[Withdrawn] Amendments to the Scroll of Ma'at
Posted: Thu Sep 07, 2017 3:05 pm
Amendments to the Scroll of Ma'at wrote:Scroll of Ma'at Preamble
We, the citizens of the Osiris Fraternal Order, have convened to establish this Scroll of Ma'at as a covenant between us and as the official constitution of the Osiris Fraternal Order, in order to ensure the peace, order, and good governance of our regional community. It is our hope and our commitment that the government hereby established will foster an active and engaged community built upon a foundation of mutual respect, cooperation, and friendship between us and between all residents of Osiris.
I. Citizenship in Osiris
Establishing basic procedure for admission to citizenship
(1) Any resident of Osiris is eligible to apply for citizenship via the regional forum according to procedure and requirements established by the Pharaoh, subject to further regulation by law.
(2) The Pharaoh is responsible for approving or rejecting citizenship applications within seven days of filing. Procedure for approval or rejection of citizenship applications neglected by the Pharaoh and for appealing rejection of citizenship applications may be established by law.
(3) Citizens admitted to citizenship during a vote in the Council of Scribes or during an election period, or within seven days prior to the opening of a vote in the Council of Scribes or the opening of nominations in an election period, will not be permitted to vote in that vote or election.
Establishing basic procedure for revocation of citizenship
(4) The Chief Vizier, designated Vizier(s), or deputies will revoke the citizenship of any citizen whose nation in Osiris voluntarily relocates or ceases to exist, subject to further regulation by law.
(5) Additional requirements for maintenance of citizenship may be established by law. Revocation of citizenship for failure to meet such requirements must be equally applied.
(6) The Pharaoh may, with the approval of the Council of Guardians, impose suspension or revocation of citizenship or other penalties to preserve the security and stability of Osiris.
Establishing basic rights of citizenship
(7) Citizens have the right to free thought and free expression. No citizen will be prevented from freely expressing their opinion in regard to any aspect of regional policy and decisionmaking.
(8) Citizens have the right to vote in the Council of Scribes and in all elections, in accordance with this constitution and provided they maintain citizenship for the duration of voting.
(9) Citizens have the right to stand for election to any elected office, provided they meet qualifications established by law.
(10) The free exercise of these rights may be limited by terms of service, applicable NationStates rules, and laws that reasonably serve to protect the region, its community, or its government.
II. Pharaoh of Osiris
Establishing the office and powers of the Pharaoh
(1) The Pharaoh will be the head of state and World Assembly (WA) Delegate of Osiris. The Pharaoh will serve until abdication or removal from office, or will automatically be removed from office upon their WA nation in Osiris resigning from the WA, being expelled from the WA, or ceasing to exist.
(2) The Pharaoh may otherwise be removed from office by a three-quarters vote of the Council of Scribes and the concurrence of two-thirds of the Council of Guardians. The Pharaoh may only be removed from office in this manner for dereliction of duty, abuse of authority, or violation of the law.
(3) The Pharaoh will be responsible for maintaining regional security, determining game-side regional settings, appointing and dismissing game-side Regional Officers, and ensuring order on the Regional Message Board, subject to further regulation by law.
(4) The Pharaoh will be the commander-in-chief of the Sekhmet Legion of Osiris, the raider military force of Osiris, and will be responsible for all regional intelligence, counterintelligence, and security operations, subject to further regulation by law.
(5) The Pharaoh will be responsible for prosecution of crimes against Osiris, subject to further regulation by law. The Pharaoh may, with the approval of the Council of Scribes, pardon or commute the sentence of anyone convicted of any crime by the Council of Priests.
Establishing the legislative role of the Pharaoh
(6) The Chief Scribe or their deputy will promptly present the Pharaoh with all legislation passed by the Council of Scribes, including repeals, unless otherwise provided for by this constitution. The Pharaoh may assent to such legislation or withhold assent. If the Pharaoh assents to legislation, it will be enacted into law. If the Pharaoh neither grants nor withholds assent within seven days of receiving the legislation, the legislation will automatically be enacted into law.
(7) Amendment to or repeal of this constitution must in all cases receive the explicit assent of the Pharaoh, and under no circumstances will amendment to or repeal of this constitution be subject to any time limit or any other process provided by this constitution for enacting legislation into law without the assent of the Pharaoh.
