THE TUESDAY, JULY 1 MEETING HAS BEEN CANCELLED BECAUSE AT LEAST TWO OF THE RA MEMBERS HAD OTHER RL COMMITMENTS. WE ARE CURRENTLY TRYING TO SCHEDULE THE MEETING FOR THE SAME WEEK, JUST A DIFFERENT DAY. IT WILL BE ANNOUNCED IN THIS FORUM.
Agenda for the second 21st RA meeting, date and time to be announced
This is still an ambitious agenda, but we did not get nearly as much done as I would have hoped in the first meeting. I want to remind everyone that the seeming aggressiveness of the agenda is simply to schedule many of the issues for this term, prioritize the order of their consideration to give us both time to study the issues in commissions if necessary, but also to not try to pack each meeting with more questions than can be handled in the two hours.
I would like to remind everyone that both the meeting protocol and the proposal to schedule the list of legislative issues were approved in the first meeting. As well, Tor was selected to be LRA Pro Tempore and Cleo the Archivist during the 21st RA. I thank them both for their assuming duties in the RA in addition to representing their constituents. We also have had practice with the speaker roster protocol (SRP) device at the first meeting. I will try to have it made bigger and more visible for the next RA meeting. I will ask that everyone attending the RA meetings from now on adhere religiously to the meeting protocol.
1) Administrative Business (15 minutes)
1.1) Review and approve agenda
1.2) Review and approval of the previous June 14, 2014 meeting minutes
1.3) Introduce the Parliamentary Procedures documents
1.3) Executive Report. Optional since Ceasar made a report at the first June 14th meeting
2) Citizen Concerns
3) RA Members’ Concerns
4) Old Business
NA
5) New Business (65 min.)
5.1) Approval of Chancellor’s budget and the Chancellor's request that the Treasurer continue in office.
5.2) RA participation in the Government Hour
To establish a schedule with the dates the Chancellor reserved for other branches of government, and persons who will represent the RA.
5.3) Potential issues for the 21st RA to address based on citizen concerns and forum discussion, to be scheduled during the term of the 21st RA
The task here is to put the legislative projects in their priority order. Also to approve the projects proposed here and to add others if the RA so chooses, or as the citizens petition. If we can order the legislative projects now, this will give us time to organize the commissions early, and time for the commissions to report and for the RA to act.
If we get through this part quickly—the prioritizing of legislative projects, we will actually have time this meeting to start considering the first prioritized legislative item which I suspect will be the new sim(s). So it is important that we pre-study the agenda before the next meeting.
5.3.1) Conflicts of interest policy and rules regarding government officials: RA, Chancellor, SC. Review current laws in this regard and propose law to cover all legally constituted government officials. To include recusal guidelines.
This issue has appeared on various occasions in the forum. It is worthwhile identifying potential problem areas and to devise legislation or mechanisms to mitigate possible perceptions of conflict of interests.
*Consultation: two month commission and the forum
5.3.2) Powers of the Chancellor, and limits and controls on that power. Review current laws and if needed, propose amendments to them.
This is an issue that has appeared regularly in the forum.
*Consultation: one month commission and the forum
5.3.3) Review checks and balances among the three branches of the CDS government: RA, Chancellor, SC
The proper handling of this issue might obviate point number 5.3.6 below.
*Consultation: two month commission and the forum
5.3.4) Handling harassment in the CDS. How is harassment determined and how is it handled legally within the CDS
This was originally mentioned in a proposal for a grievance committee. The last that is known of this committee is after Cadence and Lam created a document for the RA, it was decided to let Ludo work on something more reconciliatory. We should revisit this and decide whether to proceed or come up with another mechanism.
*Consultation: RA discussion 2nd meeting, public inworld meetings
5.3.5) New Sim(s) and the standard process for acquiring, designing and building a CDS sim.
Review NL 8-2 “In-Theme” Expansion Act. Amend and modify if needed. Also look at NL 8-4 Private Development Act and CDSL 16-02 New Sim Competition Act
*Consultation: one month commission and the forum
5.3.5.1) New sim(s) legislation proposals: Gwyns bill, Development of New Region Act (see: http://forums.slcds.info/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=4621) , and Trebors bill, Proposal for Land Sale and Tier Act (see: http://forums.slcds.info/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=4877). Trebor’s suggestion that the financial aspect of the new sims needs to be addressed first or simultaneously with the proposal for planning
5.3.5.2) Building commission. With the difficulty to arrive at and maintain a consensus that we experienced in the LA sim reform, there is a suggestion to form an inter-sectorial building commission to handle all building codes and conformity with the covenants either in a preventative manner or to resolve disputes.
