Eutopia Law Gazette and National Assembly Archives

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The following laws have been passed by the National Assembley
Police Compensation Bill of 2003

3% additional raise for foot soldiers(non for desk workers/office workers) this is equvilent to hazard pay.

all officers involved in a terrorist act where lose of life occurs, get an additional 3 weeks of paid vacation, those officers injured at such an event get an additional month instead of the 3 weeks.

families of police officers who died to a terrorist act shall receive double the compensation normaly given to them, arrangements to be made to also provide a free vacation to anywhere in EUtopia for a week, paid by the government.

11 in favor
0 Opposed
1 abstained
0 Votes Not Cast


Higher Education Reform Bill
I. Tuition

A tuition of $2,000 ducats per semester shall be enacted. In order to ensure that no Eutopian is denied an education because of economic concerns, the following program of federal assistance shall also be enacted:

Anual household income of $29,999 - $25,000: Federal low interst loans (floating rate that is equal to the cost of living increase of the previous year) on which payments will start one year after completion of studies.
$24,999 - $15,000: Federal no interest loans on which payments begin 18 months after completion of studies.
Below $15,000: Federal grants covering the entire cost of tuition that shall not be paid back by the student.

Additionally, in order to help families with multiple students, the annual household income thresholds shall be raised by $5,000 for each additional child enrolled in a Eutopian college or university.

All of the above figures shall be adjusted annually for inflation.

II. Administrative Streamlining

The largest school in each province shall become the administrative center for that provicnce. Each school or campus shall maintain a local chancellor, deans, etc., but areas such as purchasing, accounting, and marketing, shall be consolidated in this one location. Universities within the province would then become affiliate campuses of that one central provincial university. They are free to maintain their own seperate names.

All schools shall teach the basics, some liberal arts, math & science, and vocational training. More advanced programs would be limited to one campus per province. While all schools may have a Pre-Law or Pre-Medical program, only one would have a graduate law school, only one would have a graduate medical, business, or veterinary school, etc. The exact placement and selection of these advanced programs shall be at the discretion of the central campus administration

III. Campus Consolidation

The following campuses shall be closed and the necessary functions and staff consolidated into the nearby campuses:

New Lancaster School of Economics and Social Science - NLSE (New Lancaster City)
Eutopia City University College - ECUC (Eutopia City)
Queen?s College - QC (Witney)
Douglas University College - DUC (Douglas)
University Miguel de Cervantes - UMC (Buen Puerto)

The campus properties shall be sold off and the funds shall be reinvested into the education system to upgrade existing campus infrastructure.

IV. Private Universities

Private Universities shall have their government subsidies reduced on the following schedule:

Year One: 95%
Year Two 90%
Year Three 80%
Year Four and on: 75%

Private univerisities shall also be free to raise funds from the private sector or donations as they see fit.

For term 5, MECT shall be authorized to adminster 31,110,000 million ductats to private universities to assist in building up the fund raising capacity of private universities. In subsequent terms, MECT shall be authorized to disburse funds up to 8 million ducats to assist in private university fund raising activities.

9 in favor
2 opposed
1 abstained
0 Votes Not Cast

 

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The following amendments have been passed by that National Assembley and shall be entered into effect immeaditely.

Popular Responsibility of the Executive Branch Amendment (PREBA)
I. Each party or coalition running one of its members for the office of President must submit to the office of the Chief Registration Officer its candidate for Vice-President before the appropriate deadline set by the CRO. The Vice-Presidential candidate need not be a member of the party or coalition, but if he is not, he must submit a statement to the CRO stating that he is willing to run for the office of Vice-President.

II. If the office of the Vice-President is vacant, the President shall, within the first 72 hours of the beginning of such vacancy, nominate a Vice-President who shall only be sworn if a vote of the National Assembly, called immediately after the nomination, returns a majority in favor of confirming the Vice-Presidential nominee. If the vote fails to return a majority, the President shall submit another nominee for consideration by the National Assembly within 72 hours.

III. In order to be Vice-President, the Vice President must also hold a ministerial position outlined in this Constitution. If this condition is for any reason not met at any point in time, the office of the Vice President shall be considered to be vacated.

IV. The Vice President or any Minister whose position is outlined in the Eutopian Constitution may be removed from office by a thirteen-twentieths vote of the National Assembly.

V. Any individual removed from office by the method outlined in Section IV of this amendment may not be appointed to the Vice-Presidency or any Ministry outlined in the Eutopian Constitution until after the following general election, unless approved by a majority vote of the National Assembly.

8 in favor
2 opposed
2 abstained
0 Votes Not Cast

Presidential Succession Amendment
1. Should the office of the President be vacated, the Vice President shall succeed the President.

Should the office of Vice President be vacant, or the Vice President is for any reason unable to take the office of the President, the office of President shall be held by the Speaker of the National Assembly.

Should the Speaker of the National Assembly be unable to assume the duties of the President, that the order of succession shall be MDIA, MILE, MTEF, MHSA, MECT (or their equivalents), followed by any ministries created after the ratification of this amendment, in order of seniority. Should none of the holders of the outlined offices be able to assume the duties of the President, the government shall be recalled and an emergency midterm election shall be rendered immediately with the High Court temporarily maintaining all essential government duties.

