c. reasonable timelines for the completion of the aforementioned projects and reforms.

Development strategies shall be drafted with the full participation of all the major stakeholders in the subject nation.

Article III: Sovereign Loans Program

1. The Foundation is authorized to offer sovereign loans at its discretion to any developing member nation. Nations must have made a good-faith effort towards implementing the governmental reforms recommended by their development strategy, though the Foundation may allow exceptions during times of national emergency and economic crisis.

2. Member nations shall use these loans exclusively to implement the recommendations from their development strategy, though the Foundation may allow exceptions during times of national emergency and economic crisis.

3. Loans extended by the Foundation shall be entirely financed by willing member nations. The Foundation shall not be held liable in the event that a member nation defaults on a loan. A nation's share of all loan payments and influence on the Foundation's loan policy shall be proportional to the size of its contributions to the Foundation.

4. In general, member nations are encouraged to provide debt relief to other member nations during times of national emergency and economic crisis.

Article IV: Foreign Investment Insurance Program

1. The Foundation is authorized to insure any foreign investment in developing member nations at its discretion when available insurance is inadequate. The grounds for a claim are limited to currency inconvertibility, expropriation, war, terrorism and civil disturbance, breaches of contract, and governmental failure to honour financial obligations.

2. The Foundation shall charge premiums to investors sufficiently high to cover the risk of their investment and the expenses incurred in determining that risk.

3. The Foundation shall take any reasonable course of action to avoid bankruptcy, and must maintain a minimum liquidity ratio of 10% at all times.

Votes For: 7,156
Votes Against: 4,706

Implemented Fri Nov 23 2012

[WAR226 on NS] [WAR226 on NSwiki] [Official Debate Topic]

[Imperium Anglorum]

Rights of the Disabled Act [Struck out by Resolution #270]
A resolution to improve worldwide human and civil rights.

Category: Human Rights
Strength: Significant
Proposed by: Imperium Londinium

Description: The World Assembly,

Recognising the need for a formal resolution on the procedures to protect the mentally disabled,
Understanding that there are multiple levels of of Mental Disability
Therefore Defining,for the purposes of this act, a Mentally Disabled person to be a sapient individual, above the age of majority, whose sapience has been reduced to the point where any two or more of the following are significantly reduced:

i. The ability to understand their rights

ii. Their ability to defend their rights to the same extent as the average citizen in their nation

iii. Their ability to exercise their rights

iv. Their ability to make informed decisions regarding their health and safety

Hereby Mandates that in necessary cases, including but not limited to; legal matters, court matters, and medical consent, a limited power of attorney be transferred to a Responsible Adult.
Defines a Responsible Adult as one of the following

i. A preferred Responsible Adult, nominated by the person before they become disabled, will be the first person requested to become the Responsible Adult, but only if they can prove that they have no conflict of interest

ii. A member of the Disabled Person's family, who can legally establish that they have no conflict of interests

iii. In lieu of a suitable candidate, a representative, independent of the national government, must be selected, who must also pass a test of conflict of interest.

Mandates that the said Responsible Adult be monitored on a regular basis to ensure that no conflict of interest develops
Restricts the power of Attorney given to the Responsible Adult to the least possible in the circumstances
Urges the states to use this legislation as a matter of last resort, and to consider all alternatives before transferring a persons authority to another.
Urges the states using this legislation to work towards a position whereby a Disabled Person's authority is returned to them at the earliest possible juncture
Mandates the creation of a commission to monitor states for abuse of this legislation

Votes For: 8,899
Votes Against: 3,686

Implemented Tue Nov 27 2012

[WAR227 on NS] [WAR227 on NSwiki] [Official Debate Topic]

[Imperium Anglorum]

Animal Protection Act [Struck out by Resolution #265]
A resolution to restrict civil freedoms in the interest of moral decency.

Category: Moral Decency
Strength: Significant
Proposed by: Ilstoria

Description: URGING the WA to recognize that animals kept as property by people must be provided with protections as a moral responsibility;

REALIZING the importance of animals as food, clothing and medical resources that are imported and exported internationally and would thus require an international effort to prevent cruelty;

UNDERSTANDING that populations of animals sometimes require the intervention of people to prevent population growth or harm that is detrimental to the animal, environment and people, and allowing for such actions if all reasonable actions are taken to prevent unnecessary pain and suffering.

LIMITS animals in this resolution to beings that possess the scientifically demonstrated ability to feel and experience pain. Animals unable to feel pain as a result of their physiology are exempt.

LIMITS restrictions on interactions between people and animals in this resolution to include only all forms of domesticity, including farming and animal testing industries. Wild animals are exempt from this resolution as they are not a legal responsibility of owners.

DEFINES unnecessary as able to be reasonably avoided; While some industry, such as the meat industry, or fur industry, require that an animal be killed in order to create a product, which will necessitate brief pain, it is considered unavoidable. Similarly, prolonging the death of an animal because it is more cost effective is avoidable, so long as an alternative is economically feasible for that nation.

DEFINES pain and suffering as the unpleasant sensory experience associated with actual tissue damage and lasting unpleasant sensory experience as a result of prior tissue damage. Tissue damage inflicted under the supervision of a qualified veterinarian and with the use of anaesthetics to reduce or eliminate pain is reasonable.

DEFINES owners as any person who has purchased an animal or its descendants and/or has provided food or shelter or medical care to an animal on that person’s property for more than 31 days.

PROVIDES animals with the right to safety, reasonable quality of life and freedom from torture through holding owners legally responsible by:

1. PROHIBITING the infliction of unnecessary pain and suffering on any animal by any person either directly or remotely.

2. ENCOURAGING that domestic animals kept outside of an individual’s living space be provided with an environment that as closely resembles its natural habitat as is possible; one example would be “free range.”

3. REQUIRING that individuals or a group that possess legal rights under its nation’s law to an animal provide reasonable protection from harm by other animals and persons.

