Passed General Assembly Resolutions

[Imperium Anglorum]

Responsibility In Transferring Arms
A resolution to slash worldwide military spending.

Category: Global Disarmament
Strength: Mild
Proposed by: Sciongrad

Description: The General Assembly,

Reaffirming its commitment to promoting international peace and goodwill,

Recognizing the extreme hazard to national populations posed by the unregulated trade of armaments,

Hoping to limit the involvement of member nations and their citizens in violence made possible by the aforementioned unregulated trade of armaments,

1. Defines "armament" as military equipment, specifically weapons and ammunition, which possesses a practical application in military conflict, including the designs or subassemblies necessary in their construction or production;

2. Defines "transfer" as the movement of an armament from one member nation, political subdivision thereof, or non-state entity associated with a member nation to any other such entity, including non-member nations and non-state entities not associated with any nation;

3. Defines "end-user certificate" as an affidavit completed by the buyer of armaments subject to the provisions of this resolution which verifies that said buyer is the final recipient of the product;

4. Defines "conquest" as the acquisition of territory through military force by a successful state at the expense of another state; for the purpose of this resolution, conquest shall not include:

1. instances where member nations seek to neutralize hostile states that pose a persistent or existential threat to their sovereignty or security or
2. instances where member nations seek to reclaim territory taken from them by force with no intervening period of de facto peace;

5. Assures member nations of the exclusive right to determine purely internal arms trading and firearm policy, excepting:

1. those regulations recognized by the terms of this resolution or extant international law,
2. future regulations which seek to prevent firearms from being sold to or used by individuals that pose a danger of performing imminent lawless action, or
3. future resolutions which seek to relax regulations on purchasing firearms for recreational reasons only;

6. Mandates that the export of armaments by any manufacturer, exporter, or broker operating within a member nation shall make the transfer of their armaments to an intended final recipient conditional on the completion of an end-user certificate by the buyer;

7. Urges member nations to implement systems of end-use monitoring to ensure that the end-user certificate is authentic, when possible;

8. Prohibits the international transfer of armaments if:

1. there is reasonable evidence to suggest they will be used in contravention of extant World Assembly legislation on human rights,
2. there is reasonable evidence to suggest they will be diverted from their originally intended recipient, except in instances where the transfer is absolutely necessary in protecting national security, provided that even those transfers do not violate the other provisions of this resolution or,
3. there is reasonable evidence to suggest they will be used to initiate, or aid the party conducting, a war of conquest and;

9. Further prohibits the transfer of armaments to non-member nations with the intent of transferring them to nations where the aforementioned circumstances apply.

Votes For: 12 006 (70.4%)
Votes Against: 5 040 (29.6%)

Implemented Sat Apr 15 2017

[399 GA on NS] [Official Debate Topic]

[Imperium Anglorum]

World Assembly Central Medicinal Database Compact [Struck out by 402 GA]
A resolution to modify universal standards of healthcare.

Category: Health
Area of Effect: Research
Proposed by: Xerox Prime

Description: The World Assembly:

Wishing to expand on the benefits provided by the establishment of a centralized database of texts and literary works into the field of medicine;

Hereby:

Defines "Medicinal Knowledge" as all knowledge pertaining to the treatment, prevention, and diagnosis of diseases, and pertaining to medical standards and policies, throughout all nations, states, and ethnic groups.

Clarifies that "Medicinal Knowledge" does not refer to patient records, histories, and information, information pertaining to specific employees and patients of hospitals and treatment facilities throughout the WA, information pertaining to specific medical cases and records, technological research, and the research of biological weapons.

Establishes a World Assembly Central Medicinal Database (WACMD), with the purpose of:

• Accepting medical knowledge from those who contribute it,
• Archiving historical and present medicinal discoveries and knowledge in a centralized digital database, accessible by all,
• Providing access of such information to the nations of the WA, and ensuring the preservation of aforementioned medical knowledge,
• Establishing an online database for all collected and archived medical knowledge,
• Providing access to archived knowledge for educational purposes;

Mandates that the nations of the WA contribute existing medical knowledge to the WACMD database;

Mandates for the fulfillment of these purposes, for the WACMD to undertake the:

• Archiving and iteration upon contributed medical knowledge,
• Integrating new received knowledge into international standards of medical care and treatment,
• Providing relevant collected knowledge to the pharmaceutical industry, in whatever form it may take,
• Ensuring the cooperation of the pharmaceutical industry in the careful study and analysis of new treatments and procedures,
• Dedicating effort, time, and manpower to particular areas of medicinal research, with sufficient funding, at request of donators,
• Establishment of the World Assembly Medicinal Oversight Committee (WAMOC) for the maintenance of the WACMD, and archiving of the information contained within;

Mandates that WACMD establish aforementioned program and division to oversee:

• Ongoing funding of medical research and study,
• The creation and implementation of new standards of medical procedure, protocol, and operating guidelines, where applicable;

Mandates that all WA Nations pass laws to promote healthcare, medicinal and pharmaceutical research, and preservation of medical knowledge;

Clarifies that all WA member nations possess access and clearance to all documents and information contained within the WACMD database;

Affirms the right for private and corporate entities to participate in their own research and production of medicinal and pharmaceutical goods and information, albeit under WA and WACMD regulation, if applicable and approved by the WA.

Votes For: 14 370 (78.9%)
Votes Against: 3 837 (21.1%)

Implemented Tue May 9 2017

[400 GA on NS] [Official Debate Topic]

[Imperium Anglorum]

Stock Exchanges and Foreign Investment [Struck out by GA 641]
A resolution to reduce barriers to free trade and commerce.