2) Should the President ever deem himself incapable of fulfilling the duties of his office, he may submit a written statement bearing his signature to the Chief Justice of the High Court, stating that he is unable to fulfill the duties of the office of the President, upon the reception of which the duties of the office of the President shall devolve upon the next in the line of succession to the office of the President, until the Speaker of the National Assembly receives a second written declaration bearing the President's signature stating that the President is once again able to fulfill the duties of the office of the President.

3) The duties of the office of the President shall devolve upon the next in line of succession to the office of the President upon the reception by the Chief Justice of the High Court of a written declaration bearing the signatures of three-fourths of the Cabinet and the Vice President stating that the President is unable to fulfill the duties of the his office. The President shall resume the duties of the office of the President upon the Speaker's reception of a written declaration bearing the signature of the President stating that he is once again able to fulfill the duties of the office of the President, unless a written declaration to the contrary bearing the signatures of three-fourths of the Cabinet and the Vice-President is received by the Speaker within forty-eight hours.

In this case the Vice President shall continue to hold the office of the President and the Speaker of the National Assembly shall convene, within 48 hours, a tribunal of the Speaker of the National Assembly, the Chief Justice of the High Court, and the Chief Registration Officer. This tribunal shall by majority consensus decide whether the President is able to fufill the duties of the office of the President.


8 Votes In Favor
4 Votes Opposed
0 Abstained
0 Votes Not Cast

 

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Economic Stimulation by Higher Technology Act

I. Taxes

New companies in the “high tech sector” shall be subject to 70% of existing corporate tax rates for their first ten years. After which, they shall pay the full tax

METF shall decided what companies are eligible for the tax break through a standard application process.

II. Grants and Training Programs

The Federal government shall adminster job training programs to qualified applicants in order increase the available pool of workers with the necessary skills for the high tech industry.

These programs shall be administered by MECT and shall have an annual funding of 110 million ducats.

Furthermore, METF shall be authorized to issue start up grants to qualified high tech businesses to assist in the generation of capital necessary to the industry. The budget for these grants shall be 55 million annually.

6 Votes in Favor
0 Votes Opposed
0 Abstained
6 Votes Not Cast

 

[Bramarius]

Today the Anti-Terrorism Bill Commission (ABC) passed into law.
Final Vote count:

6 in favor
0 against
0 absain
6 votes not cast

This legislation will take effect immediately.


Bram Borgman, acting speaker
__________________


Anti-Terrorism Bill Commission (ABC)

-An "Anti-Terrorism Bill Commission" (ABC) will be created, chaired by Mr. Charles S. Morgan.
-Purpose: To revise and edit to absolute perfection the previous Anti-Terror Bill (authors: Morgan, Langley, Hartwell). The final Bill will be returned to the Assembly not later than the Seventh Presidential Elections. [OOC: meaning, the election after next]
-Structure: The Commission will include representatives of the Armed Forces, Ministry of Law Enforcement, and the legal profession. If any political parties wish to send delegates, such delegates would be welcome.
__________________

 

[Bramarius]

Today, the nomination of Pierre G. Talbott as the new Vice-President of Eutopia was accepted by the NA.

Final vote count:

4 Votes in favor
1 Vote against
2 Abstentions
5 Votes not cast



Pierre G. Talbott is hereby named Vice-President of the Republic of Eutopia.



Bram Borgman, Acting Speaker.

 

[Bramarius]

The National Assembly of Eutopia voted on the Airport Casino Bill, which was passed today.


Final vote count:

7 votes in favor
1 abstention
0 votes against
4 votes not cast


Bram Borgman, Acting Speaker

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The Airport Casino Bill-
The Eutopian Government will create small, government run casinos inside international departure/arrival areas of Eutopian Airports. These would not be complete casinos but "gambling lounges" with video poker, slots, and 5 or 10 gaming tables. The government would keep all profits.
__________________

 

[Bramarius]

The National Assembly of Eutopia voted on three bills, which all passed today.

Individual bills and results:

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I - Civilian Authority Bill

1. This bill re-afirms the military's submission to civilian law and civilian authority. If a member of the armed forces violates a civilian law, he is to be tried by civilian authorities. This trial will be placed above any military trial which may take place.

2. Civilian law and authority always supercedes military law and authority, in ALL cases.

3. Martial law is no longer a tool usable by the military. In cases when the military may need to be used, they will be used under civilian authority, not military. Anyone arrested will be tried by civilian courts.

4.Treason is a civilian offense, triable by civilian courts.

5. The Commander in Chief of the military can only be removed by being removed from office. No memeber of the military has the right to remove the CiC.
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Voting Results(CAB):

7 votes in favour
1 abstention
0 votes against
4 votes not cast

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II- PSA Addendum


I. The first section of the Presidential Succession Amendment is hereby repealed.

II. Should the President die, resign, or be removed from office by the National Assembly, the Vice President shall succeed the President.

In such a case, should the office of Vice President be vacant, or the Vice President is for any reason unable to take the office of the President, the office of President shall be held by the Speaker of the National Assembly.

In such a case, should the Speaker of the National Assembly be unable to assume the duties of the President, that the order of succession shall be MDIA, MILE, MTEF, MHES, MECT (or their equivalents), followed by any ministries created after the ratification of this amendment, in order of seniority. Should none of the holders of the outlined offices be able to assume the duties of the President, the government shall be recalled and an emergency midterm election shall be rendered immediately with the High Court temporarily maintaining all essential government duties.