4. FORBIDDING forms of entertainment that require or involve the infliction of pain or suffering on animals,

5. ESTABLISHES the Protection of Animal Welfare Society (PAWS) that will meet annually at the WAHQ or another suitably neutral site to create and edit a list of feeling species protected under this legislation and determines whether an action is necessary or reasonable if national governments are unable to reach a decision.

Votes For: 6,922
Votes Against: 6,083

Implemented Sat Dec 1 2012

[WAR228 on NS] [WAR228 on NSwiki] [Official Debate Topic]

[Imperium Anglorum]

Access to Courts
A resolution to reduce income inequality and increase basic welfare.

Category: Social Justice
Strength: Mild
Proposed by: Cowardly Pacifists

Description: The World Assembly:

CONVINCED that providing a system for resolving civil disputes is one of the primary purposes of government;

APPLAUDING the varied and admirable systems of civil justice that exist in every member nation;

AWARE that all civil justice systems have an attendant cost that is paid for by taxes, filing charges, and other court fees;

CONCERNED that court costs can be very expensive and that some individuals, because of their limited resources or means, may be unable to afford filing or court fees;

RESOLVED that an individual's socioeconomic background should not determine their access to justice, and that an individual should not be deprived of access to civil courts simply because they are unable to afford court costs;

Hereby,

1. DEFINES "court costs" for the purposes of this act, as "the costs and fees charged by a court (or other civil justice system) directly to a litigant for services rendered by the court." Examples of court costs include, but are not limited to: filing fees, service fees, court reporter charges, court transcripts, copying costs, and other similar expenses charged by the court.

2. ENCOURAGES member nations to fund their civil justice systems in a manner that completely avoids passing court costs directly onto litigants;

3. ENCOURAGES member nations to permit a successful litigant to recover the court costs they incur from the losing party;

4. MANDATES that if a member nation requires the payment of court costs, prior to the assessing those costs a litigant is entitled to request a cost wavier and/or deferment. Any individual whose request demonstrates that paying court costs would present a severe financial hardship, given their particular economic situation, shall be permitted to proceed with their case regardless of whether they have paid court costs.

Votes For: 9,959
Votes Against: 2,696

Implemented Wed Dec 5 2012

[WAR229 on NS] [WAR229 on NSwiki] [Official Debate Topic]

[Imperium Anglorum]

The Early Learning Act [Struck out by Resolution #276]
A resolution to promote funding and the development of education and the arts.

Category: Education and Creativity
Area of Effect: Educational
Proposed by: Isalenoria

Description: ALARMED at the lack of early learning facilities in many member nations,

FULLY AWARE that children who attend early learning facilities are more likely to perform well at basic education facilities and to become productive, law-abiding citizens,

NOTING that in many nations there is unfulfilled demand among parents and guardians of young children for early learning facilities,

DEFINING early learning facilities as facilities following all of these requirements:

(a) Facilities serving children too young for primary education, as determined by national custom,
(b) Facilities in settings outside the home or family,
(c) Facilities that educate through a mixture of learning through play and age-appropriate educational lessons,
(d) Facilities focused on helping children develop in five key areas:
(i) Social: forming attachments, creating relationships with, and cooperating with others,
(ii) Physical: development of motor skills,
(iii) Intellectual: learning to make sense of the physical world,
(iv) Creative: development of talents in areas including music, art, reading, and mathematics,
(v) Emotional: development of self-awareness, self-confidence, and the ability to cope with feelings,

SEEKING to provide every child access to an early learning facility, the General Assembly:

(1) REQUIRES member nations to fulfill demand among parents and guardians for early learning facilities, by whatever means the individual member nation sees fit,

(2) FURTHER REQUIRES that member nations regulate current and future early learning facilities so that they meet the definition laid out above,

(3) CLARIFIES that this resolution does not require parents and guardians to send their children to early learning facilities,

(4) INSTRUCTS the Global Initiative for Basic Education (a division of the WA General Accounting Office) to curate a registrar of member nations currently unable to economically support the requirements for early learning facilities laid out in this document;

(5) COMMANDS the WA General Accounting Office to allocate and provide funds to the nations on this registrar to comply with this legislation, so long as the recipient nation used the funds solely to establish and support early learning facilities.

Votes For: 10,824
Votes Against: 2,758

Implemented Mon Dec 17 2012

[WAR230 on NS] [WAR230 on NSwiki] [Official Debate Topic]

[Imperium Anglorum]

Marital Rape Justice Act [Struck out by Resolution #238]
A resolution to restrict civil freedoms in the interest of moral decency.

Category: Moral Decency
Strength: Mild
Proposed by: Christian Democrats

Description: The General Assembly,

Recognizing that domestic violence continues to be a problem in many of its member states,

Expressing its strong opposition to all acts of sexual violence,

Realizing that many societies countenance domestic violence, namely marital rape, because of primitive beliefs that treat people as if they were the property of their spouses or because of archaic views that wrongly consider consent to marriage or consent to a relationship to be consent to sexual intercourse whenever it is desired by the partner,

Further realizing that many member states lack laws against marital rape, do not enforce laws against marital rape, or have laws against marital rape that are less severe than laws against other kinds of rape,

Seeking to ensure that its member states treat accusations and acts of marital rape just as severely as they treat other accusations and acts of rape occurring outside of committed relationships,

1. Defines marital rape, as used in this resolution, as an act of sexual assault or sexual abuse that is committed against an individual by a spouse, civil partner, domestic partner, registered partner, cohabitant, or someone who formerly had such a relationship with the individual;

2. Mandates that accusations of marital rape be treated by law enforcement the same as or more carefully than similar accusations of nonmarital rape, especially because survivors of marital rape usually live with their attackers;

3. Requires that member states and political subdivisions thereof, in their laws on sexual assault and sexual abuse, eliminate all legal distinctions between marital rapes and nonmarital rapes occurring under otherwise identical circumstances;

4. Prohibits discrimination between marital and nonmarital rapes in the application of sexual assault and sexual abuse laws, namely with regard to the punishment of individuals who commit the crime of rape;

5. Decrees that consent to marriage, civil union, civil partnership, domestic partnership, registered partnership, or cohabitation shall never be considered consent to sexual activity under any circumstances; and

6. Encourages member states to take sufficient steps, such as the establishment of public awareness or special counseling programs, to reduce the number of instances of marital rape in the country.

