Ideas for General Assembly Proposals

[The Ice States]

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Ideas for General Assembly Proposals
Last Updated: February 29, 2024

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Hello there, denizens of the Festering Snakepit:

Per the agreement of several General Assembly regulars in a recent historical symposium, this thread has been set up to help gather ideas for potential General Assembly proposal ideas that have not been covered by existing legislation, designed to help new writers find good and manageable topics to write about, as well as to connect with existing authors to potentially work with.

We encourage regulars (and others) to submit/post any ideas they haven't gotten to, and might want to hand off to others, or any interesting ideas they've been thinking of. If they're willing to work with prospective authors on a variety of topics, they should indicate as such.

Note: This is inherently a subjective list. In addition to taking into account how hard to write something might be, how hard to pass something might be is also factored in.

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Topics Proposed | Sorted by Difficulty

Novice:
1. Any one of a number of repeals. GA #397 "World Assembly Central Library Compact" and GA #565 "Volcanic Activity Convention" might be relatively straightforward, especially if you're new!
2. Consumer goods regulations. Potential category: Advancement of Industry/Commercial Enterprise or Regulation/Consumer Protection
3. Regulate student loan programs; potential policies include banning liens thereon, subsidising such programs, and capping minimum payments. Potential category: Regulation/Consumer Protection
4. Restrictions on cyber/electronic warfare. Potential category: Global Disarmament - Significant?
   
   Intermediate:
5. Active reduction/destruction of space debris (intended replacement for GA #595 "Active Reduction of Space Debris"). Possible categories: International Security, Regulation/Safety
6. Proposals to help increase the incentives of World Assembly membership
7. Replacement for GA #590 "LEO Force Restrictions". Possible category: Civil Rights
8. Repeal (and potentially replace) GA #9 "Prevention of Torture" and GA #23 "Ban on Slavery and Trafficking"
9. Contingency fees restrictions. Possible category: Regulation/Legal Reform or Advancement of Industry/Tort Reform
10. Mandatory social (old age) insurance. Possible category: Moral Decency / Social Justice(?)
11. Judicial reforms - criminalising perjury, ensuring confessions are lawfully obtained, regulation of evidentiary standards, etc. Potential category: Regulation/Legal Reform.
12. Repeal/replace GA #711 "Prevention of Hate Crime"
13. Replacement for GA #302 "Individual Working Freedoms"
    
    Advanced:
14. Repeal/replace GA #97 "Quality in Health Services"
15. Repeal/replace GA #355 "Rights of Sapient Species"
16. Repeal GA #94 "Microcredit and Microgrants"; replace with a regulation on remittances
17. Create military exclusion zones. Potential category: International Security / Global Disarmament
18. Share policing information between member nations a la Interpol. Potential category: International Security
19. WA Constitutional Court. Potential category: International Security / Political Stability
20. Animal welfare. Potential category: Environmental - Agriculture / Moral Decency (depending on the particular protections)
    
    Expert/Very Experienced (do not attempt):
21. Policing international waters. Category: International Security
22. Repeal/replace (or potentially supplement) GA #300 "Child Pornography Ban" for not criminalising viewing (as opposed to eg possessing) child pornography

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Special thanks to United Massachusetts for originally creating this thread; Morover, Hulldom and Greater Cesnica as former owners of this thread; and Tinfect, Sierra Lyricalia and Bears Armed for being on the original help-team for this thread.

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[Marxist Germany]

Seems like a good idea

[Araraukar]

Perhaps as good as ideas for things would be ideas on what not to try, at least as your first proposal. My suggestions for that category are "any repeals" and "anything to do with guns or drugs".

EDIT: What if someone submits a topic that a regular has had a draft on for ages, or already has a drafting thread for (but it just currently happens to be on page 78 or something of the forum)? Also, telling people not to post drafts on a subject just because they've been around here for ages sounds... well, counterintuitive, if the point is to get activity here.

[Tinfect]

Perhaps as good as ideas for things would be ideas on what not to try, at least as your first proposal. My suggestions for that category are "any repeals" and "anything to do with guns or drugs".

We've been over that in considering this thread. We figured that a list like this would be the best way to help new players along, at least in terms of finding decent grounds for legislation.

[Marxist Germany]

Perhaps as good as ideas for things would be ideas on what not to try, at least as your first proposal. My suggestions for that category are "any repeals" and "anything to do with guns or drugs".

Abortion^

[Araraukar]

Abortion^

That goes under "repeals".

[Marxist Germany]

Ethical treatment of animals in testing- Category, Health;Aoe, Bioethics.

[Araraukar]

Ethical treatment of animals in testing- Category, Health;Aoe, Bioethics.