Establishing the office of the Heir Apparent
(8) The Pharaoh may, with the approval of the Council of Scribes and the Council of Guardians, select an Heir Apparent to hold the second most endorsements in the region, up to a limit determined by the Pharaoh. The Pharaoh may vacate the office of the Heir Apparent.
(9) The Heir Apparent will serve until resignation, succession to the office of Pharaoh, or removal from office, or will automatically be removed from office upon their WA nation in Osiris resigning from the WA, being expelled from the WA, or ceasing to exist.
(10) The Heir Apparent may otherwise be removed from office by a two-thirds vote of the Council of Scribes and the concurrence of an absolute majority of the Council of Guardians. The Heir Apparent may only be removed from office in this manner for dereliction of duty, abuse of authority, or violation of the law.
(11) The Heir Apparent will automatically succeed to the office of Pharaoh upon the Pharaoh's abdication or removal from office. In the absence of the Pharaoh, the Heir Apparent will serve as Acting Pharaoh if available to do so, subject to further regulation by law.
(12) The Pharaoh may delegate the exercise and fulfillment of the powers and responsibilities of the office of Pharaoh to the Heir Apparent, but may only temporarily permit the Heir Apparent to take the WA Delegacy of Osiris, subject to further regulation by law.
(13) The Heir Apparent will be styled as His or Her Royal Highness, the Crown Prince or Crown Princess of Osiris, or by alternate pronouns and titles more appropriate to their gender identity as determined by the Pharaoh and the Heir Apparent.
Establishing the royalty and peerage of Osiris
(14) The Pharaoh may establish royalty and peerage of Osiris and may regulate their membership and conduct. The Pharaoh may grant such titles and styles of address to royals and peers, and may revoke titles and styles of address, as the Pharaoh deems appropriate.
(15) Elevation to royalty or peerage will be an honor conferred exclusively upon citizens or esteemed former citizens of Osiris by the Pharaoh to reward their dedication to Osiris, and will not confer any political or governmental benefit or role.
III. Council of Scribes
Establishing the composition and basic procedure of the Council of Scribes
(1) The Council of Scribes will be the legislature of Osiris, comprised of all citizens of Osiris.
(2) The Pharaoh, the Heir Apparent, and Priests will have no vote in the Council of Scribes, and the Acting Pharaoh will have no vote in the Council of Scribes for the duration of their service as Acting Pharaoh.
(3) The outcome of any vote of the Council of Scribes will be determined by tallying the counts for and against. Abstentions will not be taken into account to determine the outcome of any vote.
(4) Unless otherwise provided by this constitution, all votes of the Council of Scribes will be determined by absolute majority vote, which is defined as 50%+1.
Establishing the legislative powers of the Council of Scribes
(5) The Council of Scribes may further provide for its procedural rules by law. In the absence of such law, or under circumstances not adequately covered by such law, the Chief Scribe may determine provisional procedure.
(6) The Council of Scribes has broad legislative power and may enact, amend, or repeal any law or resolution. Resolutions may be binding or non-binding in their effect. Resolutions that are non-binding in their effect will not be subject to the assent of the Pharaoh.
(7) The Council of Scribes may ratify and amend treaties upon the request of the Chief Vizier or designated Vizier(s), and may repeal treaties on its own initiative, by two-thirds vote.
(8) The Council of Scribes may ratify declarations of war that are jointly submitted by the Pharaoh and the Chief Vizier with the prior approval of the Council of Guardians, and may repeal declarations of war on its own initiative, by two-thirds vote.
(9) The Council of Scribes may remove any official of Osiris from office by two-thirds vote, unless removal of a specific official has been otherwise provided for by this constitution. Removal of an official from office will not constitute legislation and will not be subject to the assent of the Pharaoh.
(10) The Council of Scribes may amend or repeal this constitution, the Scroll of Ma'at, by two-thirds vote. Repeal of this constitution will trigger an immediate constitutional convention and will empower the Pharaoh to form an interim government for the duration of the convention.
(11) Amendment to or repeal of this constitution excepted, the Council of Scribes may enact legislation into law by two-thirds vote if the Pharaoh has withheld assent from such legislation.
Establishing the office of the Chief Scribe
(12) The Chief Scribe will be the presiding officer of the Council of Scribes, and will preside over the Council of Scribes according to its procedural rules.