Votes For: 9,741
Votes Against: 2,246

Implemented Tue Dec 25 2012

[WAR231 on NS] [WAR231 on NSwiki] [Official Debate Topic]

[Imperium Anglorum]

Foreign Copyright Recognition [Struck out by GA 651]
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 nations use copyrights to promote creativity and to reward the authors of intangible works for their efforts,

Further recognizing that the efficacy of these copyrights is impeded by the failure of other member nations to recognize them,

Believing that foreign copyright recognition will make it easier for authors to market their works internationally,

The General Assembly,

1. Defines "copyright", for the purposes of this resolution, as the set of exclusive rights granted to the author of an original literary, dramatic, musical or artistic work, including the right:
   
   
   1. to reproduce, publish, publicly display, publicly perform, and create derivative works of the work;
      
      
   2. to sell or license any of these rights to others;
      
      
   3. to seek damages and injunction against any entity that infringes upon these rights; and
      
      
   4. to extinguish any of these rights;
2. Further defines "foreign copyright", for the purposes of this resolution, as any copyright that is recognized by the member nation where the copyrighted work originated;
   
   
3. Mandates that all member nations recognize foreign copyrights for, at minimum, twenty years after the date of creation or publication of the work, or the period used by the member nation of origin of the copyrighted work;
   
   
4. Authorizes member nations to create reasonable limitations and exceptions to foreign copyrights, but only when such limitations and exceptions are clearly in the public interest and do not adversely impact the ability of a rightsholder to reasonably profit from any normal use of their work;
   
   
5. Encourages member nations to permit appropriate uses of copyrighted works without the permission of the rightsholder for the following purposes:
   
   
   1. news reporting;
      
      
   2. education, scholarship and research;
      
      
   3. commentary, criticism, parody and satire; and
      
      
   4. purely private copying of legally acquired copies of a work;
6. Clarifies that member nations are not required by this resolution to recognize the copyright of a work of domestic origin, nor the copyright of a work in violation of general restrictions on freedom of expression;
   
   
7. Further clarifies that nothing in this resolution should be interpreted as limiting the World Assembly from further legislating on copyright.

Votes For: 8,810
Votes Against: 2,581

Implemented Sat Dec 29 2012

[WAR232 on NS] [WAR232 on NSwiki] [Official Debate Topic]

[Imperium Anglorum]

Ban Profits on Workers' Deaths
A resolution to reduce income inequality and increase basic welfare.

Category: Social Justice
Strength: Mild
Proposed by: Sionis Prioratus

Description: The World Assembly:

AWARE that in countries that allow international corporations, most of the time these corporations act as a force for good, providing employment and economic strength to the communities in which they operate;

FURTHER AWARE that, in order to maximize profits, international corporations may lawfully distribute their corporate subdivisions among many different countries to benefit from a multitude of variations on national subsidies, lower taxes, reduced bureaucratic overload, and so on;

APPALLED that some corporations and other employers can and sometimes do secretly buy life-insurance policies in their employees’ names, designating the corporations themselves as beneficiaries, thus demonstrating to be more interested in their employees’ deaths as a source of revenue than in their actual well-being;

DEPLORING such a practice;

DETERMINED to end it once and for all;

IT IS ESTABLISHED:

1) Defines, for the purpose of this resolution, “Dead peasant policy” as when an employer secretly buys a life-insurance policy in an employee’s name, designating the employer itself as a beneficiary, collecting or expecting to collect benefits after the death of said employee.

2) The employee’s free, fully informed, uncoerced consent shall be required for the validity of any life-insurance wherein her/his employer is a beneficiary. Other beneficiaries of the employee’s own free choosing shall receive at least half the benefits of any life-insurance policy, present or former, in which the employer is or was a beneficiary.

3) To fire, burden, harass, penalize or pressure any employee for not listing her/his employer as a beneficiary of a life-insurance policy is forbidden.

4) Any employees, present or former, targeted by dead peasant policies have the right to have any and all personal documentation pertaining to participation in said policies fully disclosed and may seek and obtain the immediate annulment of such policies without let or hindrance; if an employee is deceased, that employee’s heirs, if any, shall have the aforementioned right in lieu of said employee.

Co-authored by Christian Democrats

Votes For: 9,205
Votes Against: 2,260

Implemented Thu Jan 3 2013

[WAR233 on NS] [WAR233 on NSwiki] [Official Debate Topic]

[Imperium Anglorum]

Freedom to Read and Learn
A resolution to improve worldwide human and civil rights.

Category: Human Rights
Strength: Significant
Proposed by: Sionis Prioratus

Description: The World Assembly,

APPLAUDS past initiatives to build libraries and guarantee freedom of expression,

AFFIRMS that those advancements are of little value without the right to access knowledge,

RECOGNIZES that the World Assembly does not prohibit nor obligate member states to regulate or ban certain works, for example works advocating illegal acts,

Enacts:

No person shall be punished for reading, nor for enabling oneself and/or another to read, nor for acquiring knowledge and/or cultural enrichment from non-readable media or reading media adapted for individuals with disabilities, provided that the material was legally published with the intention that it be publicly available.

Votes For: 10,554
Votes Against: 1,830

Implemented Mon Jan 7 2013

[WAR234 on NS] [WAR234 on NSwiki] [Official Debate Topic]

[Imperium Anglorum]

Child Firearm Safety Act
A resolution to tighten or relax gun control laws.