Taking an idea that a forum newbie is already working on, to post it here, isn't exactly fair in my opinion.

[Marxist Germany]

Ethical treatment of animals in testing- Category, Health;Aoe, Bioethics.

Taking an idea that a forum newbie is already working on, to post it here, isn't exactly fair in my opinion.

He kinda sorta vanished
His scheduled submission was 15 April

[Araraukar]

He kinda sorta vanished

Life is a thing that happens to people. Why aren't you stealing all of UM's ideas instead? Or SP's? Or IA's? Or anyone's who has passed more than three resolutions already? Here's an idea; let's ban anyone who has ever passed a resolution, from ever writing up a repeal! That'll get new names on the table.

[The Collective Hivemind of the GA]

Guys, let's calm down a little both ways. Thanks.

[Tinfect]

For the record, I was under the impression that we had generally agreed to leave off the request that regulars avoid the list? Or was that just me and Praetor, whatever he goes by on NS?

[United Massachusetts]

For the record, I was under the impression that we had generally agreed to leave off the request that regulars avoid the list? Or was that just me and Praetor, whatever he goes by on NS?

My bad, there. Just saw Banana's recommendation on Discord. Will fix.

[Araraukar]

With all the calmness of Lake Placid, I still think that "what not to try as your first proposal" should be a thing on here. Given the amount of newbies that come on the forum to bang their head against the wall and then leave, to never come back again (at least on the same account) is greater than the amount that post something workable here (even if it ended up not going anywhere in the end).

[The Collective Hivemind of the GA]

With all the calmness of Lake Placid, I still think that "what not to try as your first proposal" should be a thing on here. Given the amount of newbies that come on the forum to bang their head against the wall and then leave, to never come back again (at least on the same account) is greater than the amount that post something workable here (even if it ended up not going anywhere in the end).

This is fair. I'll begin working on it.

[Praeceps]

For the record, I was under the impression that we had generally agreed to leave off the request that regulars avoid the list? Or was that just me and Praetor, whatever he goes by on NS?

Praeceps on NS.

With all the calmness of Lake Placid, I still think that "what not to try as your first proposal" should be a thing on here. Given the amount of newbies that come on the forum to bang their head against the wall and then leave, to never come back again (at least on the same account) is greater than the amount that post something workable here (even if it ended up not going anywhere in the end).

This is fair. I'll begin working on it.

It may also be helpful to describe why a topic for a first proposal is not a good idea. For example, I know abortion is not a recommended topic for newbies but is it because it has already been legislated? That the topic is too complex and controversial to create a resolution that will pass? Or are people just tired to death of debating it? I'm not looking for an answer here, nor wanting one, just demonstrating for illustrative purposes.

[Sierra Lyricalia]

My $0.02, preceded by a short introductory piece (which obviously needs improvement, especially paragraph 1) which I think is more detailed and hopefully more useful than the haphazard welcome posts we sometimes make.

The sorting by difficulty level isn't necessarily required either, I just thought it might give a bit of humor/flavor to whatever we wind up using.

Welcome to the World Assembly! Before you get started you should be aware of a few things.

1) The General Assembly forum is in character. Sometimes it can be easy to forget that the ambassador allegedly "speaking" is not the player behind the keyboard. Even real life diplomacy can get heated. We don't excuse breaking the forum rules, but our characters pull no more punches than actual ambassadors would. Please report anything that crosses the line to moderation, but otherwise know that in character conversation is as true to life as we can make it - they don't call this place the festering snakepit for nothing.

2) This is the hardest part of NationStates to find success in - we are writing international law from whole cloth. The learning curve is pretty steep - do you have what it takes? Patience is the cardinal virtue, and if you have that and can take constructive criticism, you will excel here. Ability to research is essential; Google-fu is the martial art of the General Assembly - earn your black belt and change the world!

3) This place can be overwhelming. If you want to start easy and get a feel for things before jumping into the deep end, take a look at the Strangers' Bar - the venue of choice for off-duty diplomats to take the edge off, schmooze, BS, and otherwise do non-work-related things when we're not arguing on the debate floor. Come on in, have a drink, and meet some folks!

4) It bears repeating - criticism of the draft is not criticism of the person. If you had an idea today that didn't work, that doesn't mean there's nothing for you to contribute! Here more than anywhere else on the site, persistence is the biggest predictor of success, and everyone here has early drafts under their belt that didn't go anywhere.

