Archive:Committee and Caucus Code

**THE UNIVERSAL TRIUMVIRATE COMMITTEE AND CAUCUS CODE**
**12.11.12 | 4.7.14**
Arnold Ogamon, Chief Attorney, Senior Executive
Chief Ambassador Ehtya

**A Law** to set forth the establishment of committees between the Executive and Administrative Branches for joint discussion and specialization on major issues pertaining to the specialties of branch members and necessities of the government of the Triumvirate. And to assist in arranging politicians with similar mindsets into their own private organizational groups, so that political action through caucuses can be more effective

**Section 1: Types of Committee**

**Section 1.1: Standing Committees**
A standing committee is a general committee with permanent standing and support as maintained by this law and subsequent legislation.
**Section 1.2: Select Committees**
A select committee is a specialized committee with standing and support in only brief or specific times, such as for inaugurations or budget discussions that shall only take place every so often and do not require a consistent standing committee to oversee.
**Section 1.3: Special Committees**
A special committee is a temporary committee with standing and support until a certain amount of time passes, the committee achieves a goal, or an event occurs that allows the expiration of such committee.
**Section 2: Appointment to Committees**

Each committee shall consist of a chair and subsequent members which must be appointed by the rules determined by this law. Each branch of government may determine its own rules for appointment of its members to committees seats unless noted otherwise in this law.
**Section 2.1: Criteria for Appointment**
No person who is not an Executive or Administrator may serve in a committee. The Major Executive may not serve in a committee, which makes the Minor Executive the one given the most priority in selection of committees. No person may serve in more than two standing committees and more than one select or special committee. No person may chair more than one standing committee and one select or special committee. The criteria for who should be appointed to committees should be a balance of specialty and ideology.
**Section 3: Duties of Committee Chairs**

Committee chairs shall have the duty of organizing matters for their respective committees and mediating the discussions of their committee. They shall manage the floor for their committee and bring matters up for consideration at the request of themselves, their fellow committee members, government entities, the people of the Triumvirate, or any other source who is legitimate at times they find most convenient and appropriate.
**Section 4: Standing Committees**

All standing committees must have at least one Executive and one Administrator.
**Section 4.1: Appointment Terms**
Each branch shall appoint the members it is granted to standing committees at the opening of each trimester. At the end of each trimester, the term of each on the committee shall expire and must be renewed for the next trimester once again.
**Section 4.2: First Meeting**
Standing committees may only begin to hold official meetings once two weeks have passed since the opening of the trimester and once all appointments to the committee have been made.
**Section 5: Recognized Standing Committees**

The government of the Triumvirate acknowledges the following standing committees and rules applied to them:
**Section 5.1: Standing Committee on Economics**
The Standing Committee on Economics shall have the direct duty of investigating and discussing economic and financial matters within the Triumvirate. It shall make suggestions and prepare legislation according to the duties of commerce, budgeting, and trade.
**Section 5.1.1: Chair of the Standing Committee on Economics**
The Chair of the Standing Committee on Economics shall be the first Executive appointed to the committee by the committee selection system.
**Section 5.1.2: Appointment of Members**
Up to five members may serve in the Standing Committee on Economics, three of which shall be Executives, two of whom shall be Administrators.
**Section 5.2: Standing Committee on Defense**
The Standing Committee on Defense shall have the direct duty of investigating and discussing security and war making matters within the Triumvirate. It shall make suggestions and prepare legislation according to the duties of defense, security, and wartime actions. It shall be required that to serve on the Standing Committee of Defense that, if you are an Executive you are sophomore or above ranked, and that if you are an Administrator, you must have been on the Administrative Branch for at least one trimester already.
**Section 5.2.1: Chair of the Standing Committee on Defense**
The Chair of the Standing Committee on Defense shall be the first Executive appointed to the committee by the committee selection system.
**Section 5.2.2: Appointment of Members**
Up to three members may serve in the Standing Committee on Defense, two of which shall be Executives, one of which shall be an Administrator.
**Section 5.3: Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs**
The Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs shall have the direct duty of investigating and discussing foreign policy matters within the Triumvirate. It shall make suggestions and prepare legislation according to the duties of alliances, treaties, and foreign influence.
**Section 5.3.1: Chair of the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs**
The Chair of the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs shall be the first Executive appointed to the committee by the committee selection system.
**Section 5.3.2: Appointment of Members**
Up to three members may serve in the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, two of which shall be Executives, one of whom shall be an Administrator.
**Section 5.4: Standing Committee on the Judiciary**
The Standing Committee on the Judiciary shall have the direct duty of investigating and discussing court, legal, and judicial matters within the Triumvirate. It shall make suggestions and prepare legislation according to the duties of judicial action, judicial nominations, law enforcement, and judicial proceedings.
**Section 5.4.1: Chair of the Standing Committee on the Judiciary**
The Chair of the Standing Committee on the Judiciary shall be the first Executive appointed to the committee by the committee selection system.
**Section 5.4.2: Appointment of Members**
Up to two members may serve in the Standing Committee on the Judiciary, one of which must be an Executive, the one of whom shall be an Administrator.
**Section 5.5: Standing Committee on Governmental Ethics**
The Standing Committee on Governmental Ethics shall have the direct duty of investigating and discussing political and governmental ethics matters within the Triumvirate. It shall make suggestions and prepare legislation according to the duties against corruption and to keep the government ethical and accountable.
**Section 5.5.1: Chair of the Standing Committee on Governmental Ethics**
The Chair of the Standing Committee on Governmental Ethics must be a member of the Administrative Branch.
**Section 5.5.2: Appointment of Members**
Up to two members may serve in the Standing Committee on Governmental Ethics. In addition to the chair, the other member shall be an Executive.
**Section 5.6: Standing Committee on Preservation and Culture**
The Standing Committee on Preservation and Culture shall have the direct duty of investigating and discussing cultural, artistic, historical, and archiving matters within the Triumvirate. It shall make suggestions and prepare legislation according to the duties of preservation of history and cultural chartering.
**Section 5.6.1: Chair of the Standing Committee on Preservation and Culture**
The Chair of the Standing Committee on Preservation and Culture shall be the first Executive appointed to the committee by the committee selection system.
**Section 5.6.2: Appointment of Members**
Up to two members may serve in the Standing Committee on Preservation and Culture, one of which, the chair, shall be an Executive, and one of whom shall be an Administrator.
**Section 6: Select Committees**