Category: Free Trade
Strength: Mild
Proposed by: United Federated States of Omega

Description: Recognizing that stock exchanges provide corporations and governments the ability to raise funds,

Further recognizing that there is a significant amount of capital that could be invested outside of any given country’s borders,

Also noting that nations which have invested in the economies of other nations are less likely to enter an armed conflict,

Acknowledging that there are certain barriers, like exchange rates, to international investment,

Believing that foreign investment provides a way for corporations and governments to raise more funds than may have been previously available to them, hereby:

1. Defines, for the purposes of this resolution,
   
   1. 'stock' as a portion of ownership in a corporation,
   2. 'bond' as a certificate showing the ownership of a specific amount of debt to be paid back, with interest, at a later date specified at the time the bond was bought,
   3. 'tradable derivative' as a tradable contract, which derives value from specific currencies, commodities or stocks,
   4. 'security' as a document, be it physical or otherwise, attesting to the ownership of stocks, bonds, or a tradable derivative,
   5. 'stock exchange' as a platform, be it physical or otherwise, on which securities are bought and sold, and
2. Recommends that all stock exchanges headquartered within a member state be open to the citizens of any World Assembly member state unless this section is:
   
   1. waived between the investors and exchanges of nations engaged in a direct military conflict, embargo, or as part of sanctions, or
   2. waived for any specific individual or group that has been found guilty of a crime related to the buying and/or selling of securities or any individual or group found guilty of a crime that was facilitated by the buying and/or selling of securities;
   3. waived for any specific individual or group that has violated WA legislation
3. Establishes the International Securities and Exchange Commission (ISEC) to develop, maintain, and publish a model code of securities regulations, which may act as a guide for member state governments;
   
   
4. Empowers the ISEC to regulate the exchanges on which currencies are traded to prevent artificial manipulation of the exchange rate and to ensure that these exchanges operate without bias toward the citizens of any one nation.
   
   
5. Reserves the right for member states to implement whatever regulations they see fit on domestic exchanges, within the confines of current WA legislation.

Votes For: 11 041 (59.1%)
Votes Against: 7 627 (40.9%)

Implemented Sat May 13 2017

[401 GA on NS] [Official Debate Topic]

[Imperium Anglorum]

Repeal "World Assembly Central Medicinal Database Compact"
A resolution to repeal previously passed legislation.

Category: Repeal
Resolution: #400
Proposed by: Helaw

Description: General Assembly Resolution #400 "World Assembly Central Medicinal Database Compact" (Category: Health, Area of Effect: Research) shall be struck out and rendered null and void.

Argument: The World Assembly,

Commending the principles outlined and adhered to by the target resolution,

Concerned by the restrictive definition of the term 'medicinal knowledge' as it omits specific medical cases, which in turn means that niche knowledge in regards to rare medical occurrences (i.e, only present in a single case and not fully understood) cannot be accounted for within the WACMD database,

Bamboozled by technological research being discounted in the definition of 'medicinal knowledge', as this prevents innumerable medical technologies and biomedical advances from being archived by the WACMD (many of which are integral to having a full understanding of modern medicinal science),

Confounded by the term 'medicinal knowledge' being defined by the resolution, as the active clauses instead use the separate and undefined term 'medical knowledge', with this inconsistency allowing member nations to interpret many clauses as they desire,

Noting that the medical applications of technologies developed during the creation of biological weapons in the world's history would be discarded simply due to their initial place of origin,

Puzzled by the fact that the proposal both allows access to the WACMD database by 'all' - an ambiguous term - and exclusively to WA member nations; a notable contradiction that, depending on interpretation, may allow for dangerous and potentially malicious misuse of the database by non-member nations,

Appalled by the fact that the WACMD database exists solely online, restricting access to member nations that possess digital networks,

Displeased with the waste of World Assembly funds that the target resolution ultimately represents, as other resolutions such as GA #103, GA #78, and GA #31 already perform most - if not all - of the important functions that the target resolution details,

Bemused by the failure of the resolution to specify any form of curation in regards to submitted medical data, giving rise to potentially misleading information being added to the database,

Believing that the resolution is not fit to legislate in regards to the restriction and regulation of private medical research nor per-nation medical legislation and policy, and that it overstretches its focus by attempting to do so,

Hereby repeals GA #400, 'World Assembly Central Medicinal Database Compact'.

Votes For: 10 788 (60.1%)
Votes Against: 7 169 (39.9%)

Implemented Wed May 17 2017

[402 GA on NS] [Official Debate Topic]

[Imperium Anglorum]

Trade Of Endangered Organisms
A resolution to increase the quality of the world's environment, at the expense of industry.

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

Description: The World Assembly,

Applauding its members' continued efforts on the preservation of endangered organisms,

Concerned that illegal collection and smuggling of endangered organisms could undermine preservation efforts,

Noting the loss of endangered species has the potential to cause extreme harm to member nations populations via the destruction or deterioration of ecosystem services, for example: hindering natural water and air filtration, hindering natural erosion control, destroying or causing a decline in the availability of food and other wild raw materials, and hindering the possible development of life saving medicines and industrial materials,

Hereby, subject to any limitations set by earlier resolutions that are still in force, including the fact that trade involving certain groups of organisms may already be covered separately by such legislation:

1. Instructs the World Assembly Endangered Species Committee (WAESC) and WA member nation's governments to cooperate with each other in creating and maintaining up-to-date lists of the populations of species and subspecies that qualify as 'Endangered';

2. Bans the international import and export into or from member nations of all organisms from endangered species or subspecies, and of goods derived wholly or in part from said organisms, unless any of the following exemptions applies:

1. They are specimens or goods that are being collected or being returned as part of a scientifically run species restoration program;
   
2. They are specimens or goods derived from specimens that originate from a non-wild source such as a farm, laboratory, or nursery, and are birthed, grown, or hatched from seeds, spores, eggs or other material, that itself was collected from a non-wild source or as part of a scientifically run species restoration program;
   
3. They are commercial, scientific, or other goods that were derived from specimens under the guidance of a species restoration program and collected in a manner which does not further endanger the species;
   
4. They are durable goods such as lumber, which can be historically or scientifically proven to have been processed before the species was first noted as being endangered by WAESC;
   
5. They are unintentionally distributed reproductive or other microscopic materials such as seeds, pollen, eggs or spores in trace amounts that are in or on other trade goods;

3. Requires member nations to ardently enforce measures designed to stop the illegal collection and international trade of endangered species and products derived from them, within their jurisdictions;

4. Urges member nations to pass legislation preventing transporting and profiting from endangered species and products derived from them, within their own borders.