All that said, here are some ideas that might bear fruit for the prospective GA author, sorted by difficulty level:

Novice:
1. Standards for international road freight (trucking) (RL e.g. CMR Convention, Schengen Agreement) - possible categories: Regulation/Safety, Free Trade
2. Active reduction/destruction of space debris (intended supplement to GAR #349/#303) - possible categories: International Security, Regulation/Safety
3. Replace "Access to Science in Schools"
4. Replacement protections for war correspondents (see GAR #282)
5. International radio communications regs (replacement of GAR #75) - possible categories: Regulation/Safety, Free Trade
6. Abolition of debtors' prisons, rights of debtors/bankrupted persons - possible categories: Social Justice, Furtherment of Democracy
7. Regulations for labor union agency fees (i.e. fees paid to unions by non-members who are covered by a collective bargaining contract negotiated by that union) - Regulation/Labor Rights or Adv. of Ind/Labor Deregulation, depending which way you go
   
   
   Intermediate:
8. International Criminal Court replacement - possible categories: International Security
   
   Advanced:
9. Repeal/replace GAR #302
   
   Heroic (do not attempt):
10. Repeal/replace NAPA ("wrong hands")
11. Repeal/replace Rights & Duties of WA States

[Bears Armed]

Suggested addition For the Heroic section:
12.Repeal/replace 'The Charter of Civil Rights' (for better definition of what constitutes an allowable "compelling practical purpose")

[The Collective Hivemind of the GA]

Thanks, Sierra Lyricalia and Bears Armed! Your suggestions have been added.

[Araraukar]

Has non-transport border control gotten its resolution yet? I remember several drafts over the past few years. IntSec would likely be the category for that. And going for the NatSov version (letting nations decide who they want to allow into the nation) of it would be an easier pass in the current political climate.

[Kenmoria]

With all the calmness of Lake Placid, I still think that "what not to try as your first proposal" should be a thing on here. Given the amount of newbies that come on the forum to bang their head against the wall and then leave, to never come back again (at least on the same account) is greater than the amount that post something workable here (even if it ended up not going anywhere in the end).

(OOC: I doubt some newbies will look at any threads at all, let alone one that criticises their idea, given that some of the posts look nothing like anything else in these threads. It could work, but I doubt more than the occasional few would take advantage of this.)

[Bears Armed]

Has non-transport border control gotten its resolution yet? I remember several drafts over the past few years. IntSec would likely be the category for that. And going for the NatSov version (letting nations decide who they want to allow into the nation) of it would be an easier pass in the current political climate.

Mainly GAR #76 ‘Standardised Passport Act’. Also mention in #159 (nations can require visas for foreign students), and various mentions in the context of medical quarantines.
Also, there was a majority ruling by GenSec [with me in the minority] to the effect that GAR#35 bars members' immigration rules from discrimination on the basis of nationality even before the potential immigrants reach their borders.

[Araraukar]

Has non-transport border control gotten its resolution yet? I remember several drafts over the past few years. IntSec would likely be the category for that. And going for the NatSov version (letting nations decide who they want to allow into the nation) of it would be an easier pass in the current political climate.

Mainly GAR #76 ‘Standardised Passport Act’. Also mention in #159 (nations can require visas for foreign students), and various mentions in the context of medical quarantines.
Also, there was a majority ruling by GenSec [with me in the minority] to the effect that GAR#35 bars members' immigration rules from discrimination on the basis of nationality even before the potential immigrants reach their borders.

Yeah, but I meant border control resolution. Don't you watch those shows? Don't need to be discriminatory if someone's trying to bring into the nation something that they were clearly told not to bring (I mean, everyone reads the small print, right?), before trying to enter the nation...

(OOC: I doubt some newbies will look at any threads at all, let alone one that criticises their idea, given that some of the posts look nothing like anything else in these threads. It could work, but I doubt more than the occasional few would take advantage of this.)

(I'm quite sure this is an OOC thread.) And they might not look at them, unprompted, but having a thread with ideas of what to do and what not to try, would be an easy link to add to the various regional forums' newbie help pages, and (with permission from regional leadership) post on the RMB. And to TG to anyone who does post a proposal here. Heck, even potentially gifted illegal proposal submitters.

[Sierra Lyricalia]

My personal inclination would be a stickied READ THIS FIRST thread incorporating not only the GA TO DO list but also some kind of introductory information of the kind I put in my previous post in this thread. That might well replace the existing Q&A thread, honestly - cf. the Got Issues? forum's Writer's Block thread...

[United Massachusetts]

My personal inclination would be a stickied READ THIS FIRST thread incorporating not only the GA TO DO list but also some kind of introductory information of the kind I put in my previous post in this thread. That might well replace the existing Q&A thread, honestly - cf. the Got Issues? forum's Writer's Block thread...

This is a good idea. I'll put a little intro incorporating your little monologue.