Category: Gun Control
Decision: Tighten
Proposed by: Cowardly Pacifists

Description: The World Assembly:

AWARE that many nations permit and/or encourage their citizens to keep firearms for various lawful purposes, including sport and family protection;

ALSO AWARE that firearms create a risk of serious injury and death not only for home invaders but for family members as well;

WORRIED that children, because of their youth and inexperience, are particularly susceptible to the risk of serious injury and death posed by firearms;

CONVINCED that many of the risks to children posed by firearms could be reduced by simple safety measures;

RESOLVED that member nations have an obligation to ensure that children are protected from the risks posed by firearms kept in their home;

Hereby,

1. DEFINES a "child" for the purposes of this Act as "any individual under the national threshold of majority, or equivalent;"

2. DECLARES that it is unlawful for an individual to intentionally provide a firearm to a child, or to negligently allow a child to access a firearm;

3. REQUIRES that any firearm kept or stored in the home of a child be secured in a reasonable manner to eliminate the risk of injury or death to the child;

4. CLARIFIES that notwithstanding the above provisions, it is not unlawful under this Act to provide a firearm to a child (or allow a child to access a firearm) if that child has received an education in firearm safety and proper use, and has demonstrated knowledge thereof;

5. CLARIFIES that notwithstanding the above provisions, it is not unlawful under this Act to provide a firearm to a child under proper supervision for the purposes of educating the child in firearm safety and proper use;

6. MANDATES that an individual who lives in the same home as a child, or who may regularly encounter a child, must demonstrate knowledge of proper firearm use and safety before acquiring a firearm; especially, knowledge of how to reduce the risk posed by a firearm to the health and safety of children;

7. AFFIRMS that nothing in this Act affects the ability of member nations to legalize or prohibit firearm ownership through national or international law.

Votes For: 8,543
Votes Against: 3,924

Implemented Fri Jan 11 2013

[WAR235 on NS] [WAR235 on NSwiki] [Official Debate Topic]

[Imperium Anglorum]

Renewable Energy Installations [Struck out by Resolution #274]
A resolution to increase the quality of the world's environment, at the expense of industry.

Category: Environmental
Industry Affected: All Businesses
Proposed by: Abacathea

Description: Recognizing the issues posed by fossil fuels as an energy source, the threat of a catastrophic failure of nuclear power and the need to have a sustainable power source which is cost effective, clean and sustainable.

Further recognizing the boost to economies, industries and employment that the undertaking of renewable energy projects would provide in both the short and long term.

Aiming to avert international power and fuel crisis by ensuring nations have access to self sustaining power applications within their borders, and to ensure any and all businesses which make environmental impacts to utilize natural resources for power requirements.

Clarifying for the purpose of the act Renewable energy installations (henceforth noted as R.E.I's) as facilities which will generate power derived from naturally occurring resources that will have the least impact and damage on the environment through their operation.

Encouraging Nations who have the provisions to do so, to build as many forms of R.E.I's as practical in order to ensure maximum potential for consistent environmental energy supply to the grid,

Hereby mandates;

(i) Nations who do not already possess R.E.I's to identify key areas where the placement of facilities would cause the least environmental disturbance.

(ii) Having identified suitable sites within their borders, nations without renewable energy installations must build R.E.I.s at the designated sites, provided the nation is in an economically viable position to do so.

(iii) Nations to establish a taskforce or government body tasked with monitoring and maintaining these facilities to ensure both their safety and their steady output of energy.

(iv) Nations to provide it's citizens with information regarding these energy sources and to provide users the option to switch energy providers should they wish, without penalty.

(v) Irrespective of governmental control or privatization of these facilities, this energy is to be provided at a minimal cost to the recipient to prevent monopolization of resources by Non-Renewable energy providers.

(vi) Subject to section (v) nations are to require businesses which make negative environmental impact either directly by nature of their business or indirectly through supply or receipt of their goods to undertake a commitment to utilizing renewable energy within their business while encouraging them to ultimately reach a target of total reliance on renewable energy.

Further encourages nations who are capable of constructing and producing a surplus of renewable energy not only to do so, but to effect through sale, trade or the spirit of goodwill the supply of renewable energy or it's technology to nations unable to do so without assistance

Votes For: 7,948
Votes Against: 4,890

Implemented Tue Jan 15 2013

[WAR236 on NS] [WAR236 on NSwiki] [Official Debate Topic]

[Imperium Anglorum]

First Responder Protection Act [Struck out by Resolution #245]
A resolution to improve worldwide human and civil rights.

Category: Human Rights
Strength: Mild
Proposed by: BushSucks-istan

Description: ''Medical personnel exclusively engaged in the collection, transport or treatment of the wounded and sick shall be respected and protected in all circumstances.''

The world needs to show more respect and appreciation towards first responders.

ACKNOWLEDGING The great work first responders do around the world.

ACKNOWLEDGING That first responders save lives.

NOTING That first responders are sometimes hindered and therefore unable to do their job correctly. In some cases first responders are being physically abused whilst trying to do their job.

''First responders'' hereby defines ''Ambulance personnel, firefighters, doctors, police officers, first responders, rescue personnel and civil defense units''.

''Hindering'' hereby defines ''Verbal abuse, threatening or intervening with the situation on purpose''

This applies to uninvolved people only

''Involved people'' hereby defines ''victim(s) and first responder(s)''.

''Physical abuse'' hereby defines ''any act resulting in a non-accidental physical injury''.

DECLARING:
1. First responders must not be hindered whilst doing their job.

a. Hindering first responders will be seen as an offense.

2. Higher punishments shall be introduced on assaulting first responders who are on duty (i.e. Higher than a regular assault).

a. Perpetrators will be convicted of ''assault'' and ''assault against first responders''.
b. This includes that the perpetrator has to pay any medical costs that may be charged upon the first responder(s).
c. If a victim dies or suffers severe complications whilst the first responder is being assaulted, the perpetrator can be held responsible for the death and/or complications suffered by the victim.

3. The introduction of the HHPF (Help for Humanitarian Personnel Foundation).

a. The HHPF will regularly research and try to improve the safety of first responders in all WA nations.
b. This includes a global campaign to stop violence against first responders.
c. The HHPF will also assist first responders in lawsuits and rehabilitation (if needed).


FURTHERMORE
-Victims (in the situation) are excluded from section 1a.
-First responders cannot be sued for any medical damage done to the victim.