III. The National Assembly, may, by a thirteen-twentieths majority, declare the President unfit to fulfill the duties of the office of the President, in which case the next in the line of succession shall assume the duties of the office of the President until such time as a simple majority of the National Assembly declares that the President is once again capable to fulfill the duties of the office of the President.

IV. If the President is, at any time, unavailable (unavailable being defined as having made no official public appearances, nor having made contact, written or verbal, with any member of the Cabinet, National Assembly, or High Court) without explanation and notification of such a state to the Cabinet, the High Court, or the National Assembly for a period of eight days, or is unavailable for any reason for a period of fourteen days, he shall be deemed unable to fulfill the duties of the office of the President, and the next in the line of succession shall assume the duties of the office of the President until the President submits a written statement to the High Court stating that he is once again available to serve as President of Eutopia.

V. The High Court shall be the arbiter of the unavailability of the President.

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Voting Results (PSA-Add.):

8 votes in favour
0 abstention
0 votes against
4 votes not cast

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III - WTO-bill

I. The EUtopian government will now apply for membership in the World Trade Organization, as per the report of the Commission for the Investigation of Membership in the World Trade Organization (CIM-WTO).

II. The Minister of Trade, Economy, and Finance will appoint a representative in the WTO, subject to approval of the MDIA, who will be in charge of all EUtopian affairs there.

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Added: Final Report of CIM-WTO



The CIM-WTO hereby concludes its business and presents its final report (or majority report).

The World Trade Organization is an organization composed of the mainline nations of the world, in which nations can avoid costly trade wars and disputes. WTO membership would enable EUtopian corporations to expand and become international figures, doing work for and in other countries. Furthermore, foreign investment will boom if EUtopia enters the WTO. Foreign companies investing in EUtopian markets will expand the economy and make this country a richer one. EUtopia may even be a destination for NAFTA businesses.

More money, of course, means more economic and political power and the ability to do pricey things such as reform the military.

The WTO fights protectionism, which was at the heart of ferocious trade wars in the 1930s, which extended the gloom of the Great Depression. Protectionism also raises prices. WTO countries enjoy much cheaper products in every field, so the average consumer will have more to spend later.

Furthermore, a look at a list of countries NOT in the WTO will give you the will to join. Non-members include Afghanistan, Bosnia, Eritrea and Ethiopia, the Axis of Evil (Iran, Iraq, and North Korea), Liberia, Libya, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Syria, and Yugoslavia. Almost all of the most turbulent countries in the world are not in the WTO--in plainer terms, they are in the same boat as we are.

The WTO, for the above reasons, is the way to EUtopia's future. We need to take the steps to join.

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Voting Results (WTO-bill):
4 Votes in favour
2 Abstentions
2 Votes against
4 Votes not cast


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Bram Borgman, Acting Speaker

 

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Organ Donor Registry Act(ODRA) has passed in NA.

Organ Donor Registry Act (ODRA)

I. The Ministry of Health, the Environment, and Social Services shall create an Organ Donor Registry for the purpose of lessening the administrative hassles required to make a postmortem organ donation.

II. If any person affixes their name to the Organ Donor Registry, it shall be construed that he has given his permission that his organs may be removed after his death by a doctor and given to a living patient in need of an organ transplant.

III. The Organ Donor Registry shall be made available to doctors so that they may confirm whether a recently-deceased patient is an Organ Donor so that they may conduct necessary surgical procedures with all due haste.

IV. The Ministry of Health, the Environment, and Social Services shall create appropriate safeguards to ensure proper privacy and that no one’s name shall be affixed to the Organ Donor Registry by anyone other than the prospective donor.

10 in favour
0 against
0 abstentions
1 vote not cast
1 vacancy

 

[Josephus I]

The Elections Integrity Act is now passed by votes of:

In Favour: 4
Against: 0
Abstain:0
No Show: 4


I. It is hearby resolved that upon the completion of an election, the National Assembly seats awarded to a political party belong to the political party and not to the individual who fills the seat.

Should an individual MoNA resign, quit, or be removed from his party, he relinquishes all claims, rights, and privledges of the position of MoNA. Furthermore, the NA seat shall then be assigned to the next canidate listed on the party's CRO approved national ticket.

II. An exception shall be allowed if the party in question decides to dissolve itself. In which case, the seats shall belong to the current individuals fullfilling them.

Should a party decided to merge with or be absorbed by another party, the seats shall belong to the newly formed party.


Josephus Acting Speaker

 

[Josephus I]

Per Konstantin Vilms has been approved by the National Assembly as vice-president of Eutopia.

Aye 2
Abstentions 0
Nay 0

No votes 6


Josephus Locke Sergei

 

[Josephus I]

Regulations of Firearms Act passes.

5 yes
1 no
2 no votes

I. Classifaction of Firearms

Class I - Automatic Firearms. These shall be defined as as one press of the trigger can result in more than one bullet being fired. They shall be made illegal to all citizens with the exception of those issued a proper permit, and military or police personal issued these weapons while on duty.

Class II - Semiautomatic Firearms. These shall be defined as employing gas pressure or force of recoil and mechanical spring action to eject the empty cartridge case after the first shot and load the next cartridge from the magazine but requiring release and another pressure of the trigger for each successive shot.