Co-authored by Bears Armed

Votes For: 11 311 (78.3%)
Votes Against: 3 130 (21.7%)

Implemented Wed Jun 28 2017

[403 GA on NS] [Official Debate Topic]

[Imperium Anglorum]

Enabling The Disabled In Academia [Struck out by 405 GA]
A resolution to promote funding and the development of education and the arts.

Category: Education and Creativity
Area of Effect: Educational
Proposed by: THE UNITED FEDERATION OF ALGORENIA

Description: The World Assembly,

Applauding its members' continued efforts on the promotion of human rights and social justice throughout the globe,

Concerned that the non accommodation and subsequent marginalization of disabled students could undermine global human rights efforts,

Concerned students with disabilities continue to encounter physical barriers to educational services, such as a lack of ramps and/or elevators in multi-level school buildings, inaccessible facilities, and/or inaccessible transportation to and from school.

Troubled that accommodations for students with disabilities are often made based on budgetary considerations rather than on an assessment of the actual needs of students with disabilities.

Concerned that students with disabilities continue to face negative attitudes and stereotypes in the education system.

Concerned by the lack of knowledge about and sensitivity to disability issues on the part of some educators, staff and students and how this can make it difficult for students with disabilities to access educational services equally.

DEFINES disabled, for the purposes of this resolution, as having a physical or mental condition that limits movements, senses, or activities,
DEFINES a disabled student, for the purposes of this resolution, as an individual who suffers from the above series of limitations and attends any academic setting where the disbursement of knowledge takes place in a class setting,

Noting the disenfranchisement of disabled students has the potential to cause extreme social and economic harm to member nations populations through the deterioration or degradation of social equity, for example: inhibiting the rights and socioeconomic mobility of citizens, hindering social stability by destroying or causing a decline in the image of a common national bond, and nullifying the possible economic progression by under utilizing the cultural, industrial, and scientific capital these citizens could contribute,

Hereby, subject to any limitations set by earlier resolutions that are still in effect, including the fact that the discrimination involving certain groups of students and other protected populations may already be covered separately by such legislation:

1. Instructs the Educational systems of all WA member nations to incorporate adequate disabled student training into their administrator and teacher training process;

2. Requires WA member nations to create necessary transportation, ramp and/ or elevator accessibility, and instructional requirements for disabled students attending academic settings and seek the proper assistance if necessary in making these accommodations;

3. Requires WA member nations to earnestly enforce measures designed to stop the overt and covert discrimination and non accommodation of disabled students within their domains;

4. Urges member nations to pass legislation promoting greater accountability in the transportation, education, and sustainment of disabled students within their own borders.

Votes For: 9 219 (61.6%)
Votes Against: 5 744 (38.4%)

Implemented Tue Jul 25 2017

[404 GA on NS] [Official Debate Topic]

[Imperium Anglorum]

Repeal "Enabling The Disabled In Academia"
A resolution to repeal previously passed legislation.

Category: Repeal
Resolution: #404
Proposed by: Imperium Anglorum

Description: General Assembly Resolution #404 "Enabling The Disabled In Academia" (Category: Education and Creativity, Area of Effect: Educational) shall be struck out and rendered null and void.

Argument: Whereas legislation passed by the World Assembly cannot be amended or changed, only repealed, and that any correction of the problems noted in the target resolution would first require passage of a repeal:

And whereas it is the case that

1. the members of the World Assembly, and the assembly itself, have limited resources,
2. this resolution effectively forces members to provide accommodations and various support groups in all places of education, both public and private, imposing huge costs which (for private systems especially) would be difficult or impossible to bear,
3. it can both be cheaper for nations to provide a higher level of accommodation and support in specialised organisations more suited to persons with specific disabilities via e.g. enrolment in specialised schools,
4. schools can serve multiple functions, but they cannot serve all functions simultaneously without compromising quality, and
5. accommodations for one group can trade off with the welfare of another, derived simply from the fact that resources are fungible:

And whereas the resolution's definitions are unsound as

1. the definition of 'disabled' includes practically all manner of different ailments or manners of imperfect health, their being a condition that 'limits movements, senses, or activities',
2. that definition fails to consider such things as learning disabilities, which do not limit movement, senses, or physical activity, and therefore does not provide those accommodations which the resolution seeks, and
3. the definition of 'disabled student', beyond the fact that knowledge is not disbursed as if it were coin, only applies to 'academic settings' which many times are not the only places of education.

And whereas this resolution offers little improvement over those protections already instituted in section 2 of the resolution 'A Promotion of Basic Education' and the resolution 'Charter of Civil Rights', while blocking the passage of mandates for effective accommodation that are currently being drafted:

And whereas the use of the phrase 'the disabled' dehumanises persons living with disabilities, reducing them to be a problem to be normalised or 'solved' whilst subsuming their identities into a single aspect of their personhood:

Now, therefore, be it enacted by the World Assembly, by and with the advice and consent of its members, and by the authority of the same, that the resolution entitled 'Enabling The Disabled in Academia' be repealed.