-Unless the damage was non-accidental and/or unnecessary in order to save the victim's life.

-All new ambulances will be fitted with a small camera, thus helping authorities find perpetrators faster.

Co-author: Oppe Ruiver.

Votes For: 8,184
Votes Against: 4,093

Implemented Sun Jan 20 2013

[WAR237 on NS] [WAR237 on NSwiki] [Official Debate Topic]

[Imperium Anglorum]

Repeal "Marital Rape Justice Act"
A resolution to repeal previously passed legislation.

Category: Repeal
Resolution: #231
Proposed by: Ossitania

Description: WA Resolution #231: Marital Rape Justice Act (Category: Moral Decency; Strength: Mild) shall be struck out and rendered null and void.

Argument: The World Assembly,

DEDICATED to the defence of human rights, to the protection of equality, to the combatting of rape and to the administration of justice for all,

BELIEVING the target resolution was written with all of these goals in mind but that it fails to achieve any of them,

CONCERNED the target resolution merely throws up legal barriers to marital rape without asserting a right to be free from it, thus failing to defend human rights,

APPALLED the target resolution orders the elimination of legal distinctions between instances of rape yet allows for authorities to discriminate in favour of victims of marital rape and against victims of non-marital rape when responding to accusations of rape, thus failing to protect equality,

ACKNOWLEDGING this discrimination was intended to allow for authorities to give due attention to cases of rape where the victim and perpetrator are living together,

NOTING this goal could be achieved without allowing general discrimination,

FURTHER NOTING this goal is not even achieved by allowing general discrimination, as the definition of marital rape excludes familial relationships and other relationships not established in legal contracts that could give the perpetrator just as much access to their victim in order to commit a repeat attack,

HORRIFIED such discrimination could lead to victims of non-marital rape having their accusations neglected or actively ignored in favour of victims of marital rape, thus failing to combat rape,

WORRIED the Act's definition of "marital rape" confuses the issue of marital rape, as some of the legal relationships included in the definition carry no connotation or expectation of sexual activity, while some relationships not established in legal contract do carry such connotations and expectations but are excluded from the definition,

AGREEING these failures were wholly unnecessary and prevent the target resolution from achieving the administration of justice for all,

CONVINCED their exclusion would have increased the efficacy of the target resolution and helped it achieve its goals,

DESIROUS of the opportunity to replace the target resolution with a more effective and comprehensive resolution without these failures,

Hereby

REPEALS GA #231 Marital Rape Justice Act.

Votes For: 9,040
Votes Against: 3,485

Implemented Sat Feb 2 2013

[WAR238 on NS] [WAR238 on NSwiki] [Official Debate Topic]

[Imperium Anglorum]

Vehicle Emissions Convention [Struck out by Resolution #246]
A resolution to increase the quality of the world's environment, at the expense of industry.

Category: Environmental
Industry Affected: Automobile Manufacturing
Proposed by: Abacathea

Description: Commending the efforts of many WA member nations to improving the quality of the environment and their willingness of to adapt feasible approaches towards achieving this.

Believing that the reduction of waste emissions from the automotive sector is an international issue with significant climate implications, no simple solutions and no national boundaries and that every nation and industry should accept a collective responsibility and affirmative response attitude towards improving.

Noting that waste products/emissions from mechanical forms of transportation such as cars, buses, trains, shipping, and air travel, constitute a significant source of atmospheric pollutants.

Intending to reduce the environmental impact made by WA member nations through their automotive industries and general automotive operations,

Defines for the purpose of this act;

(i) "Automobile" as a vehicle designed for the carriage of goods or people powered either fully, or in part by an internal combustion engine.

(ii) "Emissions" as the harmful gas bi-products released into the atmosphere as a direct result of the burning of carbon-based fuels (such as coal, natural gas, and petroleum products) via an internal combustion engine or likewise device equivalent in function ie; carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons, carbon dioxide and nitrogen oxide.

Hereby;

(i) Mandates that member-states take all practical and effective measures to make a meaningful and good-faith effort towards reducing vehicular emissions, including the institution of a progressive schedule of reduction in the amount of emissions produced by automobiles manufactured after the passage of this resolution.

(ii) Understands that the automotive industry by nature goes through developmental stages and therefore encourages the automotive industry to adhere to the progressive schedule of reduction as much as is practicable while mandating regular figures to be provided to government agencies reflecting said improvements and ensuring that all entities are actually progressing towards this goal.

(iii) Mandates the creation of the "International Vehicular Emissions Authority" committee to review the data from clause (ii) annually to ensure compliance with clause (i) and (ii) respectively.

(iv) Encourages the automotive industry to set a target and strive towards said target of a 75% reduction in vehicle emissions in comparison to current levels.

(v) Encourages governments to offer incentives to the automotive industry to achieve the target set out in clause (iv).

(vi) Encourages governments to offer incentives to citizens to purchase vehicles which produce lower emissions than others available on the market.

(vii) Mandates the automotive industry set aside proportionate funding to research and develop engines and technologies which will further offset emissions from their products

Votes For: 8,453
Votes Against: 5,055

Implemented Thu Feb 14 2013

[WAR239 on NS] [WAR239 on NSwiki] [Official Debate Topic]

[Imperium Anglorum]

Sexual Autonomy Guarantee
A resolution to improve worldwide human and civil rights.

