Turn 1 Voting

[Iron Sky]

House Echelon (major house) votes as follows:

1. Nay.
2. Aye.
3. Nay.

I am afraid the bill is written such that each point is included on the same bill.

In that case, House Echelon votes NAY.

[virtutis.umbra]

House Phoenix dearly, dearly hopes that the Assembly Chair will reconsider their ruling with regard to voting procedures on these three matters, as it was explicitly the intention of this delegation that the proposals be evaluated individually for their merits, rather than requiring honorable delegates like Houses Far Stars and Echelon to vote against their conscience regarding measures they find acceptable.

Ramming through an all-or-nothing legislative monolith was not what the Incorporated Republic of Phoenix had in mind, nor is it what this delegation suggested, for the Repatriation Protocol; the Sovereignty Resolution; and the Subsidy Act.

[StevetheERB]

Erina Boudicca rises to her feet, the synth-silk of her gown rustling softly. She smiles to the assembled members of the Assembly.

"My friends, it pleases me that such vigorous debate has taken place while I was dealing with some small personal matters. I am also pleased to be able to attend this first session of the Assembly in person so that we may put to rest this small procedural matter. As current Head of the Assembly, I must back the intent of House Pheonix to propose these three pieces of legislation as three separate motions to be voted on independently. With no other legislation pending, the Assembly can easily handle these as three individual items within the current session ((OOC i.e. there's nothing else so we're not in danger of violating the three per turn rule)). So, for those of you who have yet to vote, please be specific in casting your ballots."

[virtutis.umbra]

Assembly Chair Boudicca, it is a pleasure to welcome you back to the Assembly. I confess that in the throes of progressive fervor, the Phoenix delegation neglected to remember the limitation of three new legislative proposals introduced per session; in that light it makes sense why Imperial Delegate Raptor must have assumed the Act, Resolution, and Protocol as a unified legislative package.

It is with great gratitude that we welcome your ruling to allow these three proposals to stand as separate laws for voting, and with relief that we note this does not put the session over its limit this time. Should House Phoenix be similarly overzealous in proposing multiple laws in future sessions, we pledge to withdraw those beyond the first if any other House wishes to put forward a legislative proposal of its own: the Incorporated Republic believes the Assembly is best served when all voices are heard and all aspirations made apparent.

Would the Assembly Chair be so kind as to read the per-item vote counts at this time? I shall not presume to enter an official statement of the totals...

[mwaschak]

With my good friend Erina in a attendance, I see no reason not to proceed with a by item vote. She is also one who is quick to throw her veto behind any bill she doesn't like out right.

Unless I am mistaken, this takes the current vote to:

Item 1:
Pro: 21
Con: 14

Item 2:
Pro: 35
Con: 0

Item 3:
Pro: 21
Con: 14

[Takeyabue]

Following extensive consultation with my two fellow factors, House Suratte is prepared to exercise its' 7 votes as follows:

item 1: Aye

item 2: Aye

item 3: Aye

However, House Suratte reserves the right to explore additional non-military means of restoring those current not participating in our councils to these deliberations.

Pieter van der Broecke
Factor Resident
House Suratte

[TangoTarheel]

House Thoth votes as follows

Item one: Aye
Item two: Nay
Item three: Aye

[mwaschak]

Item 1:
Pro: 35
Con: 14

Item 2:
Pro: 42
Con: 7

Item 3:
Pro: 35
Con: 14

Interesting...

[virtutis.umbra]

Would the Imperial Ambassador or the Assembly Chair kindly specify the point in time today at which voting will close?

[mwaschak]

Would the Imperial Ambassador or the Assembly Chair kindly specify the point in time today at which voting will close?

No new votes will be accepted after 6 EST.

At this time House Raptor will refrain from voting. Vetoing remains an option as ever.

[virtutis.umbra]

Er. Ahem. Point of Parliamentary Procedure. Honored Assembly Chair and Imperial Delegation, absent either of your vetos these three Draft Laws appear to have garnered more Yea votes than Nay. I do not have my copy of the Assembly Bylaws near at hand, however, so I beg the Assembly's forgiveness to ask quickly: must any particular minimum proportion of Assembly member Houses vote, or a minimum proportion of raw votes be cast, to constitute quorum for closure of voting procedures and tallying of results?

Or have these three measures passed on the strength of their current margins of Pro vs Con?

[mwaschak]

No. We take the total votes based on the number cast. House Raptor will participate in voting and all three measures will pass. Laws will take effect for the upcoming turn 2.

Or have these three measures passed on the strength of their current margins of Pro vs Con?

[Iron Sky]

House Echelon protests part 3 of the law about to go into effect.

If this is understood correctly, from here on out any system not currently owned by a house will automatically join the first house to move ships into orbit? Will it remain in their possession should said ships leave or is this a permanent first-claimant law?

What if the independent system doesn't wish to join? This is military occupation, coercion, and forced government succession based on threat of orbital bombardment of populations unable to defend themselves, plain and simple.

(OOC: Finally had some time to post after an absurdly busy June

[mwaschak]

House Raptor firmly agrees with House Echelon. While we did not directly oppose the law, we do not support the spirit of the bill. For example, word has reached Emperor Marcel of just such an engagement this week. A house is "claiming" a nearby system, a legacy Hegemony system who wishes no affiliation with our great NEE system. While the system is claimed, it is not theirs until they can take it. Our informants have not confirmed the outcome yet.

So I believe the net effect of this law will be recognition between the houses of the system, but not that of the locals.

OOC. No problem. We had a family vacation in June that set back my timetable a bit. Turn 2 will be there shortly though.

[Iron Sky]

OOC: So this doesn't have a mechanical effect? I.E. when someone goes to a neutral star, it automatically joins them? I was under the impression that was the case or do these laws never change default mechanics? Played too much Twilight Imperium (actually, you can never play too much Twilight Imperium) to trust the effects of what we vote on here.