Votes For: 10 400 (73.7%)
Votes Against: 3 714 (26.3%)

Implemented Sun Aug 6 2017

[405 GA on NS] [Official Debate Topic]

[Imperium Anglorum]

Repeal "Internet Neutrality Act"
A resolution to repeal previously passed legislation.

Category: Repeal
Resolution: #398
Proposed by: Auralia

Description: General Assembly Resolution #398 "Internet Neutrality Act" (Category: Social Justice, Area of Effect: Mild) shall be struck out and rendered null and void.

Argument: Recognizing the critical importance of internet access to international business, trade, education and communications,

Acknowledging the importance of limited international network neutrality regulation to prevent anti-competitive behaviour by internet service providers,

Commending GAR #398, "Internet Neutrality Act", for attempting to establish such regulation, while convinced that the target resolution's numerous flaws unfortunately warrant its repeal,

Concerned that the definition of "internet" used by the resolution is sufficiently vague so as to encompass telecommunications networks that are not publicly accessible, which should not be subject to a network neutrality mandate,

Alarmed that the target resolution's prohibition on throttling prohibits multiple forms of reasonable network management by internet service providers, including:

1. throttling users consuming large amounts of bandwidth when the network is congested in order to improve performance for others, and
2. prioritizing traffic with higher latency requirements than other traffic, such as video streaming or telemedicine over peer-to-peer file sharing,

Distressed by the vagueness of the target resolution's definition of "throttling", especially the confusion as to what constitutes the "maximum possible connection speed" for a particular link, which may cause the target resolution to prohibit standard industry practices such as oversubscribing the last mile,

Dismayed that the target resolution's absolute prohibition on internet service providers blocking content prevents them from providing internet filtering as a service to their customers on request, such as the case of a family, school or library requesting an ISP to block access to pornography on their connection,

Noting that prohibition on member states blocking content is meaningless, as member states can simply declare any content they wish to block illegal, rendering it unprotected by the target resolution,

Hoping that replacement legislation will soon be passed,

The General Assembly,

Repeals GAR #398, "Internet Neutrality Act".

Votes For: 9 305 (63.8%)
Votes Against: 5 290 (36.2%)

Implemented Mon Aug 21 2017

[406 GA on NS] [Official Debate Topic]

[Imperium Anglorum]

Convention On Internet Neutrality
A resolution to reduce barriers to free trade and commerce.

Category: Free Trade
Strength: Mild
Proposed by: Auralia

Description: Recognizing the critical importance of the internet to international business, trade, education, and communications,

Aware that the internet often has no centralized governance, and that access to the internet is largely provided by private sector entities in many World Assembly member nations,

Believing that limited international regulation of the internet is necessary to prevent anti-competitive behaviour by internet service providers,

Seeking, however, to prohibit the World Assembly from engaging in more intrusive regulation in future,

The General Assembly,

1. Defines "the internet", for the purposes of this resolution, as any system of interconnected telecommunications networks using a packet-switched, end-to-end protocol to communicate between endpoints that is:
   
   1. generally accessible to the public, and
   2. intended to be used by the public to publish, distribute, and use content, applications, and services;
2. Further defines "internet service provider" as any entity that provides access to the internet as a service to the general public, for free or in exchange for compensation, but only if the service can reasonably be used in a residence or workplace;
   
   
3. Declares that member nations must require internet service providers to:
   
   1. allow authorized users of their network to access and use the legal internet content, applications, and services of their choice within the bandwidth limits and quality of service of their service plan,
   2. allow authorized users of their network to connect to the internet using a legal device of their choice,
   3. clearly inform authorized users of their network of any discrimination between legal internet content, applications, and services on their network, and
   4. refrain from unjust discrimination between legal internet content, applications, and services on their network, including but not limited to discrimination that has a substantial anti-competitive effect;
4. Recommends that member states extend the mandate of their respective telecommunications or antitrust regulatory agencies or other appropriate bodies with the enforcement of internet neutrality, especially the timely investigation of consumer complaints regarding potential violations of applicable internet neutrality regulations;
   
   
5. Further declares that member states have the right to determine for themselves whether to adopt more restrictive internet neutrality regulations, within the confines of this and previous World Assembly resolutions;
   
   
6. Clarifies that nothing in this resolution:
   
   1. creates an affirmative obligation for internet service providers to provide access to their networks or to refrain from charging for access to their networks,
   2. requires internet service providers to, through action or inaction, endanger national security, law enforcement activities, or the security or stability of their network, or
   3. prohibits member nations from regulating internet-enabled devices or internet content, applications, and services.

Votes For: 13 899 (91.3%)
Votes Against: 1 331 (8.7%)

Implemented Fri Sep 15 2017

[407 GA on NS] [Official Debate Topic]

[Imperium Anglorum]

Ban On Secret Treaties
A resolution to increase democratic freedoms.

Category: Furtherment of Democracy
Strength: Mild
Proposed by: Imperium Anglorum

Description: Whereas secret diplomacy has been observed to

1. cause national decision-makers to be left out of the loop of their own government's obligations during wartime, meaning that their decisions are fundamentally irrespective of the actual facts on the ground,
   
   
2. force other nations to miscalculate their intentions, the balance of power, their obligations, and their rewards, increasing the chances of widespread conflict, and
   
   
3. create misunderstandings between a government and the various factions of another government, leading to many disputes between governments which believe they have different or even contradictory obligations:

Now, therefore, be it enacted by this august and most excellent World Assembly, by and with the advice and consent of the Delegates and Members, in this present session assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows :—

1. There shall be formed a committee of the Compliance Commission, styled the 'Judicial Committee of the Compliance Commission', to oversee the publication of all laws, treaties, and international agreements, and those other tasks that may be assigned to it from time to time.
   