Category: Human Rights
Strength: Significant
Proposed by: Ossitania

Description: The World Assembly,

DEFINING "the right to sexual autonomy" as "the right to be free from unwanted sexual activity, to never be obliged to engage in sexual activity and to participate in sexual activity only with the free and informed consent of all parties to that activity",

CONVINCED that everyone has the right to sexual autonomy,

SEEKING to guarantee this right to every citizen of every member-state,

ACKNOWLEDGING that there exists a belief that a marriage contract, or equivalent legal document, or the existence of a similar relationship, represents a permanent and continuous state of consent to sexual activity,

WISHING to eliminate inequality between victims of rape while also preserving the practical capability to intervene in a manner appropriate to the circumstances of the crime,

Hereby

GUARANTEES every citizen of every member-state the right to sexual autonomy without exception,

DECLARES that consent to sexual activity may be withdrawn at any time before or during sexual activity,

MANDATES that no marriage contract, or equivalent legal document, or the existence of any similar relationship, shall ever be construed as providing prima facie consent for sexual activity, nor shall any state or manner of dress, nor any behaviour perceived as "sexual provocative",

PROHIBITS member-states from creating a legal distinction between sexual crimes which take place within a marriage, or similar relationship, and sexual crimes which do not,

REQUIRES that all sexual crimes, and accusations of such crimes, receive the same level of attention as any other crime of similar magnitude and a response from legal authorities that is timely and appropriate to the circumstances of their execution, including efforts to protect the victim from a repeated attack by the perpetrator, regardless of whether the victim and perpetrator are in a marriage, or similar relationship, or not,

STIPULATES that, with specific regard to protecting victims from repeat attacks, special care and attention must be given where a shared work, education or living space, or other factors, such as a familial or professional relationship, give the perpetrator a level of access to the victim that a random attacker would not have,

ENCOURAGES member-states to establish education programs to correct misconceptions and misinformation about sexual crimes and to combat stigma against the victims of such crimes.

Votes For: 11,506
Votes Against: 1,342

Implemented Mon Feb 18 2013

[WAR240 on NS] [WAR240 on NSwiki] [Official Debate Topic]

[Imperium Anglorum]

Repeal "Consumer Product Safety"
A resolution to repeal previously passed legislation.

Category: Repeal
Resolution: #139
Proposed by: Sciongrad

Description: WA Resolution #139: Consumer Product Safety (Category: Social Justice; Strength: Mild) shall be struck out and rendered null and void.

Argument: The General Assembly,

CONSIDERING the protection of consumers from potentially dangerous products to be a laudable goal;

OBSERVING that the Consumer Product Safety Council is given the authority to unilaterally declare a product unsafe, and thus illegal to import or export;

LAMENTING that no appellate system exists through which manufacturers can appeal a commercial ban on their product;

NOTING that GAR#139 states, in relevant part:

"DEFINES an 'unsafe consumer product' as any consumer product that can pose a fire, electrical, chemical, or mechanical hazard or can injure a consumer while used properly and according to age / training / safety requirements;"

CONCERNED that the aforementioned definition may prohibit and, at minimum, unnecessarily restrict the commercial trade of common products such as matches, lighters, vehicles, electronic appliances, certain forms of medication, and firearms;

REGRETTING that the Consumer Product Safety Council is charged with seeking financial compensation and legal recourse from manufacturers that produce appliances such as the ones listed above, which will serve as a further financial disincentive for the production of such products;

DISPUTING the notion that GAR#139 "will promote a higher level of consumer safety on an international level, leading to a decline in injuries and deaths associated with consumer products," taking the aforementioned arguments into consideration,

Hereby,

Repeals General Assembly Resolution #139, "Consumer Product Safety."

Votes For: 8,405
Votes Against: 4,080

Implemented Wed Feb 27 2013

[WAR241 on NS] [WAR241 on NSwiki] [Official Debate Topic]

[Imperium Anglorum]

Biological Warfare Convention
A resolution to slash worldwide military spending.

Category: Global Disarmament
Strength: Significant
Proposed by: Sciongrad

Description: The World Assembly,

RECOGNIZING the inherently unpredictable nature of self-propagating weaponry such as biological weaponry,

BELIEVING that it is contrary to the principles of this assembly to permit warfare of such an unreliable nature,

RESOLVING that effective measures must be taken to ensure that such warfare is minimized

And to this end resolves;

1. "Biological agents" shall be defined as any disease-producing bacterium, virus, prion, or other microorganism with the capacity to be used effectively in an act of biological terrorism or biological warfare;

2. The use of biological agents as weaponry in any situation with the intentions of incapacitating, injuring, or destroying civilians populations, military personnel, or the environment is hereby prohibited;

3. Member nations shall take all measures necessary and practical in preventing the production, sale, or transfer of biological agents (and/or the components necessary in their construction) from their own nation to another party, if the transfer process is considered to violate the intentions and provisions of this resolution;

4. The World Assembly Commission on Biological Agents (WACBA) shall be created within the World Health Authority (WHA), and is hereby tasked with the following:

a. To assist the civilian populations of member nations which have been subjected to the consequences of a biological attack by proportionally utilizing all appropriate resources provided by the WHA,

b. To assist the governments of member nations in creating effective bio-defense programs to ensure the safety of member nations against biological agents;

5. Member nations are further encouraged to take retributive measures, subject to limitations recognized by international law, against nations or groups that handle biological agents irresponsibly - for example, in excessively violent, destructive, or blatantly unnecessary ways;

6. Member nations reserve the right to stockpile biological agents for the purposes of research only, so long as they are in compliance with the provisions of this resolution; biological agents collected by member nations for purposes other than research shall be neutralized in a timely manner, and with as safe a procedure as possible;

7. Such research as mentioned prior shall be limited to the development of vaccinations, the creation of defensive measures or counter measures, or the development of medical treatments.

Votes For: 8,606
Votes Against: 4,245

Implemented Sun Mar 3 2013

[WAR242 on NS] [WAR242 on NSwiki] [Official Debate Topic]

[Imperium Anglorum]

Language Preservation [Struck out by Resolution #264]
A resolution to promote funding and the development of education and the arts.

Category: Education and Creativity
Area of Effect: Cultural Heritage
Proposed by: Ile Royale

Description: The General Assembly,

Recognising that the transmission of scientific knowledge, culture, and civilisation itself is almost impossible without language;

Saddened that many languages, and their attendant literature, are becoming extinct through various processes;

Mandates that nations shall conduct regular surveys to ascertain what native languages are spoken within their borders;

Requires nations, in the course of these language surveys, to–

1. record the alphabet of the language, or, if no written form of the language exists, to work with native speakers to create a standard transcription of the language,
   
   
2. describe the linguistics of the language, so as to ensure it may be understood fully by anthropologists,
   
   
3. record all notable works of fiction and non-fiction in the language if not otherwise recorded, and
   
   
4. deposit all information gathered with the Universal Library Coalition.