They shall not be allowed to the general public without the proper permit. On duty military and police personale may be issued these weapons.

Class III - Manual. Any firearm that does not fit into Class I, Class II, or Class IV such as but not limited to, shotguns, rifles, revolvers, and pistols shall be defined as Class III.

These weapons are allowable to the general public provided a firearms liscence is obtained and kept in good standing.

Class IV - Antiquated. These shall be Front loaded, black powder, single shot muskets or rifles.

These weapons are allowable to the general public provided a Antique Firearms License is obtained and kept in good standing.

II. Licenses and Permits.

Licenses

A firearms license shall be obtained by meeting the following standards:

1. Once the applicant submit to a background check and no violent crimes have been committed in the last twenty years.
2. Satisfactory completion of a fifteen hour course on gun use, care, and safety.
3. The applicant is at least 18 years of age.

A firearms license shall be good for a five year period. After which, the applicant must take and complete a ten hour refresher course on gun use, care, and safety. A fee of fifty ducats shall be established for a Firearms License and shall be subject to annual increases as deemed necessary by the office of MILE.

A firearms license shall be revoked for any of the following reasons:

1. Conviction of any felony charge.
2. Conviction of any violent crime.
3. Conviction of three misdemeanors.
4. Evidence of gross negligence pertaining to firearms.

Junior Firearms License. Children age 14 to 18 may obtain a Junior Firearms License under the following provisions.

1. Completion of a 20 hour gun safety course.
2. A clean criminal record.
3. Parental approval.
4. At least one parent already has a Firearms License in good standing.

A Junior Firearms License shall allow the holder to operate Class III Firearms in the presence and under the supervision of an adult with the proper Firearms License. The holder of a Junior Firearms License is only allowed to operate Class III Firearms in a competition or practice at a sports club / shooting range under proper adult supervision, or during hunting. All restrictions to hunting also apply to the holder of a Junior Firearms License. The holder of a Junior Firearms License may not keep his/her gun loaded at home.

The holder of a Junior Firearms License shall not be allowed to obtain any of the special permits.

Any criminal conviction shall result in the revoking of a Junior Firearms License

Antique Firearms License. An AFL shall allow the holder to own, use, and operate Class IV Firearms. A fee of 100 ducats shall be in place for a AFL, and it shall last ten years. It shall be issued provided the following criteria is met.

1. Completion of a 10 hour class on the care and use of antiquated firearms.
2. No violent criminal conviction in the last 10 years.
3. Applicant is at least 18 years of age.

Permits.

All permits shall coincide with the length of the current Firearms License, and must be renewed when the Firearms License is renewed.

Class A Permit. Shall allow the holder to carry any firearms they are legally allowed to possess in a concealed manner.

In order to obtain such a permit, the applicant must not have a single conviction of felony or violent crime. Furthermore, no such charges may be pending. Also an additional ten hour course on gun safety must be completed. This course is the same as the course used for Class B and Class C. Holders of multilple permits will only be required to take the course once.

Class B Permit. Shall allow the holder to carry Class II Firearms. This permit shall be given only with the expressed approval of the Ministry of Law Enforcement on Class II firearms they deem appropriate for personal self defense.

The holder of a Class B Permit may not have any criminal conviction in the last fifteen years and absolutely no felony or violent convictions. An additional ten hour course on gun safety is required. This course is the same as the course used for Class C and Class A. Holders of multilple permits will only be required to take the course once.

The office of MILE shall be free to terminate any Class B Permit at its discretion.

Class C Permit. Shall allow the holder to carry Class II Firearms for commercial use. The holder of this permit must be employed by a private security firm that has been licensed and approved by MILE. The holder must complete the ten hour course on gun safety. This course is the same as the course used for Class B and Class A. Holders of multiple permits will only be required to take the course once.

The holder of this permit may not have any criminal convictions.

A fee of 250 ducats shall be established for a Class C Permit and shall be subject to annual increases as deemed necessary by the office of MILE.

Class D Permit. (Collector's Permit) Shall allow the holder to own and display Class II and Class I Firearms. In public displays, the firearms must be held in a secure case. The weapons may not be loaded or fired at any time.

Furthermore, each Class I and Class II weapon held under a Class D Permit must be registered with MILE.

The holder of this permit may not have any criminal convictions in the last ten years and no violent or felony convictions in the last twenty years. The holder must also complete a special 15 hour course on gun safety. Holders of multiple permits including a Class D Permit will take this course in substitute for the course required for Class A, Class B, and Class C Permits.

A fee of 100 ducats shall be established for a Class D Permit and shall be subject to annual increases as deemed necessary by the office of MILE.

Class E Permit (Dealer's Permit) Shall allow the holder to own, display and use for demonstration purposes, all Classes of Firearms. This permit shall have a fee of 500 ducats and the applicant must meet the following criteria.

1. Have a Firearms License in good standing.
2. Be at least 18 years of age.
3. Have no criminal record.
4. Complete a special 20 hour class on firearms care and display.

Furthermore, the following practices must be followed to keep the Class E Permit in good standing.

1. All Firearms are to be displayed in securely locked cases and seperate from ammunition.
2. All Firearms for sale or on display are registered with MILE.
3. All sales are made only to those holding the proper license and/or permits.

