Section 1.
All legislative Powers herein granted shall be vested in a Congress of the Californian Republic, which shall consist of the Congress of Deputies – el Congreso de los Diputados - and the Senate of California – el Senado de California.
Section 2.
The Congress of Deputies, el Congreso de los Diputados, which shall be the Congressional Lower House, shall be composed of Members chosen every third year by the Citizens of the Republic in by the nation at large using an open list voting system with a secret ballot.
No Citizen shall be a Delegate who shall not have attained to the age of twenty-five years, and been ten years a Citizen of the Californian Republic, excepting those present at the founding of the nation.
The Congress of Deputies shall have 100 seats, with one additional seat for every 40,000 citizens of our fair republic.
When vacancies shall occur in the consistency, an immediate by-election shall be assumed and held to fill such vacancies.
The Congress of Deputies shall choose their parliamentary speaker and other Offices.
All bills for raising Revenue shall originate in the Congress of Deputies; but the Senate may propose or concur with Amendments as on other Bills.
Section 3.
The Senate of California, el Senado de California, which shall be the Congressional Upper House, shall be composed of Members chosen every fifth year by the Citizens of the Republic in each respective constituency using an open list voting system with a secret ballot.
No Person shall be a Senator who shall not have attained to the Age of thirty Years, and been nine Years a Citizen of the Californian Republic, excepting those present at the founding of the nation.
The Senate of California shall be composed of at least 21 senators and not exceed the number of representatives in the lower house. These senators shall be apportioned according to geographic districts with each district having at least 3 senators and no more than 7 senators. The distribution of senators in each district shall be decided by population, while the boundaries of each district shall be drawn by a non-partisan commission, following natural geographic boundaries. These districts shall be redrawn as the circumstances dictate but no more than once every 20 years. The addition or deletion of a senatorial district shall require a simple majority vote of the senate.
Similarly, the number of senators for each district shall be reapportioned every 10 years in accordance with the census.
The Senate shall choose their parliamentary speaker and other Offices.
The ratification of treaties shall require the approval of 2/3rds of the Senate of California. Similarly, the sole power to declare war shall be invested in the Senate.
The Senate shall have the sole Power to try all Impeachments. When sitting for that purpose, they shall be on Oath or Affirmation. When the Chief Executive of California is
tried, the Chief Justice shall preside: And no Person shall be convicted without the concurrence of two thirds of the Members present.
Judgment in Cases of Impeachment shall not extend further than to removal from Office, and disqualification to hold and enjoy any Office of honor, Trust or Profit under California: but the Party convicted shall nevertheless be liable and subject to Indictment, Trial, Judgment and Punishment, according to Law.
Section 4. The Executive Veto
The passage of all bills shall require the assent of both Houses of Congress before being presented to the chief executive of the republic, who shall have the option to veto the bill, or sign it into law. This veto can be overridden by a 2/3rds majority of the combined Houses of Congress.
Section 5. The Powers of Congress
The Congress shall have Power To lay and collect Taxes, Duties, Imposts and Excises, to pay the Debts and provide for the common Defence and general Welfare of California; but all Duties, Imposts and Excises shall be uniform throughout California.
To borrow money on the credit of California.
To regulate Commerce with foreign Nations, with the Indian Tribes, and within the nation.
To establish an uniform Rule of Naturalization, and uniform Laws on the subject of Bankruptcies throughout California.
To coin Money, regulate the Value thereof, and of foreign Coin, and fix the Standard of Weights and Measures.
To provide for the Punishment of counterfeiting the Securities and current Coin of California.
To establish Post Offices and Post Roads.
To promote the Progress of Science and useful Arts, by securing for limited Times to Authors and Inventors the exclusive Right to their respective Writings and Discoveries.
To constitute Tribunals inferior to the Supreme Court.
To define and punish Piracies and Felonies committed on the high Seas, and Offenses against the Law of Nations.
To declare War, grant Letters of Marque and Reprisal, and make Rules concerning Captures on Land and Water.
To raise and support Armies, but no Appropriation of Money to that Use shall be for a longer Term than two Years.
To provide and maintain a Navy.
To make Rules for the Government and Regulation of the land and naval Forces.
To provide for calling forth the Militia to execute the Laws of the nation, suppress Insurrections and repel Invasions.
To provide for organizing, arming, and disciplining the Militia, and for governing such Part of them as may be employed in the Service of California, reserving to the States respectively, the Appointment of the Officers, and the Authority of training the Militia according to the discipline prescribed by Congress.
To exercise exclusive legislation in all cases whatsoever over all Places purchased for the Erection of Forts, Magazines, Arsenals, dock-Yards, and other needful Buildings. And
To make all Laws which shall be necessary and proper for carrying into Execution the foregoing Powers, and all other Powers vested by this Constitution in the Government of California, or in any Department or Officer thereof.
Section 6. Limitations of Congress
The privilege of the Writ of Habeas Corpus shall not be suspended, unless when in Cases of Rebellion or Invasion the public Safety may require it.
No Bill of Attainder or ex post facto Law shall be passed.
No capitation, or other direct, Tax shall be laid, unless in Proportion to the Census or Enumeration.
No Money shall be drawn from the Treasury, but in Consequence of Appropriations made by Law; and a regular Statement and Account of the Receipts and Expenditures of all public Money shall be published from time to time.
No Title of Nobility shall be granted by California: And no Person holding any Office of Profit or Trust under them, shall, without the Consent of the Congress, accept of any present, Emolument, Office, or Title, of any kind whatever, from any King, Prince or foreign State.
