First, the previous amendment which formed the Council of Guardians and Priests vested all emergency powers directly in the Pharaoh. Prior to this the council of priests were able to override and end a state of emergency (and also had, for the interim, emergency legislative powers vested in it). I'd think restoring that particular check in the checks and balances of our government may be a good idea.
To that end, I think we can revert to the previous legislative language but instead reserve this power for the Council of Guardians. The folk holding those ingame security positions are ideally suited to serve as an explicit check on any future Pharaoh's excesses.
This would require the following amendment to Article III, Section 1(8) of the Scroll of Ma'at:
Current text:
Amended text:(8) The Pharaoh may declare a regional state of emergency, dissolving the Council of Scribes, vacating all other government offices, and vesting executive, legislative, and judicial power in the office of the Pharaoh.
Along with that, we've got an issue with the acting pharaoh having the capacity to declare states of emergency and radically alter the government of Osiris during what should be a completely temporary position. I personally believe that states of emergency should be carefully considered and only instituted by a full pharaoh, and this amendment to Article IV, Section 1(4) of the Legal Code will reflect that:(8) The Pharaoh may declare a regional state of emergency, vacating the offices of Chief Scribe and Chief Vizier, suspending the Council of Scribes, vesting executive power in the office of the Pharaoh, and vesting legislative power in the Council of Guardians. The Council of Guardians may, by two-thirds majority vote, override and end a regional state of emergency.
Current text:
Amended Text:(4) The Acting Pharaoh will be vested with all powers of the Pharaoh for the duration of service as Acting Pharaoh, except the power to abdicate the office of Pharaoh on behalf of the Pharaoh or the power to vacate the office of Heir Apparent.
Following that is another security based amendment relating to acting pharaohs. Given that the Viziers and Guardians are somewhat smallish institutions, it could become quite problematic if Article IV, Section 1(5) of the Legal Code were invoked to approve or disapprove their ascension to the delegacy and they failed to recuse themselves from those votes (as they very may well be a Vizier or Guardian). As such, a simple change is needed:(4) The Acting Pharaoh will be vested with all powers of the Pharaoh for the duration of service as Acting Pharaoh, except the power to abdicate the office of Pharaoh on behalf of the Pharaoh, the power to vacate the office of Heir Apparent, or the power to declare a regional state of emergency.
Current text:
Amended text(5) The Acting Pharaoh will not assume the World Assembly Delegacy except by permission of the Pharaoh, or if the Pharaoh cannot be reached in an emergency, by permission of the Council of Guardians with the concurrence of the Council of Viziers.
And that's that. Let's discuss it.(5) The Acting Pharaoh will not assume the World Assembly Delegacy except by permission of the Pharaoh, or if the Pharaoh cannot be reached in an emergency, by permission of the Council of Guardians with the concurrence of the Council of Viziers. The Acting Pharaoh may not participate in such a vote.
