Legislative Congress of Polaris

Legislative Congress of Polars

Seal of the Legislative Congress of Polaris
Type
Type	Bicameral
Houses	Senate (Upper House) Assembly of Representatives(Lower House)
Leadership
Leader	Nathaniel B. Kratz President of the Executive Administrative Council
Speaker of Upper House	Michael Rockford
Speaker of Lower House	Gary Bell
Chair of Ruling Party	Vernon Vanderbilt Polaris Democratic Party
Structure
Total Members	500 members
Upper House	120 Senators
- Political groups	Polaris Democratic Party (119) Continental Union Party (1)
Lower House	380 Representatives
- Political groups	Polaris Democratic Party (369),Continental Union Party (10) Conservative Action Party (1)
Elections
Upper House	Runoff
Lower House	Plurality-by-constituency
Last election held	July 29, 2011 (Senate), October 17th,2011 (Assembly of Representatives)
Misc. info
Meeting Place	Polaris Harborfront Center

The Legislative Congress of Polaris is the official legislative branch of the Government of the Federal Republic of Polaris. The legislature is seated at the Polaris Harborfront Center, formerly the place of meeting for the now-defunct Polaris City Council. Formally, the Legislative Congress of Polaris is governed by the 10-member Executive Administrative Council, and is officially Polaris' head of state. However, the title of the head of the Polarian Government is allotted to the President of the EAC, who is elected by the Senate of Polaris every five years. The Presidency, however is somewhat of a ceremonial role, as all members of the Administrative Council are delegated equal power. However, the President is the only Councillor with veto power.

The Upper House, known as the Senate is elected by runoff elections, first held without a campaign on July 29, 2011. Primaries are required to be held by the parties for all 120 electoral districts. The winner of each primary is determined by a select group of 500 voters, known as an electoral college. Each constituency is awarded one electoral college, who then elects these respective candidates for the general Senate election. In a Senate election,a first-past-the-post system is used to determine the winner. The Lower House is the 380-member Assembly of Representatives, with candidates delegated to each district by the party themselves. A first-past-the-post system is also used for the Assembly of Representatives.

Within the Polaris Legislative Congress, the Assembly of Representatives are constituted by the Polaris Constitution a substantial amount of legislative capabilities over the Senate. In the Legislature, the Assembly of Representatives can override a ruling by the Senate, and can send a piece of legislation directly to the EAC without further intervention by the Senate. The Assembly of Representatives is the origin of most legislation and ordinances. The Senate is mainly utilized as a "safety net" for each bill ordained, and can check for any contradictions or discrepancies within each bill. The Senate also manages some of Polaris' financial assets.

History

The Legislative Congress of Polaris is the current successor to fifty-six municipal governments, among them the Polaris City Council, Penguville City Commission, the Enderby City Municipal Council and the Snowville City Council. As there was no more need for a municipal government in Polaris once the Polaris SAD Amendment was passed on July 23, 2011. The Polaris Independence Celebration, held on July 23, officially declared the Polaris City Council and other municipal governments in the new district dissolves therein. The Polaris City Council held it's final session on July 23, from 3:00 PM to 4:30 PM.

The Polaris City Council is the direct predecessor to the Legislative Congress of Polaris, under a Polarian resolution. The Polaris City Council was first formed in 1882, with the founding of Polaris City by Jacob Albert Monte Captio, the first Mayor of Polaris. Then, the council was called the Polaris City Commission, which elected a board of eleven commissioners to govern the city of Polaris. At the time, Polaris implemented a very nonchalant form of government, allowing citizens to almost govern themselves. The Polaris City Commission also appointed a Mayor, which was a ceremonial role, and had no executive power whatsoever. The Polarians also has two city departments, the Department of Utilities and Transportation and the Department of Finance and the Clerk's Office. Polaris was a minuscule fishing town, and had a populace of 17,000 by 1905. The Commission was seated at Connery Square Hall, Polaris' oldest sksycraper and stood at 702. Nevertheless, the Commission was coated with a slew of scandals and corruption.

However, when Whoot Smackler Whoot took power, toppling the High Penguin Confederacy, the city was changed into a rightist dictatorship, ruled by "people's committees". The regime was toppled by the 1942 First Polarian Revolution.