   
2. All treaties and international agreements with the force of law entered into by member nations shall be published by those members and registered with the Judicial Committee of Compliance Commission, which shall promptly publish in full those treaties and international agreements.
   
   
3. Member nations may not invoke treaties or international agreements that have not been so registered in pursuance with the second section to this resolution. Provisions relating to mandates for secrecy or non-disclosure of the text or existence of past treaties and international agreements shall cease to have effect as if those provisions did not exist upon passage.
   
   
4. The words 'secret treaty' and all variant capitalisations thereof, excluding pluralisations, shall mean military-grade weapons and feline animals of varying sizes with tabby coats.

Votes For: 9 189 (61.4%)
Votes Against: 5 768 (38.6%)

Implemented Mon Oct 2 2017

[408 GA on NS] [Official Debate Topic]

[Imperium Anglorum]

Ocean Noise Reduction
A resolution to increase the quality of the world's environment, at the expense of industry.

Category: Environmental
Industry Affected: All Businesses
Proposed by: Imperium Anglorum

Description: Whereas significant increases in the level of ocean noise have occurred over the last century due to the increasing use of oceanic sea routes, the expansion of navies, and fossil fuel exploration:

And whereas the oceans are international territory, meaning that protection thereof is a 'tragedy of the commons' issue which can only be solved by collective regulation:

And whereas it is the case that such noise,

1. massively reduces fish populations, thereby reducing catches, putting strain on fisheries and threatening many coastal fishing industries,
2. even when ambient, drowns out sonic communication, making it difficult for marine life to communicate food sources and locations, breed, etc. creating problems in survivability of adult specimens all whilst limiting marine life habitats,
3. can rupture swim bladders and kill zooplankton larvae, threatening the food sources of other populations along the food chain:

Now, therefore, be it enacted by this august and most excellent World Assembly, by and with the advice and consent of the Delegates and Members, in this present session assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:

1. Member nations shall require that all maritime propulsion systems built or retrofitted after the passage of this resolution (a) include the addition of sound mufflers and (b) comply with international regulations on marine propulsion noise. Ships possessing propulsion systems which do not comply to these requirements shall be assessed a fine, consistent with their noise output, to be included in docking fees.
   
   
2. The World Assembly Nautical Commission shall keep records of data gathered from seismic airburst surveys of the ocean floor. Where necessary to avoid 'free rider' issues, member nations are permitted to grant time-limited exclusive drilling rights to areas in which firms explore in exchange (amongst other things) for data recovered from such surveys. It may also make regulations referenced in section 1, cognisant of trade-offs between economic feasibility and associated reductions in ocean noise.
   
   
3. Member nations shall prohibit blast fishing and the oceanic testing of weapons of mass destruction.
   
   
4. Member nations are encouraged to:
   
   1. refrain from the use of active military sonar outside of wartime,
   2. reduce the geographic distribution of shipping lanes and take actions to reduce the geographic spread of shipping so as to increase the area of marine life habitats, and
   3. take further actions to reduce the level of ocean noise.

Votes For: 11 514 (76.2%)
Votes Against: 3 587 (23.8%)

Implemented Sun Oct 8 2017

[409 GA on NS] [Official Debate Topic]

[Imperium Anglorum]

Marriage Equality [Struck out by 411 GA]
A resolution to improve worldwide human and civil rights.

Category: Human Rights
Strength: Significant
Proposed by: The Provisional State of Nevada

Description: The World Assembly:

REGOGNIZING: That the historical and cultural significance of marriage,

REGOGNIZING: That throughout history marriage has been the cornerstone of civilization

FURTHER REGOGNIZING: That many member state prohibit same-sex couples from enjoying the benefits and legal recognition of marriage.

RESOLVED: That all member states are required allow same-sex couples to apply for and receive state-authorized marriage,

RESOLVED: That all member states are prohibited from discriminating against same-sex marriages and treating them any differently than opposite gender marriages

RESOLVED: That same-sex couples have the right to be free from discrimination in regards to their public or private affection of one another

RESOLVED: That no member of a religious organization will be required to officiate over, or required to attend a same-sex marriage contrary to their religious belief

RESOLVED: that no legal difference shall be made between opposite-sex marriages and same-sex marriages.

CO-AUTHORED BY: New Gren Artle

Votes For: 10 476 (62.9%)
Votes Against: 6 179 (37.1%)

Implemented Thu Oct 12 2017

[410 GA on NS] [Official Debate Topic]

[Imperium Anglorum]

Repeal "Marriage Equality"
A resolution to repeal previously passed legislation.

Category: Repeal
Resolution: #410
Proposed by: Imperium Anglorum

Description: General Assembly Resolution #410 "Marriage Equality" (Category: Human Rights, Strength: significant) shall be struck out and rendered null and void.

