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5. National Objects
  
  Article 48- Parliament  
48.1 Parliament  
  1. Legislative power  
  All legislative Powers shall be vested in a National Parliament (The Parliament), which shall consist of two houses– a Senate and a Congress. Congress shall be elected representatives, while the Senate shall be appointments by the Region and Executive.  
  2. Parliamentary sessions  
  Excepting a national election year, every year there shall be four sessions of fixed days corresponding to equal divisions of the year whereby members of both houses of Parliament are summonsed to attend. The commencement of Senate sessions shall always correspond to the commencement of sessions for Congress.  
  Each of these sessions shall be named for the season to which they correspond, namely Summer, Autumn, Winter and Spring Session. A day within a session when members of both houses of Parliament are summonsed to sit in Parliament shall be called a Sitting Session Day.  
  A day within a session when members of both houses of Parliament are not summonsed to sit in Parliament shall be called a Non-Sitting Session Day.  
  3. National Election Year  
  During a year in which a national election is to be called, the Parliament shall not sit for the Spring session. Instead the last session of Parliament before it is dissolved shall be the Winter session.  
  4. Life of Parliament  
  Parliament shall exist for a fixed period of four (4) years before being dissolved ahead of National Elections for a new Parliament.  
  5. Dissolution of Parliament  
  Parliament shall be dissolved every four years following that last day of the Winter Session for both houses of Parliament.  
  The instrument of dissolution shall be three writs issued by the President:  
  (1) To the leaders of both houses of Parliament ordering the chambers of both houses to be sealed until a new Parliament is elected.  
  (2) To the two Vice-Presidents ordering the government to institute caretaker provisions which forbids the appointment of any new positions, the announcement of any new projects or the commissioning of any new expenditure.  
  (3) To the national director of the National Election Commission requiring the commencement of National Election provisions for the conduct of a National Election to elect a new Executive Government and Parliament.  
  6. Date of National Election  
  The date of a national election shall always occur within the Spring months, allowing 40 days prior to the date of the election for the official campaign period.  
  7. Formation of new Parliament  
  The formation of a new Parliament shall occur within 14 days after the National Election day following the count and verification of all votes.  
  The instrument of formation of a new Parliament shall be three declarations from the National Director of the National Election Commission:  
  (1) To each successful candidate for election to Congress confirming their validity as the rightful representative of their constituency;  
  (2) To the successful candidate for election as President and the two Vice-Presidents confirming their validity as the rightful executive to form government;  
  (3) To the caretaker President that the election result has been verified and that writs to summons successful candidates to be sworn into Parliament and form the new Executive must now be issued.  
  Upon receipt of the declaration, the caretaker President shall be required to issue writs within seven (7) days for the summonsing to Parliament of successful candidates to form the new Parliament and Executive.  
  8. Quorum  
  The minimum number of members (quorum) required to be present within the chamber of a House of Parliament to permit the full exercise of its powers shall be one third the total number of members of that house.  
  Neither House of Parliament shall be permitted to undertake procedures that require a quorum if the total number of members in that House is not equal or greater to the quorum.  
  9. Voting  
  Voting in both houses of Parliament shall be by open vote expressed as either Yes or No to the proposition before the chamber.  
  Voting shall always require a quorum and shall follow the standard procedures listed in this Charter.  
  Total votes shall be tallied as either Yes, or No to the proposition expressed by the Bill. A higher total number of Yes votes to No votes shall deem the Bill or proposition has been passed. A higher total number of No votes to Yes votes shall deem the Bill or proposition has been defeated.  
  The record, attendance and vote of all members of both Houses of Parliament shall be recorded on the public record.  
  10. Public record of proceedings  
  The sessions on the floor of both Houses shall be open for the public record with all speeches, debates, motions, votes and documents recorded in Hansard.  
  Furthermore, all committee meetings and special sessions of reviews shall also be open for the public record, except those proceedings voted and passed by both houses as being regular meetings of national security. An expenditure related review may never be closed to public scrutiny.  
  11. Legal privilege  