The Polaris SAD was formed in 2011 under an amendment to the Constitution of the United States of Antarctica, the Polarian SAD Amendment, was ratified by both a majority referendum and by the South Pole Council. Thereafter, elections were held, and respective representatives were elected. The government of the Polaris SAD was somewhat unstable, as many were pushing for independence from the USA politically.

In September 2011, waves of protests against Antarctic political intervention in Polaris sprung up, therefore starting the Second Polarian Revolution. The Legislative Congress of Polaris had commended the protesters, and also rooted for the Polarian independence movement. On October 17, 2011, the Federal Republic of Polaris was formed, while the government's format remained the same. A new Polarian Constitution was also approved as well.

Composition

Executive Administrative Council (EAC)

The Executve Administrative Council, otherwise designated by it's acronym the EAC, in addition to the media-coined metonym of "The E-Front", is a ten-member collective head of state, appointed by the Assembly of Representatives, with terms of four years for each Councillor, and four for the President and Vice President. There are no restrictions implementing term limits for any elected official. The Councillors of the collective head-of-state are separate from the Legislative branch, but can veto any bills whatsoever. The Executive Administrative Council is the final destination for every proposition. The EAC members are also ex-officio cabinet ministers, and make up the Executive Cabinet of Polaris, which has ten prioritized ministries, while the other ministries are controlled by the Assembly of Representatives. The EAC conducts it's day-to-day meetings in the Commons Room of the EAC, on the 12th floor. The EAC is permitted to deploy defense forces, veto and sign legislation, approve government budgets. The President of the EAC, is bested with the utmost power, having the power if vetoing any decision by the EAC, the ability of vote twice, should a stalemate be reached among Council members. The Council, under Polarian law prohibits them from dissolving Congress, implementing martial law, going to war without Legislative approval and cronyism.

Senate

The Senate is the upper chamber that is a vital element of the Legislative Congress of Polaris. The Senate was preceded by the dissolved Polaris Executive Board, which was delegated an approximately equal amount of legislative aptitude as it currently maintains. However, the Executive Board had less representatives, which totalled to twenty at the time if permanent adjournment of the Polaris City Council in mid-2011. The Senate is led by Senate President Michael Rockford, and is the ex-officio Majority Leader. The President pro tempore, Dan Whiticker assumed his role in 2011 as well. The Senate is given less legislative abilities than the lower chamber, as the Senate, as quoted by some scholars is for use as a "safety net" or "flour sifter". The Senate looks more into bills than the Assembly of Representatives, and is permitted to insert or remove any amendments or legislation within the voting and debating process. Nonetheless, the Senate may not, under any circumstances introduce any new bills, or legislation. Bills and acts of legislation are strictly required to originate from the lower house. The Senate of Polaris is very structured, and has one-hundred and twenty Senators, each elected via runoff elections in all 120 constituencies. The Senate holds most of it's meetings in the Grand Senate Chamber, located on the 33rd-37th floors of the Central Tower of the Polaris Harborfront Center. The Polaris City Council's former Municipal Assembly chamber is the one in current use for the Senate.

Assembly of Representatives

The Assembly of Representatives is described by many are the principal organ of the LCP. The Legislative Congress vests the majority of legislative power to the Assembly of Representatives, over the Senate. There are 130 Representatives in the LCP, with new seats added each month. The Chambers of the Assembly of Representatives though, can only hold up to 233 members. The AR is elected through plurality-by-constituency voting, with the candidate with the most ballots, not a majority of votes. The Assembly holds elections every four years. A vote of no-confidence, if and when it is presented and is approved by a 75% supermajority may the EAC dissolve the AR and hold elections. This vote of no-confidence has never been used throughout Polarian history. The Assembly if Representatives has three divisions, the Committee Division, The Ministry Division and the Administrative Head, the Speaker of the House and the leaders of the party in government.

The Committee Division is comprised of several ad hoc committees of ten representatives, appointed by the Administrative Head. The committees are only utilized for hearings, studies, investigations and reports on certain topics, such as the Privization of Polarian healthcare. There are thirteen committees, who on a daily basis convene at one of 15 committee briefing rooms, and hold press conferences at the Committee Press Conference Center.