(13) The Chief Scribe will be elected by the Council of Scribes to a three month term, or whenever the office is vacant. In the event that the office of Chief Scribe is vacant, the Pharaoh will appoint an Acting Chief Scribe until a new Chief Scribe is elected.
(14) The Chief Scribe may make alterations to legislation prior to bringing it to vote for compliance with basic spelling and grammatical standards of American English, and any legislative formatting standards that may be established by law.
(15) The Chief Scribe may appoint deputies to assist in presiding over the Council of Scribes, and may delegate such powers of the Chief Scribe and other legislative tasks to such deputies as determined appropriate by the Chief Scribe.
IV. Council of Viziers
Establishing the composition and responsibilities of the Council of Viziers
(1) The Council of Viziers will be responsible for managing the executive government of Osiris in the name of the Pharaoh.
(2) The Council of Viziers will be comprised of the Pharaoh or their designated representative, the Chief Vizier, and a minimum of two additional Viziers. The structure, powers, and responsibilities of the Council of Viziers may be further regulated by law.
Establishing the office of the Chief Vizier
(3) The Chief Vizier will head the government of Osiris and preside over the Council of Viziers in the name of the Pharaoh. The Pharaoh may remove the Chief Vizier from office.
(4) The Chief Vizier will be elected by the Council of Scribes to a three month term, or whenever the office is vacant. In the event that the office of Chief Vizier is vacant, the Pharaoh may act as head of government or may appoint an Acting Chief Vizier until a new Chief Vizier is elected.
(5) The Chief Vizier will appoint Viziers and may appoint additional deputies and advisors to the Council of Viziers. Such appointments must receive the assent of the Pharaoh. The Pharaoh or the Chief Vizier may remove Viziers, deputies, and advisors.
V. Council of Guardians
Establishing the composition and responsibilities of the Council of Guardians
(1) The Council of Guardians will be the security council of Osiris, tasked with enforcing regional security in cooperation with the Pharaoh and the Heir Apparent. The Pharaoh or their designated representative may attend all meetings of the Council of Guardians.
(2) The Council of Guardians will be comprised of Guardians appointed by the Pharaoh and approved by the Council of Scribes. Guardians will be subject to re-approval by the Council of Scribes every six months, in the months of April and October.
(3) Guardians will maintain WA nations in Osiris and will be expected to maintain high endorsement counts, subject to further regulation by law, and up to a limit determined by the Pharaoh. This limit will be no lower than three-fifths of the Pharaoh's endorsement count.
(4) A Guardian will automatically be removed from office upon their WA nation in Osiris resigning from the WA, being expelled from the WA, ceasing to exist, or failing to maintain a minimum endorsement count if provided for by law.
(5) In the event that the office of Pharaoh is vacated and the office of Heir Apparent is vacant, the first available Guardian in the line of succession will succeed to the office of Pharaoh. The line of succession may be determined by the Pharaoh, subject to further regulation by law.
(6) In the absence of the Pharaoh, and if the Heir Apparent is unavailable or the office of Heir Apparent is vacant, the first available Guardian in the line of succession will serve as Acting Pharaoh, subject to further regulation by law.
(7) In the event that the office of Heir Apparent is vacant or the Heir Apparent is unavailable, the Pharaoh may delegate the exercise and fulfillment of the powers and responsibilities of the office of Pharaoh to the first available Guardian in the line of succession, but may only temporarily permit the Guardian to take the WA Delegacy of Osiris, subject to further regulation by law.
Establishing the basic procedure of the Council of Guardians
(8) Unless otherwise provided by this constitution, all votes of the Council of Guardians will be determined by absolute majority vote, which is defined as 50%+1.
(9) The Council of Guardians may further provide for its procedural rules. In the absence of such rules, or under circumstances not adequately covered by such rules, the Chief Guardian may determine provisional procedure. Such rules will be subordinate to regional law.
Establishing the office of the Chief Guardian
(10) The Council of Guardians will elect a Chief Guardian from among their number to preside over the Council of Guardians according to its procedural rules and to act as its chief point of communication. The Council of Guardians may elect a new Chief Guardian at any time.
VI. Council of Priests
Establishing the composition of the Council of Priests
(1) The Council of Priests is the judiciary of Osiris, comprised of three Priests, one each appointed by the Pharaoh, the Chief Vizier, and the Chief Scribe, with the approval of the Council of Scribes.