Argument: This august World Assembly,

Reminding itself that (i) legislation passed by the World Assembly cannot be amended or changed, only repealed, and that any correction of the problems noted in the target resolution would first require passage of a repeal, and (ii) there are no real good reasons to keep redundant legislation around,

Observing that the target resolution creates no practical protections beyond those already established in article 1, section 3 of 35 GA 'The Charter of Civil Rights', which prohibits discrimination in any 'reductive categorisation' except in cases of 'compelling practical purposes',

Astonished by the World Assembly's foresight in passing 35 GA 'The Charter of Civil Rights' to prohibit discrimination in marriage not only on reasons of sex but on other reasons, including gender, race, faith, and all other reductive categorisations, something which this resolution, ostensibly creating 'marriage equality', does not account for,

Troubled by the target resolution's imposition of a statist conception of marriage in section 1 of the target resolution upon nations in which no conception of marriage has existed in the first place, thereby imposing an oppressive institution with preferential rights upon nations in which no such oppression previously occurred,

Recalling similar legislation in the form of 15 GA 'Freedom of Marriage Act' that was already repealed on practically these exact grounds by 313 GA, which this Assembly passed and supported overwhelmingly at supermajority levels,

Concluding that repeal of this resolution will not eliminate the already-existing protections against discrimination in marriage that both predate this resolution in and are subsumed by 35 GA 'The Charter of Civil Rights', and

Calling for replacement of this legislation and its numerous spelling errors (e.g. recognising misspelt as 'regognizing', replacing the 'c' in the word with a 'g') with a well-drafted reasonably coherent replacement,

Hereby repeals 410 GA 'Marriage Equality'.

Votes For: 12 704 (79.8%)
Votes Against: 3 219 (20.2%)

Implemented Fri Oct 20 2017

[411 GA on NS] [Official Debate Topic]

[Imperium Anglorum]

Public Health And Vaccinations Act
A resolution to modify universal standards of healthcare.

Category: Health
Area of Effect: Healthcare
Proposed by: Imperium Anglorum

Description: Whereas it is an important matter of public health that persons be protected from the scourge of disease that may painfully kill, maim, paralyse, or cause harm of some manner or another:

And whereas the right to believe empirically incorrect information does not extend to harming others:

Now, therefore, be it enacted by this august and most excellent World Assembly, by and with the advice and consent of the Delegates and Members, in this present session assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows :—

1. Member nations shall require that all persons be vaccinated, given safe administration and evaluation of opportunity costs thereof, in a timely manner against any disease
   
   1. to which the general public may reasonably be exposed and
   2. is sufficiently infectious and virulent so as to threaten public health.
2. Notwithstanding the provisions of section 1, members will grant exceptions given force majeure, provision of which shall be retrospective, or a valid medical reason to exempt.
   
   
3. Member nations and their governmental subdivisions shall not make transfer payments or provide inessential services, except where otherwise required by World Assembly law, to persons or the parents of minors who refuse to comply with the first and second sections of this Act.
   
   
4. Members are permitted to pass further legislation to limit the spread of disease by unvaccinated persons, including but not limited to restrictions on school enrolment or provision of medical quarantine on travellers.
   
   
5. Point of service costs for vaccines administered under section 1 shall not exceed minimal expense. Such vaccines shall not be altered to produce effects outside the scope of inoculation.

Votes For: 15 388 (89.9%)
Votes Against: 1 738 (10.1%)

Implemented Mon Oct 30 2017

[412 GA on NS] [Official Debate Topic]

[Imperium Anglorum]

Wetland Protection Protocol
A resolution to increase the quality of the world's environment, at the expense of industry.

Category: Environmental
Industry Affected: All Businesses
Proposed by: Separatist Peoples

Description: Lauding the WA’s vigilance when protecting valued natural resources;

Recognizing that the degradation of wetlands has a serious impact on transnational migratory species, quality of trans-boundary waters, and a loss of nursery habitat necessary to sustain populations of commercially-harvested species;

Aware that wetlands have fantastic capacity to absorb catastrophic flooding and cleanse waters of dangerous pollutants;

Realizing that the benefits that wetlands provide at no cost are often prohibitively expensive to artificially provide, and have effects that cannot be contained by national borders;

Horrified at the degradation of wetlands, despite the benefits they offer;

Defining wetlands as terrestrial habitats, natural or otherwise, whose biological and physical properties are characterized by the regular saturation of water during the growing season, and show evidence of hydrology, hydric soils, and hydrophytic vegetation;

The World Assembly hereby,

1. Creates and tasks the Waterbody Health and Mitigation Management Organization (WHAMMO) to:

1. Collect and disseminate information relevant to wetland study, identification, and protection;
2. Enforce best management practices for research and impact reduction in wetlands, such as jurisdictional determination, public demarcation, and post-construction monitoring;
3. Manage the purchase of non-transferable mitigation credits by nations for unavoidable permanent impacts caused to a wetland during industrial development, which:
   
   1. May be used in lieu of on-site mitigation when all other measures are proven impossible or impractical for a location, and;
   2. Are equitably priced according to the characteristics of the wetland, impact, and viability of alternative methods;
4. Authorize mitigation credit grants to nations which preemptively construct wetland banks to offset future wetland loss, and;
5. Collect and disseminate information relevant to wetland study and protection, and issue grants and loans to non-profit entities making progressive strides in wetland conservation and research.

2. Urges member states to employ strategic-level assessment of their wetland resources to avoid and reduce impact to wetlands.

3. Requires member states utilize at least one of the following mitigation methods:

1. Restore wetlands to their pre-construction quality and characteristics;
2. Construct new wetlands of equal quality in the vicinity to offset impact;
3. Purchase mitigation credits from WHAMMO;

4. Mandates member states utilize mitigation measures for affected wetland area at no less than a 1:1 ratio.

5. Requires member states adopt, at a minimum, the best management standards issued by WHAMMO.

6. Obligates member states to require projects to include pre-construction environmental reports detailing any potential impacts to wetlands, such as secondary and cumulative impacts, and possible alternatives, including a no-construction alternative, available for review by WHAMMO in the event of dispute.

7. Encourages member states to create and fund water management programs to assist in impact mitigation and wetland quality maintenance, as well as work with local and non-governmental entities to best meet that end.

8. Allows member states to require industries impacting a wetland to assume these additional costs.

Votes For: 14 511 (84.1%)
Votes Against: 2 751 (15.9%)

Implemented Wed Nov 8 2017

[413 GA on NS] [Official Debate Topic]

[Imperium Anglorum]

Freedom To Seek Medical Care [Struck out by 415 GA]
A resolution to improve worldwide human and civil rights.