Establishes the International Language Research Centre, the main aim of which is to process and conduct research on the data gathered through language surveys;

Allows nations to request professional aid from the ILRC for the purpose of conducting language surveys;

Urges nations to support research into all aspects of languages native to their territories, beyond that required by this Resolution.

Votes For: 10,898
Votes Against: 3,080

Implemented Mon Mar 11 2013

[WAR243 on NS] [WAR243 on NSwiki] [Official Debate Topic]

[Imperium Anglorum]

Physical Sites Protection Act [Struck out by Resolution #251]
A resolution to increase the quality of the world's environment, at the expense of industry.

Category: Environmental
Industry Affected: All Businesses
Proposed by: Ceni

Description: APPLAUDING that member nations have sites of outstanding physical beauty or that contain large numbers of endangered species

NOTING that such sites of physical significance are increasingly threatened with destruction

REALIZING that certain sites of physical significance need to be protected in the best interests of sapient peoples

The World Assembly hereby:
DEFINES sites of physical significance as the following:
(A) Natural formations or groups of such formations, or other physical features which are of outstanding universal excellence for their beauty or aesthetics, of special scientific significance, or of an unique nature OR
(B) Natural habitats home to a variety or large numbers of rare, important or endangered flora and fauna OR
(C) Outstanding examples of sites, man-made or natural, which have greatly influenced the culture, history or development of the area's inhabitants over a lengthy period of time OR
(D) Showcase noteworthy examples of ecological and evolutionary processes of various flora and fauna OR
(E) Showcase noteworthy examples of ecological processes of terrestrial, maritime, or coastal habitats and biomes;

REQUIRES nations to sufficiently protect such sites as determined by the PHPC;

MANDATES nations to

(A) Ban the harming in any way of such sites or their inhabitants, or to create a sufficient permit program that preserves the site and its inhabitants
(B) Ban commercial activities within the site that would cause damage to the site or its inhabitants
(C) Take the effects of developments within their nation to sites in their nation and in other nations into account;

ESTABLISHES the Physical Heritage Preservation Committee as a non-profit organization to:

(A) Aid nations that cannot protect such sites themselves
(B) Aid agencies and programs overseeing such sites
(C) Set standards relating to the protection of such sites;

ENCOURAGES member nations to:
(A) Make these sites available to the public when possible and desirable
(B) Preserve and protect sites that are not accredited by the PHPC
(C) Promote tourism to such sites without harming the site or putting tourists in harm's way

The PHPC shall certify sites as follows:
(A) The PHPC shall convene and any member may propose a site to be considered with the consent of the nation's government
(B) The PHPC shall look into evidence pertaining to the proposed site
(C) If such site meets one or more criteria listed above, the site shall be certified by the PHPC.

The PHPC shall decertify a site as follows:
(A) Any member or national government may propose a site to be delisted
(B) The PHCP shall determine whether the site still meets the criteria and/or deserves to be on the list
(C) If such site is determined to not merit inclusion, it shall be decertified

Votes For: 7,590
Votes Against: 5,846

Implemented Fri Mar 15 2013

[WAR244 on NS] [WAR244 on NSwiki] [Official Debate Topic]

[Imperium Anglorum]

Repeal "First Responder Protection Act"
A resolution to repeal previously passed legislation.

Category: Repeal
Resolution: #237
Proposed by: Suevo-prussia

Description: WA Resolution #237: First Responder Protection Act (Category: Human Rights; Strength: Mild) shall be struck out and rendered null and void.

Argument: RECOGNIZING the important role first responders play in medical emergencies and their need for special protection,

ACKNOWLEDGING the laudable intention behind GAR #237 "First Responder Protection Act",

HORRIFIED that GAR #237 does not respect basic rights such as the right not to be convicted twice for the same crime as well as the right for due process and trial, raising concerns with regard to GAR #37 "Fairness in Criminal Trials",

APPALLED that the resolution bypasses national judiciary by requiring conviction without a trial,

REGRETTING the micromanaging nature of GAR #237, which extends as far as camera installations in ambulances,

CONCERNED that the resolution's description calls for "Medical personnel exclusively engaged in the collection, transport or treatment of the wounded and sick" to be "respected and protected in all circumstances", while "all circumstances" might include situations where First Responders may be unnecessary or even disruptive,

FIRMLY BELIEVING that the protection of First Responders is not a Human Right and indeed not an international issue,

DISAPPOINTED that a resolution was passed into international law by this body with such obvious flaws in both language and logic including - but not limited to -
1. A recursive definition of the term "First Responder",
2. The incorrect and confusing use of the word "define", making interpretation of the resolution's definitions difficult if not impossible,
3. Failing to properly criminalise the physical abuse of first responders, due to poorly-chosen wording,

HOPING that special protection can be given to first responders through national legislation without violating basic rights,

the WA General Assembly hereby REPEALS GAR #237 "First Responder Protection Act"

Votes For: 10,960
Votes Against: 1,573

Implemented Sat Mar 23 2013

[WAR245 on NS] [WAR245 on NSwiki] [Official Debate Topic]

[Imperium Anglorum]

Repeal "Vehicle Emissions Convention"
A resolution to repeal previously passed legislation.

Category: Repeal
Resolution: #239
Proposed by: Auralia

Description: WA Resolution #239: Vehicle Emissions Convention (Category: Environmental; Industry Affected: Automobile Manufacturing) shall be struck out and rendered null and void.

