The International Senate
Co-OP: [nation][/nation]
The International Senate is an international organization where representatives from around the world meet to discuss issues facing people in today's society. Debates may range from gun control to immigration policies where nations who hold a seat within the senate have more influence. It is an opportunity for a nation to have more representation in the global community, grow to be a larger influence internationally, and come to common consensus with other states.
Senators are allowed to propose legislation within the senate to resolve conflicts, determine international policies, and request foreign militaristic or humanitarian aid from other states. For a bill to become an international law it requires seventy percent approval among the representatives. Although this is a global function, all sovereignty and power remains with the individual states. Single nations may reject enacting certain legislation in their state, but it is recommended it be accepted and put into action considering that it is in favor of the people.
Rules
1- OP's word is law, follow it.
3- No real life characters or celebrities may be used as a nation's senator.
4- Try to post at least once a week. If real life things get in the way let myself or the co-OP know.
5- No one-liners in the IC. Put some effort into your IC posts (minimum requirement is one paragraph).
8- Keep OOC comments out of the IC. There is an OOC and IC for a reason.
6- No editing previous posts, once you have made a post you may not change it.
7- No metagaming. Do not use information posted in the OOC that has not yet occurred in the IC to prevent an action from happening purposely.
10- There is a maximum of 60 seats within the senate. 1 senators maximum per nation.
11- A minimum of 12 senators is requisite in order to form a quorum. If a quorum cannot be formed, the senate is postponed until one can organize.
11- After joining, the senator will be assigned a section in the senate (Conservatives on the right, Liberals on the left, moderates in the center).
12- When voting on a bill, the vote of a senator must be in bold or the vote will be void.
13- Have any questions? Don't be shy to ask myself or the Co-OP.
Joining Forum
- Code: Select all
[box][u][b]Senator Information Sheet[/b]
[/u]Formal Nation Name:
Senator Name:
Senator Gender:
Senator Age:
Senator Height:
Senator Weight:
Senator Past Experience:
Senator Ideology:
Join a Party (optional):
Appearance:
Main Strengths:
Main Weaknesses:
Biography:
Other Info:[/box]
Political Party
- Code: Select all
[box][u][b]Political Party Creation[/b]
[/u]Party Name:
Party President:
Member Senators:
Seats in the Senate (Describe where the members of your party will sit. There are 4 rows in each of the 3 sections and each row has 5 seats. If the senators would like to remain where their current seat is, make that known as well.)
Ideology:
Constitution (preferably google doc, include party name, core principles, process of election of President, how party is to vote in senate):
Other Info:
( [b][u]READ[/u][/b] The representatives have the capability to create political parties if they wish. To do so it is required that a minimum of four senators assimilate and determine a name for the party to be known by as well as one that represents the ideology of the whole. The members must then develop a constitution by which the party will abide and elect a president. The president will speak on behalf of the party, but each senator will retain the ability to vote on their own. Any excess power given to the party president over the member senators must be stated in the party constitution.[b][u] Delete everything in parenthesis before posting[/u][/b] )
[/box]
Senate Positions
Speaker of the House: Vacant
Presiding Officer: Vacant
Senate Reporter 1: Vacant
Senate Reporter 2: Vacant
Senate Seating
There are 4 rows in each of the 3 sections and each row has 5 seats, a grand total of 60 seats. The seats in the left section are labeled from 1 to 5 starting from the right side to the left on all 4 rows. The seats in the right section are labeled from 1 to 5 from the left side to the right on all 4 rows. The seats in middle section are labeled from 1 to 5 starting from the right side to the left on all four rows.
Right Section
Trevor Conway (The United Conservative Provinces) Row 1, Seat #1
James Marshall-Bakker (Krenorus) Row 1, Seat #2
Vicountess Nedda Bosniaa (West Phoenicia) Row 1, Seat #3
Lord Phineas Castleton (Vaktaria) Row 1, Seat #4
Center Section
Left Section
Katarina Wiloa (Agarntrop) Row 1, Seat #1
Garnet til Alexandros (Yohannes) Row 1, Seat #2
Leonard Smithens (Huffingshire) Row 1, seat #3
Political Parties
None
Course of a session
Sessions start at various times depending on when all the senators are present in the chamber. Once the first bells have rung, the speaker of the senate begins a session with the daily news and recounts on the last session.
As a senator speaks, an official reporter of debates stands nearby, taking a verbatim account of everything said. Reporters work ten-minute shifts in the chamber and then immediately transcribe their notes. By the next morning, the entire day’s proceedings, along with related materials, are printed in the Senate Record.
When a bill is being debated, the creator of the bill often takes the front row, center aisle. If a time limit has been established, they allot portions of their time to senators wishing to speak for or against the bill. It is not unusual to find only a few members in the chamber at any given time during the debate, with other senators attending committee meetings or working in their offices. Members’ offices are equipped with “hot lines” and televisions that provide instant access to what is happening on the Senate floor. When the bells signal a vote, senators come to the chamber to record their “yays” and “nays.”
Whenever the Senate is in session, the flags of each nation flies above the chamber’s roof. A lantern at the top of the meeting dome is always lit during these night sessions. Whether at 2:00 in the morning or 2:00 in the afternoon, the public is always welcome to the galleries to witness these legislative proceedings.
When debate concludes, the motion in question is put to a vote. The Senate often votes by voice vote. The presiding officer puts the question, and Members respond either "Yay" or Nay". The presiding officer then announces the result of the voice vote. A senator, however, may challenge the presiding officer's assessment and request a recorded vote. The request may be granted only if it is seconded by twenty percent of the senators present. Senators who were not in the chamber when their name was called may still cast a vote so long as the voting remains open. The vote is closed at the discretion of the presiding officer, but must remain open for a minimum of forty eight hours. A majority of those voting determines whether the motion carries. If the vote is tied, the speaker of the senate, is entitled to cast a tie-breaking vote. If the speaker of the senate is not present, the motion fails.
Under the standing rules of the International Senate, a period of twenty four hours is given to the senators after the voting on a bill has concluded. The presiding officer of the Senate directs the security to clear the public galleries of spectators, and close all doors of the chamber. The Senate floor will be cleared of all persons except the senators and including their secretaries, if they choose to remain in the chamber. The speaker of the senate will open the next session and first bill to be proposed once it opens will be the next bill to be discussed and voted on.