Jurisdiction

The Constitution of the Special Administrative District of Polaris restrains governmental power from the Legislative Congress. The government of the Polaris SAD is the topmost tier of government district and is followed by the lesser-known, less-powerful Municipal Commissions. The Polaris SAD government may only pass laws explicity under their behest. The items, in which the Federal Republic of Polaris government may lawfully pass legislation are finance, education, healthcare, investments, altering the Constitution, recreation and parks, and transportation. The FR Polaris may not pass laws concerning one municipality or district, as those issues are handled only by Municipal Commissions. The Polarian government can also overpower the Municipal Commissions, should they defy Polarian law, or be ruled against by a court of law. Certain things, such as licensing are handled by both tiers of government. The Municipal Commissions may not under any circumstances, implement any taxes, as per a collective agreement. in the unlikely case that a Municipal Commission will collapse, the Polarian SAD government and an interim committee of Representatives will act as the formal ruling MC of that constituency. Finance laws regarding banking do not affect banks based outside of Polaris, as banks from foreign countries, including the USA must follow the local laws of the country in which they are based.

Officeholders

Executive Administrative Council

• President of the Executive Administrative Council:Nathaniel B. Kratz
• Vice President of the Executive Council:Annalie Reed
• Secretary of State:Samuel Rudi
• Secretary of Finance:Allen Bennett Hayes
• Secretary of the Environment, Transportation and Utilities:James Monroe West
• Secretary of Defense and Police:D.I. Scott Green
• Secretary of Justice:Angela Cole-Jefferson
• Secretary of Public Works and Infrastructure:Jacob Reginald Enderby III
• Secretary of Economic Affairs and Commerce:John Wilkes
• Secretary of Food and Agriculture:Elizabeth Krilling
• Secretary of Health and Education:Candace Fitzsimmons

Senate

• President of the Senate:Michael Rockford
• President pro tempore of the Senate:Sanders Hatt
• Majority Leader of the Senate:Adrian Taylor
• Majority Whip of the Senate:Harry Flurden
• Minority Leader of the Senate:Lianna Faro
• Senate Sub-Committee Commissioner:Daley Dwight

Assembly of Representatives

• Speaker of the Assembly of Representatives:Gary Bell
• Deputy Speaker of the Assembly of Representatives:Darren Delunkin
• Majority Leader of the Assembly of Representatives:Vernon Vanderbilt
• Majority Whip of the Assembly of Representatives:Theodore Guttierez
• First Minority Leader of the Assembly of Representatives:Hailey Hainsworth
• First Minority Whip of the Assembly of Representatives:Timothy Arbor
• Second Minority Leader of the Assembly of Representatives: Nancy Nectar
• Sergeant-At-Arms of the Assembly of Representatives:Rickson Perrie

Current standings

As of October 17, 2011 there are a total of 500 representatives in the Legislative Congress of Polaris. The Second Legislative Congress of Polaris officially convened on October 18, 2011. As there was a large time gap between the elections of the Senate and Assembly, the Senate convened on August 1, 2011 instead. The centre-left Polaris Democratic Party has 487 representatives in the Congress, the leftist Continental Union Party holds 10 seats, while the Conservative Action Party and Independents hold one each.

Senate

• Polaris Democratic Party (119)
• Independent (1)

Assembly of Representatives

• Polaris Democratic Party (369)
• Continental Union Party' (10)
• Vacant (1)

Procedure

The Legislative Congress of Polaris utilizes an electronic vote, rather than a division or voice vote to determine the result of passing legislation. The presiding officer, in this case, the President of the Senate, or the Speaker of the Assembly will put in the question. Each of the member's desks at the Legislative Congress of Polaris are fitted with a touch-screen computer. Once the question is stated, members will have three choices, Yea, Nay, or may abstain from voting. In the event that the electronic system may break down, a teller vote is held. There are usually 9 tellers in each chamber, in which members may cast their ballot by placing a green, red or yellow card into the ballot box. The green card represents a "Yea" vote, a red for "Nay" and yellow to abstain from voting. Polarian enactments also uphold that a majority of 60% should be achieved for every piece of legislation.

There are two other types of voting that the LCP can execute. These types of voting are voice vote and secret ballot. Secret ballot is only used when electing the Executive Administrative Council, to ensure that no voter will be influenced by the majority. In the voting procedure, members are to scribe their choice for the EAC, and are given a letter-size ballot, which is folded twice and is placed into one of 15 voting boxes, adjacent to the clerk's dais. Each of the members can cast solely one vote. A voice vote has never in the history of the LCD, and will be held should teller voting or electronic voting be unavailable. Members are required to stand, and state their choice, as the Speaker will go about each of the rows of seats. Voice votes can also be recorded, as per a request by a Representative or Senator.