  During their Attendance at the Session of their respective Houses, and in going to and returning from the same, all member of Parliament shall be privileged from arrest except in matters of Treason, Felony and Breach of the Peace. Such priviledge does not extend to their property or office which shall fall under the normal course of law and investigation and right to search by issued Warrant.  
  During debate in both Houses, all spoken and written material presented and entered into the Hansard of proceedings shall be privileged and immune from civil liability.  
48.2 The Senate  
  1. Construction of the Senate  
  The Senate shall be composed of two (2) senators for each State, directly chosen by the Parliament of the State, the two Vice-Presidents and Directors of the National Board of Directors with each Senator having the power of one vote.  
  Senators shall be appointed for a term of four (4) years corresponding to the interposing cycle of fixed terms of State Elections and National Elections.  
  2. Power of the Senate  
  Vested by the Charter, the Senate shall have the power to review all bills passed by Congress and proposed as law, all budgets, expenditure and official planning of the executive.  
  The Senate shall not have the power to originate bills, nor to block money Bills required for the general operation and function of Government.  
  The Senate shall also have the power to commission National Commissions of Investigation with the power to call any individual resident within the nation and any information located within the borders of the nation to review.  
  3. Prefect of the Senate (Senate Prefect)  
  Responsibility for good conduct and control of the Senate and the scheduling of business within the chamber shall be vested in the Office of Prefect of the Senate (Senate Prefect).  
  The Prefect of the Senate shall be an independent role, free from political party preferences. The candidate shall be elected by new senators themselves on the first day of sitting of Parliament following a National Election.  
  4. Senate session length  
  The total length of a Senate session shall be determined by the Senate Prefect and shall not be permitted to exceed 28 Sitting Session Days.  
  5. Senate attendance  
  The Senate Prefect shall be responsible for the issuing of summons to individual Senators for their attendance to Parliament.  
  Excepting special leave granted by the Senate Prefect due to matters of national security, health or extended personal matters, all Senators shall be required to attend the Sitting Session Days as listed in the summons.  
  Failure of a Senator to attend six (6) or more Session Sitting Days within one Session shall be deemed a failure to discharge the duties of their office and the Senate Prefect shall be responsible for immediately initiating an Senate Expulsion Motion or a Director Expulsion Motion should the Senator be a National Director.  
  Both Vice-Presidents shall be immune from any action for non-attendance breaches.  
48.3 The Congress  
  1. Construction of Congress  
  The Congress shall be composed of members directly chosen by the people of the Nation, with the total number of such members fixed at 144 with each member of Congress having one vote.  
  Members of Congress shall be elected by registered voters in their Electoral Districts for a term of four (4) years corresponding to the cycle of National Elections.  
  2. Power of the Congress  
  Vested by the Charter, the Congress shall have the power to create new bills and amend existing laws into bills for review.  
  The Congress shall also have the power to create new budgets for expenditure and financial management of the nation as well as to review the appointments of any person by the executive to a permanent position prescribed by this Charter.  
  The Congress also has vested by this Charter the power to commission a National Impeachment for the forced removal of any elected official from the President to any position within any branch of government in the nation.  
  3. Office of Speaker of Congress (House Speaker)  
  Responsibility for good conduct and control of the Congress and the scheduling of business within the chamber shall be vested in the Office of Speaker of Congress (House Speaker).  
  The Speaker of Congress shall be an independent role, free from political party preferences. The candidate shall be elected by new congressmen and congresswomen themselves on the first day of sitting of the new parliament after a National Election.  
  5. Congress session length  
  The total length of a Congress session shall be determined by the House Speaker and shall not be permitted to exceed 28 Sitting Session Days.  
  6. Congress attendance  
  The House Speaker shall be responsible for the issuing of summons to individual Congress members for their attendance to Parliament.  
  Excepting special leave granted by the House Speaker due to matters of national security, health or extended personal matters, all members of Congress shall be required to attend the Sitting Session Days as listed in the summons.  
  Failure of a member of Congress to attend six (6) or more Session Sitting Days within one Session shall be deemed a failure to discharge the duties of their office and the House Speaker shall be responsible for immediately initiating an Congressional Expulsion Motion.  
     
 
 

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