A Class E Permit can be revoked for any criminal conviction.

All Permits will be revoked in the event the Firearms License is revoked.

All current gun owners are given twelve months to comply with this legislation.

All safety courses shall be administered by MILE approved gun clubs.

Upon successful completion of a course for any permit or license, the holder may take an exam upon renewal in lieu of retaking the course. The exam shall be determined by MILE and administered at the approved sites.

Those with the appropriate military or police training may also choose to take an exam in place of the required safety course, and upon successful completion will be issued the liscense or permit in question.

On duty police and military personal are exempt from the requirements pertaining to permits/liscense.

III. Penalties.

Use of a Class I Firearm without proper permit - 10 to 5 years imprisonment

Possession of a Class I Firearm without proper permit - 5 to 2 years imprisonment

Use of a Class II Firearm without the proper permit - 5 to 2 years imprisonment

Use of a Class II Firearm without the a Firearms License - 7 to 4 years imprisonment.

Possession of a Class II Firearm without proper permit - 1 year to 6 months imprisonment

Possession of a Class II Firearm without a Firearms License - 2 to 1 years imprisonment.

Use of a Class III Firearm without a Firearms License - 2 years to 18 months imprisonment and a fine of up to 10,000.

Possession of a Class III Firearm without a Firearms License - 1 year to 3 months imprisonment and a fine up to 5,000.

Violation of a Class D Permit - 2 years to 6 months imprisonment and a fine of up to 25,000.

Carrying a concealed Firearm without a Class A Permit - 1 year to 3 months imprisonment and a fine of up to 2,000.

Use of a Firearm by a minor without a Junior License - 6 months imprisonment to 1 year's probation and a fine of up to 2,000.

Use of a Firearm in a crime - 7 to 3 years imprisonment.

Use of a Firearm License or Permit to illegally distribute firearms - 10 to 5 years imprisonment for each offense.

Use of a Class E Permit to illegally distribute firearms - 20 to 5 years for each offense

 

[Josephus I]

The following constitutional amendment, The Bill of Rights, received the mandatory 6 affirmative votes, and thus passes.

6 yay
0 nay
0 abstein

[I
EUTOPIAN CHARTER OF RIGHTS

The following rights are guaranteed by the people in their capacity as the sovereign authority in the republican government of Eutopia for the benefit of all humanity:

CHAPTER I: PERSONAL RIGHTS

§ 1 TITLE: The title of this enactment shall be "The Eutopian Charter of Rights."

§ 2 ASSEMBLY: All persons shall have the right to peaceably assemble and to associate with one another.

§ 3 MOVEMENT: Citizens shall have the right to freely move within the nation, and the right of citizens to re-enter Eutopia may not be denied. This section will be subject to the limitations and conditions of the Constitution. The National Assembly may limit this right based on compelling governmental interest.

§ 4 PETITION: All persons shall have the right to petition a court of law of the Republic for redress of such grievances and causes of action that the law of the Republic recognizes, and to petition their government on any matter.

§ 5 PRESS: The freedom of the press shall not be denied.

§ 6 PRIVACY: Every person has the right to privacy in his or her person, effects, and property.

§ 7 RELIGION: The free exercise of religion shall not be restricted. The government shall take no role in religious affairs, and shall not sponsor or establish any religion.

§ 8 SPEECH: All persons shall have the right -- in public or in private -- to free speech, expression, thought, and conscience.

§ 9 VOTE: The right of citizens who have attained the age of eighteen to vote in bona fide elections shall not be denied, except in the case of convicted felons, and then only under such circumstances as the National Assembly may designate.

§ 10 LIFE: All persons shall have the right to life. The power of the government to execute persons convicted of capital crimes and sentenced to death, in accordance with the procedures mandated by the National Assembly, shall not be considered an infringement on this right; nor shall abortion or do-not-resuscitate orders be considered violations of this right unless the National Assembly shall mandate otherwise.

§ 11 EDUCATION: All persons shall have the right to twelve years of education, starting at age six. All persons shall have the right to pursue whatever educational opportunities they are qualified for.

§ 12 PROFESSION: Neither the government nor private organizations or industries shall infringe upon the right of individuals to pursue whatever lawful calling they may choose, provided they are qualified for it. The government may establish reasonable testing procedures to guarantee qualification, provided those procedures do not conflict with this Section or other provisions of this Charter. This provision shall not be taken to preclude individuals from forming labor unions or other professional organizations.

§ 13 ENVIRONMENT: All persons shall have the right to live and work in a safe environment conducive to their health, well-being, and personal growth.

CHAPTER II: RIGHTS OF THE ACCUSED

§ 14 ARREST: No person shall be placed under arrest unless there exists probable cause to do so.

§ 15 PERSONAL SEARCH: All individuals shall be secure in their persons and attendant effects except insofar as is necessary to guarantee the safety of law enforcement officers, or in cases where the individual consents to being searched. Personal searches may be conducted pursuant to a validly conducted arrest. In circumstances where arrest is unavoidably imminent, including but not limited to cases of hot pursuit or where illegal evidence is in plain view, searches may constitutionally be conducted as though the suspect was already under arrest.