Category: Human Rights
Strength: Mild
Proposed by: New Waldensia

Description: Believing that individuals possess an inalienable right to seek medical care of their own accord and at their own expense, above and beyond that which may be provided for them by their government or by their nation's laws,‎

Understanding that medical treatment is a complex issue and requires great care, and that health-care needs can be difficult to adequately treat without the proper resources, technology, training and expertise,

Aware that some nations do not have said resources and training available in their medical facilities, and that some diseases, conditions, and disorders occur in such limited instances that some nations have little or no experience treating them,

Concerned that some nations may be harming their citizens by mandating that they be medically treated within their own borders or by restricting access to new or experimental treatments, thus denying better treatment that may be obtained elsewhere,

Observing that there may be occasions where treatment in another nation may be preferable to a patient,

The General Assembly hereby:

1: Prohibits member nations from denying or restricting their citizens or permanent residents from leaving to obtain medically necessary healthcare in other nations at their own expense, subject to any restrictions previously imposed by the General Assembly,

2: Affirms the ability of member nations to set their own policies and restrictions regarding the acceptance or non-acceptance of non-resident patients, and further declares that no member nation is required by this measure to provide medical care to non-resident medical patients above any requirements previously imposed by the General Assembly,

3: Requires that member nations respect the rights of all patients and their legal representatives,

4: Prohibits member nations from taking legal action against citizens or permanent residents as relating to them seeking medical treatments or operations abroad, as long as General Assembly resolutions have not been violated,

5: Declares that patients seeking medical care or treatment under this act are financially responsible for any costs not compensated by existing laws in their home nation, and that such travel and payment must be arranged by the person(s) seeking treatment, or by their legal guardians or representation,‎

6: States that member nations are not obligated to cover future medical costs for conditions that arise after and directly result from medical treatments or operations sought at private expense by the patient under this measure,

7: Notes that member nations are not prohibited from assisting in defraying the financial cost associated with citizens or permanent residents seeking medical care under this measure.

Votes For: 9 643 (56.5%)
Votes Against: 7 425 (43.5%)

Implemented Mon Nov 13 2017

[414 GA on NS] [Official Debate Topic]

[Imperium Anglorum]

Repeal "Freedom To Seek Medical Care"
A resolution to repeal previously passed legislation.

Category: Repeal
Resolution: #414
Proposed by: Separatist Peoples

Description: General Assembly Resolution #414 "Freedom to Seek Medical Care" (Category: Human Rights, Area of Effect: Mild) shall be struck out and rendered null and void.

Argument: Crediting GAR#414 with intending to provide access to medical care to millions by allowing what is known as "medical tourism", where individuals seek medical care abroad;

Believing this goal to be, on the whole, an admirable one;

Dismayed that the resolution, which allows member states to pass the cost of treatment onto medical tourists under Clause 5, fails to account for GAR#97, Quality in Health Services, which requires member states provide a certain level of health coverage for those who cannot afford it, free of cost;

Distressed that the resolution makes no accommodation or provision for nations engaged in conflict with the home nation of the medical tourists, opening the home nation to threats of espionage and sabotage;

Horrified that the resolution, under Clause 1, makes it impossible for member nations to prevent criminals, minors, military deserters, or those under current investigation from traveling abroad if they are seeking medical attention, and makes no provisions allowing member states to retrieve such individuals after they have received medical attention;

Appalled that the resolution makes no attempt to reduce risks imposed by epidemics, threatening well-intended nations with the risk of being overwhelmed by infected nonresidents and being unable to appropriately quarantine them;

Shocked at the blatant efforts to hamstring national jurisdiction under Clause 4 by making it illegal for a member state to subject medical tourists to penalties, even where such treatment is clearly illegal under the home nation's laws;

Concerned at the blatant scrivner's error at the end of the first and fifth clause, which demonstrates a lack of attention and care by the author, in blatant disregard for the high standard of quality demanded by this Assembly;

Believing that the members of the World Assembly deserve a resolution which protects their domestic interests instead of prioritizing those of nonresidents;

Hereby repeals GAR#414, Freedom to Seek Medical Care.

Votes For: 14 161 (82.1%)
Votes Against: 3 093 (17.9%)

Implemented Sat Nov 18 2017

[415 GA on NS] [Official Debate Topic]

[Imperium Anglorum]

Ban On Ritual Sacrifice
A resolution to improve worldwide human and civil rights.

Category: Human Rights
Strength: Mild
Proposed by: Imperial Polk County

Description: The World Assembly:

Understanding that the universe is composed of beings of diverse cultures, backgrounds and religions;

Having considered that the importance of certain cultural and religious practices are integral to the beliefs of such followers;

However dismayed that there are those who, in the name of said culture or religion, continue to perform traditional rituals that cause irreparable harm or death;

Determining that such actions are violations of the basic human right to live;

Defining "ritual sacrifice" as the intentional and ritualistic act of killing one or more other beings (a) as an offering to a god or spirit, (b) as an effort to control sapient population growth, or (c) as a method by which a ruling class or regime creates or perpetuates social hierarchy;

Clarifying that such "ritual sacrifice" does not include capital punishment, assisted suicide or euthanasia of a terminally ill patient or other medical procedures, or any acts of war including insurgency and counterinsurgency;

Hereby:

1. Bans the ritual sacrifice of sapient beings in all member nations;

2. Requires member nations criminalize such acts of ritual sacrifice and prosecute perpetrators accordingly;

3. Urges member nations to ban the ritual sacrifice of animals and other sentient beings.

Votes For: 11 976 (70.4%)
Votes Against: 5 035 (29.6%)

Implemented Sat Nov 25 2017

[416 GA on NS] [Official Debate Topic]

[Imperium Anglorum]

Restrictions on Hydraulic Fracturing [Struck out by GA 650]
A resolution to increase the quality of the world's environment, at the expense of industry.