(2) The Chief Vizier or the Chief Scribe may appoint a new Priest to replace a Priest previously appointed by their office at the start of a new term. The Pharaoh may appoint a new Priest three months after a previous appointment by their office, every three months thereafter, or at the start of a new term.
(3) If a new appointment is not made within fourteen days of the replacement dates provided above, the incumbent Priest will be subject to re-approval by the Council of Scribes. If the Priest is not re-approved, the office responsible for the appointment will make a new appointment.
Establishing the responsibilities of the Council of Priests
(4) The Council of Priests is responsible, subject to further regulation by law, for hearing criminal charges, determining guilt or lack of guilt, and imposing penalties upon guilty parties.
(5) The Council of Priests is responsible, subject to further regulation by law, for evaluating and determining the validity of any interpretive challenges to regional law based on contradiction of this constitution or other laws, and to actions by regional officials based on contradiction of this constitution or regional law.
(6) Except as otherwise provided by this constitution, the Council of Priests is the final and authoritative arbiter of regional justice and interpretation of regional law.
Establishing the basic procedure of the Council of Priests
(7) A single Priest may be selected by the Council of Priests to preside over a criminal hearing or interpretive challenge as Chief Priest for that hearing or challenge. All criminal verdicts, sentencing, and interpretive decisions will be decided by two-thirds vote.
(8) The Council of Priests may further provide for its procedural rules. Additional procedure for the Council of Priests may also be established by law. Procedural rules established by the Council of Priests will be subordinate to regional law.
VII. Government Officials
Establishing basic protections against governmental conflicts of interest
(1) The Pharaoh, the Heir Apparent, the Chief Scribe, the Chief Vizier, and Priests are classified as senior government officials. Senior government officials may not serve in more than one senior government office at a time.
(2) Viziers, Guardians, and executive or legislative deputies are classified as junior government officials and may simultaneously serve in any other office.
(3) Additional protections against governmental conflict of interest may be established by law.
Establishing basic requirements for government office
(4) Any elected or appointed government office may only be filled by citizens. Only citizens may vote for elected government officials.
(5) To be eligible for senior government office, a citizen must have maintained a WA nation in Osiris endorsing the Pharaoh or active participation in the Sekhmet Legion for two months or longer, or have held citizenship for a cumulative total of six months or more.
VIII. Regional Forum
Establishing the official regional forum of Osiris
(1) The official forum of the Osiris Fraternal Order and the sole regional forum authorized for official use in Osiris, which must be linked to in the game-side World Factbook Entry at all times, is located at the following URL: https://osiris.valthost.com/index.php
(2) Should the official regional forum cease to exist or otherwise become permanently unavailable, forum administration is authorized to immediately establish a replacement regional forum.
(3) Except as authorized by the above provision, the official regional forum may not be replaced without amendment to this constitution.
Establishing the responsibilities of forum administration
(4) Forum administration will facilitate the technical needs of the forum community of the Osiris Fraternal Order.
(5) No provision of this constitution nor any law or policy will be construed to limit or interfere with the responsibility and authority of forum administration to safeguard the out-of-character security of the regional forum or its community.
(6) Forum administration will have final authority on forum permissions, and may deny or revoke forum permissions based on risk to the security of the forum or its users, or violation of forum terms of service. Such denial of forum permissions will not be subject to appeal.
IX. Legal Supremacy and Continuity
Establishing the legal supremacy of the Scroll of Ma'at
(1) This Scroll of Ma'at is the official constitution and supreme law of Osiris. No law, policy, or action by officials of Osiris may contradict this constitution.
Establishing legal continuity with prior constitutions and governments
(2) The Osiris Fraternal Order governed by this constitution retains legal continuity with the Osiris Fraternal Order governed by the State Code of Osiris, for the sole purpose of recognizing and honoring all treaties in force pursuant to that Code, except those explicitly nullified by the Transitional Government of the Osiris Fraternal Order after dissolution of that Code.
(3) Law enacted by the Council of Scribes under the authority of the Transitional Government of the Osiris Fraternal Order, and with the assent of the Pharaoh, will remain in force under this constitution unless repealed, provided such law does not contradict this constitution.
(4) Citizens recognized as such by the Transitional Government of the Osiris Fraternal Order at the time of this constitution's ratification are automatically enrolled as citizens under this constitution.