§ 16 SEARCH OF PROPERTY, AND SEIZURE: The property of all persons, both real and personal, shall remain secure from unreasonable governmental intrusion, unless permitted by a duly authorized warrant. Such warrant shall be based upon probable cause, supported by oath or affirmation, and approved by a court. Such warrant shall designate specifically the property to be searched. While conducting a search, government officials may seize only those things which may reasonably support an arrest and prosecution, or which may otherwise aid law enforcement in the conduct of their investigations.

§ 17 COUNSEL: All persons arrested for a crime shall have the right to consult with counsel before, during, and after trial.

§ 18 BAIL: Bail shall be available in all cases, except those where the judge deems it imprudent. Bail amounts shall be proportional to the severity of the crime.

§ 19 GRAND JURY: A grand jury shall be convened in all felony cases to determine whether the government possesses adequate evidence to proceed with trial.

§ 20 TRIAL: Any individual accused of a crime shall be informed of the charges against him prior to the first court appearance in respect of those charges. All persons accused of a felony shall be entitled to trial by a jury of their peers. All trials shall be conducted fairly, quickly, and within the public view. The accused shall not be denied the right to confront the witnesses against him, nor the right to secure witnesses of his own.

§ 21 SELF-INCRIMINATION: In criminal cases, the accused shall not be required to testify against his or her interest before, during, or after trial.

§ 22 EX POST FACTO LAWS: No individual shall be subject to criminal charges for conduct completed when said conduct was made criminal.

§ 23 DOUBLE JEOPARDY: No individual shall be required to stand trial twice for the same crime.

§ 24 HABEAS CORPUS: No person detained within Eutopia's sovereign territory shall be denied the right to submit writs of habeas corpus to the courts for the review of government action.

§ 25 PUNISHMENTS & FINES: No individual shall be subjected to torture or any method of cruel or unusual punishment, nor the threat of torture or cruel or unusual punishment; nor shall any individual be subject to fines out of proportion with the severity of their crime.

CHAPTER III: GOVERNMENTAL GUARANTEES AND STRICTURES

§ 26 DUE PROCESS: The government shall at all times guarantee the due process of law as laid down by the provisions of the Constitution and as codified as customary international law.

§ 27 CITIZENSHIP: Citizenship may be acquired via jus soli, jus sanguinis, or by other means designated by the Minister of Immigration and Law Enforcement or any successor office responsible for immigration. Citizenship, once granted, is unconditional and may not be revoked.

§ 28 DISCRIMINATION: No right or privilege, whether granted publicly or privately, by statute, code, regulation, common law, practice, or other means, shall be denied, abridged, or otherwise altered on the basis of race, color, ethnicity, sex, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, or indicia of those.

§ 29 SOVEREIGN IMMUNITY: No unit of government, or authority created or delegated by that government, may be brought to account in a court of law unless the government shall give its consent so to do. No such governmental agency shall be immune from justly adjudicated liability unless it is also immune from suit. No governmental agency may utilize this section to deny redress under a substantive right guaranteed by the Constitution.

§ 30 EXTENT OF PROTECTION: The government shall at all times endeavor to protect the rights guaranteed herein, and the enumeration of the rights herein shall not be taken to deny additional rights to individuals as may be determined in accordance with this document, the Eutopian constitution, and the rule of law.


Speaker, Josephus Locke Sergei

 

[Josephus I]

The following bill, privatization of Maritcon passes

4 aye
1 nay
3 no shows.

The responsible ministry is thus required to begin tendering Maritcon for sale.

The Maritcon Privatization Act

I. The public sector corporation known as Marticon shall be sold in a minimum of two parts to a minimum of two separate private investors not under the same trust/holding company

II. All Marticon assets shall be included in the sale, with the possible exception of the small ship building facility at Rochefort. The city of Rochefort shall have first option to buy that facility and shall be exempt from all further benefits and requirements of the sale. Should Rochefort refuse to purchase the facility, Marticon shall be sold in a minimum of three parts.

III. For companies purchasing Marticon assets, all costs of modernizing former Maritcon facilities shall be made tax-deductible (the money alloted for "modernization costs" shall have been used to modernize and/or expand the ship building and repair facilities).

IV. Each company purchasing Maritcon assets shall be able to bid on government contracts concerning repair of coast guard vessels and other non-military government vessels. Corporations that build facilities capable of servicing military vessels may also be allowed to bid for those contracts. For the first 42 months after the passage of this Act, these bids shall not exceed 117% of cost (the definition of "cost" to be determined by the MDIA).

V. Maritcon assets may also recieve tax relief, if so desired, along this schedule upon application to the MTEF:

1st year: 50% corporate taxes on Marticon related operations
2nd year: 60% corporate taxes on Marticon related operations
3rd year: 70% corporate taxes on Marticon related operations
4th year: 85% corporate taxes on Marticon related operations
5th year: return to normal tax rate

Companies accepting this tax relief also assume the following obligations:
1. The acceptance of government inspectors to ensure safety standards. These inspectors shall be administered by the office of MILE.
2. Three years of price controls for pre-existing, domestic fishing and shipping corporations along this schedule:
1st year: 110% of current prices
2nd year: 115% of current prices
3rd year: 125% of current prices
4th year and beyond: market prices
3. Companies accepting this tax relief shall refrain, if possible, from laying off any persons currently employed at Maritcon facilities purchased from the government in the four years after the purchase is made. In the event such layoffs are indeed necessary, the company shall consult with the MTEF to attempt to minimize the scope of such layoffs. Any persons subject to such layoffs shall receive adequate severance pay reflecting seniority and providing adequate funds for worker retraining.
__________________

 

[Josephus I]

The following Bill, RUBB, passes by a vote of 5-2 with one no-show.