5.3.6) Citizen oversight committees, civil servants and citizen commissions/committees
This is an idea to expand verification power to ordinary citizens, and to develop mechanisms of citizen controls or avenues of reporting for perceived inappropriate actions on the part of government officials. If point 5.3.3 is done correctly, this might not be necessary.
*Consultation: two week commission and the forum
5.3.7) Expansion of calls for referendums
There are issues that cannot wait six months to be acted on. This is a proposal to make the referendum a permanent but extraordinary feature, details about when to call and regarding the particular topic to be decided in the RA.
*Consultation: RA discussion, two week commission
5.3.8 ) Government presenciality
There has been discussion in the forum regarding strict rules for the presence of citizens to be able to vote in the CDS elections, that they have to physically appear monthly instead of just every three months that the Hippo payment allows. However, it is a citizen’s prerogative to be here or not under the time considerations that he or she is able as long as he or she conforms to the minimum criterion of being a land owner. This same right is not true of government. We should make a law that requires elected government to be physically present in CDS a given percentage of time to be able to maintain the office. This issue has also recently been discussed in the forum regarding the EMs, but the idea would be to extend it to all officials.
*Consultation: RA discussion, one month commission
5.3.9) RA Access to information: Archie inventory control and Hippo tier data
We should maintain a bi-annual inventory control, such that every new term, Archie sends the RA and chancellor a list of the inventory that Archie has with indications regarding new acquisitions. RA should also know who has access to Archie such that in the event something is required the RA would know who to consult.
The chancellor or the treasurer should post tier data from Hippo at least once a month (the second Saturday of every month). This report would be exclusive to the RA and Exec or to the members of the SC if necessary evidence in a trial.
*Consultation: RA discussion 2nd meeting, one month commission
5.3.10) Procedure for the liquidation of CDS.
We should have a clearer method of doing this and the reasons for doing so.
*Consultation: Full term commission for RA discussion.
5.3.11) Gwyn’s bill proposal: Grant of Neufreistadt School to Guild Act
See: http://forums.slcds.info/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=4939 for the proposed text.
5.3.12) Other legislative issues proposed by RA members
5.4) Other new issues
6) Commission Reports
NA
7) General Announcements (5 min.)
8 ) Next RA Meeting (5 min)
9) Adjourn
MESSAGE TO RA MEMBERS:
In the idea of creating efficiency, I am asking that the RA members fill in this chart and get it to me at least one day before the RA meeting, so that I can compile the chart. If we are in pre-agreement over most of the items in this list, then we can dispense with a large part of the meeting without much discussion, and start on the first item prioritized in the list below. So please, please, RA members, get this chart to me by next Tuesday. The blank spaces on the bottom are to introduce other legislative projects you would like to see this term.
(I WILL SEND THE CHART THROUGH EMAIL, THE FORMATTING DID NOT TRANSFER TO THE FORUM)
Proposed legislation projects Yes/No Order in term calendar
5.3.1) Conflicts of interest policy and rules regarding government officials:
5.3.2) Powers of the Chancellor
5.3.3) Review checks and balances among the three branches of the CDS government: RA,
5.3.4) Handling harassment in the CDS.
5.3.5) New Sim(s) and the standard process for acquiring, designing and building a CDS sim.
5.3.5.1) New sim(s) legislation proposals: Gwyns bill: Development of new region act, and Trebors bill: Proposal for Land Sale and Tier Act
5.3.5.2) Building commission.
5.3.6) Citizen oversight committees, civil servants and citizen commissions/committees
5.3.7) Expansion of calls for referendums
5.3.8 ) Government presenciality
5.3.9) RA Access to information: Archie inventory control and Hippo tier data
5.3.10) Procedure for the liquidation of CDS.
5.3.11) Gwyn’s bill proposal: Grant of Neufreistadt School to Guild Act