Argument: Recognizing that it is necessary to reduce vehicular emissions to reasonable levels,

Nevertheless believing that the flaws present in GAR #239, "Vehicle Emissions Convention" necessitate the resolution's repeal,

Dismayed that the target resolution ignores the law of diminishing returns by requiring nations to implement a progressive schedule for the reduction of emissions even if current emissions levels are already relatively low, which has the potential to cause substantial hardship to the automobile industry with little to no resultant environmental or health benefits,

Concerned that the target resolution also recommends that emissions be reduced by an arbitrary 75 percent regardless of current emissions levels,

Lamenting the target resolution's creation of the "International Vehicular Emissions Authority", a wholly unnecessary committee that is powerless to fulfill its mandate of ensuring compliance with the target resolution since it has no mechanism for doing so,

Confused by the target resolution's requirement that the automotive industry set aside "proportionate funding" for the reduction of emissions, as the resolution does not state what the funding must be proportionate to,

The General Assembly,

Repeals GAR #239, "Vehicle Emissions Convention".

Votes For: 10,051
Votes Against: 2,398

Implemented Wed Mar 27 2013

[WAR246 on NS] [WAR246 on NSwiki] [Official Debate Topic]

[Imperium Anglorum]

Rights of Crime Victims [Struck out by GA 587]
A resolution to improve worldwide human and civil rights.

Category: Human Rights
Strength: Significant
Proposed by: Cowardly Pacifists

Description: The World Assembly:

Convinced that crime victims deserve a meaningful role in the criminal justice system;

Committed to affording crime victims the dignity, respect, and access to justice that they are due;

Resolved that criminal proceedings should be conducted to ensure a fair balance between the rights of crime victims and the rights of criminal defendants;

Hereby enacts the following provisions:

Defines the following terms for the purposes of this Act:

- "crime victim" as "a person who as part of a criminal prosecution is alleged to have suffered physical, emotional, or financial harm (actual or threatened) as a result of the criminal conduct of another, who is not simultaneously accused of criminal conduct of their own arising out of the same incident or occurrence." In the event that the crime causes the death or incapacitation of the crime victim, member nations may permit the crime victim's immediate family to exercise the rights afforded under this Act.

- "the accused," as "a person who has been formally charged with a crime based on probable cause that they have committed a criminal offense."

- "critical stage of the prosecution," as "any date or event at which a substantive or procedural element of the case is resolved or decided," including release hearings, hearings relating to the scheduling of trial, pre-trial evidentiary hearings, plea hearings, trials, sentencings, probation and parole hearings, and any other events deemed critical within the relevant national judicial system.

Mandates that member nations shall provide crime victims with the following rights:

1. Notice: crime victims shall be notified in advance of any upcoming critical stage of the prosecution, and shall be duly notified of any important developments in the case;

2. Participation: crime victims shall have the right to be present at any critical stage of the prosecution, to make a statement on the record, and to have that statement duly heard and considered;

3. Protection: crime victims shall have the right to reasonable protection from the accused throughout the criminal justice process, including but not limited to:

- the right to prevent the accused from accessing the crime victim's address and personal identifying information without a court order,

- the right to an order restraining the accused and known associates of the accused from harassing, threatening, stalking, or otherwise harming the crime victim,

- the right to prevent the accused from directly contacting the crime victim outside the presence of law enforcement officers, and

- the right to be tested at no cost for sexually transmitted infections and other serious communicable diseases if the crime victim may have been exposed to those illnesses during the commission of the crime;

4. Restitution: crime victims shall have the right to seek restitution from the accused through the criminal justice process or through an independent civil action;

5. Representation: crime victims shall have the right to exercise their rights in-person or through a personal representative or attorney. Member nations are encouraged, but not required, to provide crime victims with an attorney;

Urges member nations to provide crime victims with additional rights not enumerated above where those rights would serve the interests of fairness and justice;

Votes For: 10,327
Votes Against: 2,976

Implemented: Sun Apr 7 2013

[WAR247 on NS] [WAR247 on NSwiki] [Official Debate Topic]

[Imperium Anglorum]

Against Corruption [Struck out by Resolution #269]
A resolution to restrict political freedoms in the interest of law and order.

Category: Political Stability
Strength: Significant
Proposed by: Topid

Description:

The General Assembly,

Seeing bribery as a major problem plaguing poor or developing nations, where major corporations can reward leaders or people in authority for abandoning their nation's interest,

Realizing the enforcing of laws that attempt to protect natural habitat, public safety, and the common good in these nations can be nearly impossible when powerful organizations with extensive resources seek to violate them,

Observing organizations frequently avoid the bad publicity of bribing by contracting third parties, possibly disguised as interpreters or negotiators,

Seeking to improve the ability of poorer or developing nations to protect their people and resources through law,

Defining, for the purposes of this resolution, bribery as the act of offering a gift to any public official, officer, agent, or employee with the expectation the gift will motivate the person to decide to take or not take a specific action, when that action or inaction conflicts with a good faith performance or fulfillment of the officials duties, responsibilities, or privileges of the person's job or positions,

Clarifying there shall be no difference legally between a person or organization directly offering a bribe, and contracting a person or entity which engages in bribery, unless the contracting nation clearly indicated bribery was not acceptable,

Defining, for the purposes of this resolution, gifts as money, assets, favours, services, future employment, or anything which the receiver considers to have value,

Mandates all member states make the act of bribery an illegal action for a business, citizen, or non-state organization or entity to participate in, with heavy fines for organizations found to be in violation,

Forbids the government or government agents of any member state from participating in bribery for monetary gain, or economic interests,

Further forbids government agents from making a good faith performance of their duties contingent on the receipt of a gift,

Declares that the member states shall deem it illegal for an officer or official of the government to accept a bribe,

Strongly urges nations to:

• demand officers and officials report attempted bribes,
  
  
• create regulations discouraging or ending the practice of businesses compensating negotiators more or only if a certain end is met in a negotiation as the practice can encourage bribery,
  
  
• require disclosure of spending and contracts of major corporations operating within their nation, which may be most likely to participate in bribery within their nation or any other nation, and the investigation of any highly compensated interpreters or negotiators in important negotiations,
  
  
• consider requiring the reporting or investigating of the finances of political leaders, to check for suspicious income.

Votes For: 9,319
Votes Against: 4,745

Implemented Wed Apr 17 2013

[WAR248 on NS] [WAR248 on NSwiki] [Official Debate Topic]