Rules and Procedures for the Senate

*Introduced by Nikoloz Torosyan, President of the Senate*

The Senate shall need formal rules to carry out daily business. The following are the proposed rules by the President of the Senate, to be voted on.

## Senate Rules

**I. Offices of the Senate**

**I.i. President of the Senate**
At the conception of a new legislative session for the Senate following an election, the President of the Senate shall be duly elected from the members of the Senate. The party with a plurality shall have the first opportunity to nominate a senator for this office, a simple majority needed to confirm trhe selection. Should the nomination fail to be confirmed, the next largest party shall be granted the same opportunity, and the process repeated. Should all of the parties be exhausted and no speaker elected, the process returns to the largest party and repeats until a president is selected.

The President of the Senate is granted, by the Constitution, the right to set the legislative agenda of the Senate. Without his permission or permission later granted by procedures of these rules, a motion or bill shall not be heard by the Senate.

The President of the Senate is also a speaker or chief parliamentarian. He is entrusted to enforce the rules fairly and impartially.

**II. Proposals to the Senate**

**II.i. Bills**
A bill is a proposal by a senator to enact through majority vote a law, pending approval of the prime minister.

**II.ii. Motions**
A motion is a proposal by a senator to conduct an order of business within the Senate, requiring only a majority vote of the senators sitting. Standard motions follow: ~~Motion to Consider (a bill or amendments to a bill)~~, Motion to Adopt (a new rule for the Senate), Motion to Invoke Cloture (on deliberation of a bill or amendment).

**III. Motion Consideration**
All motions presented to the Senate shall be considered.

**IV. Bill Consideration**

**~~IV.i. Bills from the President~~**~~All bills presented to the Senate by the President of the Senate, or otherwise verbally permitted for consideration by the President, shall be considered.~~

**~~IV.ii. All Other Bills~~**~~Bills not presented by the President of the Senate and not otherwise verbally permitted for consideration by the President shall only be considered if a Motion to Consider said bill passes the Senate.~~

As of the establishment of Senate committees, bills shall be considered by the full Senate only after being approved for a vote by the most relevant standing committee (See Senate Committee Establishment and Procedures).

**~~V. Bill Deliberation~~**

**~~V.i. Period of Deliberation~~**~~Prior to voting on a bill, a period of deliberation must occur.~~

**~~V.ii. Cloture~~**~~The period of deliberation will continue until a Motion to Invoke Cloture on said bill's deliberation passes the Senate. Unless a formal vote is requested by a senator, a Motion to Invoke Cloture shall only require it to be moved and seconded (by a member of a different party) to be adopted by the Senate.~~

**V. Bill Deliberation (1174 revision)**

**V.i. Period of Deliberation**
Prior to voting on a bill, a period of deliberation must occur before votes will be heard. (OOC: 24 hours from posting)

**V.ii. Cloture**
The period of deliberation will continue until deliberation has ended and cloture has been invoked. Senators may then vote on the matter. (OOC: 24 hours from posting for cloture to be invoked)

**VI. Bill Amendment**

**VI.i. Motion to Consider Amendments**
Following deliberation, a Motion to Consider amendments to a bill may be heard. Unless a formal vote is requested by a senator, a Motion to Consider shall only require it to be moved and seconded (by a member of a different party) to be adopted. If the motion fails, no amendments shall be considered.

**VI.ii. Voting on Amendments**
If a Motion to Consider amendments succeeds, all amendments to the bill shall be considered and duly voted upon.

**VII. Special Motions**

**VII.i. Motion to Confirm (a nominee)**
A motion to give the Senate's assent to the appointment of an executive or judicial nominee, as mandated by the Constitution.

**VII.ii. Motion to Censure (a person)**
A motion to express the Senate's disapproval in the conduct of a senator, minister, or other government official.

**VII.iii. Constructive Motion of No Confidence (in the President)**
A motion to remove the President of the Senate and replace him with another *specified*senator.

**VIII. Bill Enumeration**
Bills shall be numered as follows: S No. of the Legislative Session-No. of Bill. For instance, the first bill of the first Senate would be S1-001.