Reform of Unemployment Benefits Bill (RUBB)

I. Any resident of Eutopia having resided and worked in Eutopia for at least nine months, or any citizen of Eutopia, unemployed and seeking work, may apply for unemployment benefits from the government.

II. The duration of unemployment benefits payments shall end when the recipient is again employed. Each person shall be placed in a group consisting of those in the same province or territory that formerly worked in the same general sector of employment. The maximum duration of unemployment benefits payments shall vary from group to group, based on expected time to find a job (based in turn on unemployment in the province and employment opportunities in that sector), but under no circumstances shall be less than four months or more than eight months, with exceptions noted below. The upper limit for maximum duration of payments may be extended up to twelve months with the approval of the MTEF, MHES, and the President, but each group will still have its maximum duration of payments set by the aforementioned methods regardless of where the upper limit of maximum duration of payments is set.

III. Unemployment Benefits payments shall be paid to the recipient monthly. The monthly payment shall be calculated at the beginning of payments, based off the information off the appropriate most recent tax returns. If any additional information is required for the calculation of payments, the recipient may be required to disclose the appropriate information. A recalculation may be requested by the recipient for the upcoming month's benefits if so desired, in order to reflect any changes in the information in Sections IV and V that could benefit the recipient.

IV. The expected financial needs of the recipient are as follows:
a. Food, the cost of which shall be estimated based on the number of people in the recipient’s household and their ages.
b. Estimated water, electricity, and telephone bills. The expected cost of telephone bills are not to exceed Ð22.50 per month.
c. Estimated cost for rent or mortgage payments and maintenance/upkeep for housing. If the property value of the home exceeds Ð525,000, the expected payments for the purposes of this bill shall be less than the actual payments (e.g. to the landlord/bank) made by the recipient for such purposes by a factor of (actual home value/Ð525,000). The expected cost for maintenance/upkeep shall not exceed Ð1500 for the duration of payments.
d. Omnicare payments for members of the household and dependents.
e. The sum of the estimated cost per month for the above three items to the recipient of unemployment benefits payments is the expected cost of living for the recipient’s household per month.

V. The expected financial contributions of the recipient to his own welfare are as follows:
a. The salaries, any unemployment benefits payments, and any other income (including rent income from other properties) being paid to any member of the recipient’s household (including the recipient [but not including his onw unemployment benefits payments]).
b. If any member of the household is unemployed, seeking work, and has not had been employed since the expiring of unemployment insurance benefits payments, their expected contribution shall be 80% of their income from their last job.
c. The property value of any property owned by any member of the household other than the primary residence that is not generating rent income
d. The difference between the property value of the primary residence and Ð525,000, multiplied by the highest percentage owned of that property by the owner or a member of the owner's household within the period starting six months prior to the initial application for unemployment benefits, if such a result is a positive number.
e. 2% of the recipient's total salary for the ten years prior to initial application for unemployment benefits.
f. The expected contribution per month by the household towards cost of living shall be the total contribution in V.c., V.d., and V.e. divided by the maximum number of months unemployment benefits payments that can be paid to the recipient, plus the sum of the monthly totals of V.a. and V.b.

VI. The amount paid by the government to the recipient each month for Unemployment Beneifts shall be the difference between the expected contribution per month (in V.f.) and the estimated cost of living per month (in IV.e.). Under no circumstances shall this payment be more than $5000 per month or more than five-sixths of the recipient’s former monthly salary.

VII. The information necessary for the calculation of the items in Sections V and VI shall be taken, whenever possible, unless otherwise desired by the recipient, from the prior year's tax data, in order to reduce the burden of paperwork on the recipient.

VIII. Payments shall cease in the event that the recipient declines three job offers in the recipient’s former sector of employment paying at least 80% of his former salary. This claim may be appealed and reviewed once for reasons of legitimate and serious extenuating circumstances preventing the recipient from accepting any of the three (or more) offers.

IX. Payments shall not be extended to those who were laid off due to wanton neglect of duty, as judged by the employer who laid off the prospective recipient. If the former employee disputes this claim, it can be appealed once before the courts. Unemployment Insurance Benefits shall be paid to the appealing former employee for the duration of the appeals process (not to exceed two months).

X. Any person who is found to have deliberately defrauded the government by providing false information in the application process or by stating that wanton neglect of duty occurred when an appeal rules to the contrary may be punishable by fines of Ð40,000 to Ð250,000, depending on the severity of the infraction. In the case of the latter infraction, half of the "fine" shall be paid to the affected former employee.
__________________

 

[Bramarius]

The Budget Responsibility Act (constitutional amendment) was passed today by the NA.

Voting Results:
7 Votes in Favour
1 No-show

Bram Borgman
Speaker
----------------------------------------------------------------------

Budget Responsibility Act
Should no budget be presented to the National Assembly as described by the Constitution Section H with-in six months (OOC: Two months in real time) the previous term budget will be assumed to have been submitted by the Executive Branch. The National Assembly will then have two months (OOC: two weeks) of time to Amend and Pass a Budget.

