PREAMBLE

Under Article III Section 5 of the Constitution, the task to "Alter the Articles of Law" falls to the Senate.

Further, consideration must be given to:

Article III Sections 6 and 7, concerning absence of Senators and their deputies.
Article II section 6, concerning absence of the President and Vice president.
Article IV section 3, concening absence of the Supreme Court Justices.

The Senate takes responsibility to draft a law defining "Absence" and the actions that must be taken when an official is absent.

DECISION

By majority, the Senate decides the following:

Definition of "Absent"

- The President is condsidered absent if he fails to respond to a critical issue within 2 days.

- A Supreme Court Justice is condsidered absent if he fails to respond to a critical issue within 3 days.

- A Senator is condsidered absent if he fails to respond to a critical issue within 2 days.

Replacements

- The Vice President may stand in for the President, when the President is deemed absent, or if the President asks him to.

- A Deputy Senator may stand in for a Senator, when the Senator is deemed absent, or if the Senator asks him to.

- The Supreme court currently has no deputies. If, in future, such a deputy position (or similar) exists, then such a deputy may stand in for a Justice, when the Justice is deemed absent, or if the Justice asks him to.  If there is no such deputy position and both Justices are absent during a period where their input is required, the President shall appoint an "Interrim Justice" to fulfill the Supreme Court's duties only as far as is required for the game to continue.  After this has been accomplished, the Interrim Justice is to step down and elections for the two Supreme Court Justice seats shall be organized by the Senate as usual.  The Interrim Justice may not be a current member of the Presidency or the Senate (including Vice President and Deputy positions).

- There is an upper limit of 1 week if the absence is not requested, 2 weeks if requested. After that time the relevant government body must hold elections to fill the position on a permanent basis.

Senate Disbandment

- As Per the Consitution, Article III, Section 7: "Should half or more of the Senate become absent, the Senate shall be disbanded." The Supreme Court must hold elections to fill the positions for the remainder of the Senate's term of office.

"Relevant Government Body" for elections

- The Supreme court is responsible for the Presidency and Senate.
- The Senate is responisble for the Supreme Court. If the Senate is unable to deal with this, then President can deal with the Supreme Court, as a backup.

JUSTIFICATION

The Senate is of the opinion that fixed deadlines will assist to remove the confusion around when a government member is deemed absent.

This law will allow for deputies to fill the shoes of their superior, for a temporary basis, to keep the government from waiting on a particular official to make decisions.

It also means that after prolonged absence, an election should be called to replace positions that have become vacant due to absence.

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All votes are to be cast in person with a call of Aye in favor, Nay if not in favor, or Abstain if indifferent to the proposed draft.

By the way, Scorpius is now considered absent, isn't he?  Who was his deputy?