Category: Environmental
Industry Affected: All Businesses
Proposed by: United Massachusetts

Description: The General Assembly:

Aware of its commitment to ensuring the safety and sustainability of all means of energy production, to protect the populations affected by them,

Declaring that hydraulic fracturing unfortunately fits neither of these constraints, instead imperiling the health and well-being of many populations, while consuming an unconscionable amount of water,

Noting that hydraulic fracturing, commonly referred to as "fracking", may lead to the contamination of groundwater, thereby toxifying soil, marshlands, riverine and coastal fisheries, and drinking water sources, introducing sickness in sapient beings, livestock, and wild animals,

Aware that, since hydraulic fracturing requires such large amounts of water, local communities, particularly those in drought-plagued regions, are often left with an insufficient supply of clean water,

Further noting the strong correlation between fracking and increased seismic activity,

Frightened that fracking releases a significant amount of methane, a greenhouse gas far stronger than carbon dioxide, into the atmosphere,

Trusting the ability of the energy sector to extract energy in a way that avoids the environmental hazards of fracking,

1. Defines, for the purposes of this resolution, "hydraulic fracturing" as a method of fossil-fuel extraction in which pressurized liquids are inserted into the crevices of underground rocks at high pressures, in order to release the natural gas or oil contained therein,
   
   
2. Prohibits the practice of hydraulic fracturing in all areas of World Assembly member-states which are in or within close range of land inhabited by populations of sapient beings, to the extent that the practice:
   1. poses a demonstrably significant threat of contamination thereto,
   2. harms the water resources demonstrably neccessary to ensure the health of local communities,
   3. and/or poses significant risk of other strongly detrimental health effects, according to the World Health Authority, to said populations of sapient beings,
3. Clarifies that the policy laid out in Section 2 still applies when the region of effect crosses national boundaries.

Votes For: 12 080 (69.4%)
Votes Against: 5 327 (30.6%)

Implemented Wed Nov 29 2017

[417 GA on NS] [Official Debate Topic]

[Imperium Anglorum]

Safeguarding Nuclear Materials
A resolution to improve world security by boosting police and military budgets.

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

Description: The World Assembly,

Understanding that there are more than six times more non-WA nations than member nations,

Noting that those nations do not have limits on their nuclear arsenals, use conditions, or any restrictions on nuclear arms whatsoever, thereby putting member nations at a considerable military disadvantage against their nearly-unlimited power,

Observing that radical elements of the Assembly could ban the manufacture of nuclear weapons after the repeal of 391 GA 'Securing Nuclear Materials from Dastardly Menaces' and 351 GA 'Nuclear Material Safeguards', meaning that a single legislative mistake could destroy us, and

Giving credence to the necessity of clause 5, as non-inclusion would lead to nuclear materials being unprotected in state collapse, creating a proliferation crisis, in which the purveyors of loose nukes must not become nuclear powers, hereby:

1. Affirms the right of member nations to possess nuclear weapons and to use them in the case that they are attacked by hostile forces;
   
   
2. 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;
   
   
3. 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;
   
   
4. Mandates that member nations take all practical actions to stop unauthorised release of the materials or disclosure of the knowledge spoken of in the above two clauses; and
   
   
5. Directs, should no future legislation require otherwise, the Nuclear Energy Safety Commission to ensure that nuclear armaments, materials, and knowledge are secured from weaponisation by providing material assistance and phase-out assistance to nations unable to defend their own nuclear knowledge and technology.

Votes For: 14 404 (80.4%)
Votes Against: 3 501 (19.6%)

Implemented Tue Dec 12 2017

[418 GA on NS] [Official Debate Topic]

[Imperium Anglorum]

Voting Equality For Freed Inmates [Struck out by GA 549]
A resolution to increase democratic freedoms.

Category: Furtherment of Democracy
Strength: Mild
Proposed by: United Massachusetts

Description: The General Assembly:

Noting that freed inmates have already paid the legal consequence for their action, and therefore ought to be, rather than shunned out of society, reintegrated into it,

Believing that the right to vote ought not to be arbitrarily deprived from individuals due to such factors as prior criminal status that do not impede one's mental competency,

Concerned especially for the innocently convicted, who, through felon disenfrachisement laws, are unfairly deprived of voting rights for a crime they did not commit,

Asserting, therefore, that the disenfranchisement of former criminals constitutes unjust discrimination that must, in the name of civil equality, be addressed by this Assembly:

1. Prohibits member nations from denying a non-imprisoned, otherwise-eligible individual the right to vote on an equal basis with any other voter solely on account of their prior criminal activity, unless any of the following is true:
   
   
   1. said criminal activity directly pertained to any of the following crimes:
      
      
      1. voter fraud or other related acts,
         
         
      2. improperly aiding a foreign or domestic power in the subversion of the nation,
   2. said person is on either parole or probation for a previous crime,
2. Prohibits member nations from enacting measures that would excessively impede the right of an otherwise-eligible former criminal from voting,
   
   
3. Reserves for member nations the liberty to legislate on the issue of enfranchisement for individuals under incarceration.

Votes For: 14 315 (82.1%)
Votes Against: 3 117 (17.9%)

Implemented Thu Jan 4 2018

[419 GA on NS] [Official Debate Topic]

[Imperium Anglorum]

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[Imperium Anglorum]

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[Imperium Anglorum]

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[Imperium Anglorum]

.