 

[Bramarius]

Mr. Hawkton J. Tilly, Esq.'s nomination for the position of Vice President of the Republic of Eutopia was accepted by the National Assembly today. Mr. Tilly was nominated by current President Jonathan Glasser.


Voting results:
7 votes in favour
1 vote not cast


Bram Borgman
Speaker

 

[Bramarius]

Today, the NA passed the national budget for term 7, submitted by president Glasser.

Voting results:
6 votes in favour
2 votes not cast


Bram Borgman
Speaker

Preface

I am proud to make history with the presentation of this budget to the National Assembly. It has been the product of the hard work of several of my predecessors, including Presidents Talbott and Langley, and Minister Michael Von Streusser. This budget does what I think is an excellent job of balancing today's priorities with tomorrow's needs and it is my hope that it will be enacted into law as soon as possible.

The Budget

Defense                                                11.5*
     – incl. subsidies for ENDTech  2
International Affairs                                  1
Industry, Trade, Commerce                              2.5**
Regional Development                                   2
International Aid					  0***
Transport (domestic and international)                 2
Public works and utilities (water, sewers, dams etc.)  2.5
Postal service                                         0.5
Navigation and shipping                                0.5
Energy                                                 2
Natural resources and mining                           3.0
     – subsidies for Recom         2.5
Forestry and fisheries                                 1****
    -subsidies for impacted industries   .5
Agriculture                                            5
     – farm subsidies              4
Law enforcement and administration of justice          7.5
Coast Guard and customs                                1.5
Immigration and citizenship                            0.5
Environment                                            1.5
Health                                                 29
     - subsidies for Medicure      26
Social insurance                                       13
     - subsidies for Omnicare      12
Labour and welfare                                     31
     - unemployment benefits       20
     - social aid                  3
     – pension fund contributions  7
Family and youth                                       6
     – child benefits              4
Education                                              32.5
     - schools and kindergartens   22
     - universities and colleges   9.5*****
Language, culture and communities                      1.5
Communication and media                                1
Sports                                                 1.5
Science and technology                                 1.5
National parks                                         0.5
General administration                                 1
Debt service                                           14

Total expenditure                                      177
Code:
Revenue

Income tax                                             76
Corporate profit tax                                   15^
Indirect business tax and non-tax accruals             46
Health care premiums                                   13
Interest                                               7
Natural resources and mining                           21
Estate Tax						  ??^^
Profits from Marticon sale				  ??^^^

Total revenue                                 at least 178

End Notes
*This is a reduction of 2.5 Billion Ducats which had been allocated for weapon procurement. This has become difficult because of the US Weapon embargo as well as the lack of a Military Reform Bill. It is esential that this funding would be at least restored, if not increased, in future budgets.
**This decrease in funds reflects the elimination of Marticon subsides
***We attend to our needs now. The repetitive failure to produce a budget has had a lasting impact on Eutopia and so we must spend our tax dollars here at the moment. It would be my hope that this could be restored as early as the next budget.
****This is a budget increase for these hard hit industries. This is especially needed as a result of the Marticon privatization. This subsidy should be eliminated upon the signing of a new NAFA and as the overall economy improves.
*****This reduction reflects the decreased costs the government now incurs thanks to closed campuses and the lack of continued support for private universities. The amount spent on Higher Education will remain greater than it was before the Higher Education Reform Bill was passed.
^This might decrease slightly because of the Marticon privatization despite the fact that the bill as written would indicate that there would be no decrease
^^This would be a tax, applied at the median income tax level, on the wealthiest .1% of estates when someone dies. This tax, affecting a very small percentage of the population, would hopefully allow the government more leeway in future budgets for places where there might need to be increases, such as military spending.
^^^All revenues from this would be required to go to Debt Reduction. The advantages of long term debt deduction are clear as it would allow for a reduction in debt service and a corresponding ability to either lower taxes or increase program funding.

 

[jacob-Lundgren]

passed with 4-2 citizens watch bill

(i know you were late bram, i forgot to vote and would have voted yes so our late votes would have just cencelled anyways hehe)

The Citizen's-Watch Bill (CWB)
Introduction: It is recognized that the Eutopian Police force appreciates any information which helps lead to the arrest of a known felon. Citizens are encouraged to report any crimes being committed to the police. The CWB seeks to re-emphasize this.

1: This bill creates a fund which will reward citizens who give their local police information which leads to the successful arrest of a criminal. This reward will be given by local city officials.
A: The introduction of this program into the cities is at the complete discretion of the City in question. The CWB will go into effect only if the mayor of the city deems it appropriate.
A: Each city which participates will be given a $2,000 fund from which this money will come.
B: The rewards will range from $100 to $500 dealt out as the local authorities see fit.
b: The money in this fund is held over, but the fund will not exceed $2,000.

3: This bill does not authorize citizen arrest or the creation of vigilante organizations. The citizens do not enforce the laws of Eutopia; it only encourages the reporting of committed crimes or spotted criminals. Any citizen acting outside the bounds of the law, even to help turn in criminals, will be held accountable.

4: Any person who gives information to the police authorities will be allowed to remain confidential. Their names will be kept from the media and out of court. They only need give enough information for the delivery of the reward to the authority. No one may demand the announcement of the individual who turned in information unless they are directly related to the crime which was committed.

*the 2000 is monthly