All select committees must have at least one Executive and one Administrator.
**Section 7: Recognized Select Committees**

The government of the Triumvirate acknowledges the following select committees and rules applied to them:
No select committees are yet established.
**Section 8: Special Committees**

All select committees must have at least one Executive and one Administrator.
**Section 9: Recognized Special Committees**

The government of the Triumvirate acknowledges the following special committees and rules applied to them:
**Section 9.1: Special Committee on Membership**
The Special Committee on Membership shall have the direct duty of discussing solutions to the membership crisis. It shall make suggestions and prepare legislation according to the duties of recruiting members, enticing new members toward the Triumvirate, and educating new members.
**Section 9.1.1: Chair of the Special Committee on Membership**
The Chair of the Special Committee on Membership shall be the first Executive appointed to the committee by the committee selection system.
**Section 9.1.2: Appointment of Members**
Up to three members may serve in the Special Committee on Membership, two of which shall be Executives, one of whom shall be an Administrator.
**Section 9.1.3: Expiration Requirements**
The Special Committee on Recruiting shall expire once the Triumvirate has eighty active citizens and the section establishing the committee shall be removed from this law.
**Section 10: Removal from Committee**

In the case of any person’s removal from committee the process to appoint a new one should take place as soon as possible so that committee business may proceed as normal. If an Executive seat goes vacant on a committee the Major Executive may appoint an Executive who is eligible to the committee for the duration of the trimester left. If an Administrator seat goes vacant on a committee the Speaker of the Administration may appoint an Administrator who is eligible to the committee for the duration of the trimester left.
**Section 10.1: Removal from Resignation**
A committee member may resign from their role in the committee only if they are not required to participate in the committee (due to their position). They must inform the committee chair and members along with the branch of government they come from.
**Section 10.2: Removal from Impeachment from Office**
If a member of committee is removed from office in the branch of government they come from, they are automatically removed from the committee.
**Section 10.3: Removal by Order**
A member of a committee may be removed from the committee by order of a majority of their branch unless the committee requires their presence (due to their position).
**Section 11: Executive and Administrative Oversight**

The Executive Branch or Administrative Branch may order any committee to discuss and/or provide information on a matter relevant to their specialty.
**Section 12: 35 Citizen Rule**

Once there be 35 active citizens in the Triumvirate, each committee shall have one seat added to it with the exception of all special and select committees, the Standing Committee on Governmental Ethics, and the Standing Committee on the Judiciary.
**Section 13: Major Executive Exemption from Filling Empty Positions**

The Major Executive shall not be required to fulfill the role of any empty committee position as they may be fulfilling the role as the acting Executive position. There is a distinction between acting and actual in regards to this law and in regards as to those serving on committees.
**Section 14: Historical Documentation**

At the conclusion of each discussion, the committee chairs, at their discretion, shall save each discussion and put into a standard PDF form that includes: The committee name, title of the discussion, the committee meeting number, the committee membership at the time, background of the discussion, participates of the discussion, the actual discussion of what everyone said, the outcome/legacy and signed off by at least half of the participates.
**Section 14.1: Publication**
Finished discussions that have been put into the standard PDF shall be published on a records page of the wiki to be maintained by not only the Major Executive, but also by each committee chair. Discussions from the following committees may publish their discussions right away: The Standing Committees of; Economics, Judiciary, Government Ethics, Preservation and Culture, and the Speical Committee of Membership.
Finished discussions that have been put into the standard PDF form from the following committees shall not be published right away: Standing Committees of Defense and Foreign Affairs. Finished discussions from these committees are to be kept on record and may only be published if discussions are not deemed a security risk if the information from these committees aren't sensitive information by the Chairs of the Committees and the Major Executive. These records maybe accessed by those who have the clearance as per the Information Confidentiality Policy.
**Section 15: Deactivation of Committees**

All Committees shall be deemed inactive with no nomination to, participation in, or utilization thereof until the Union attains 45 members (in compliance with the Futures Code).
**Section 16: Caucuses**

**Section 16.1: Definition of a Caucus**
A caucus is a political group in which members from the political branches of government may come together based on agreement for a cause or issue, political ideology, similar background or focus, or any other legitimate and legal reason for which a group of political action is a useful tool.
**Section 16.2: Requirements for a Caucus**
A caucus must consist of at least three members. Only Executives and Administrators may join and participate in a caucus. All caucuses must have a wiki page, on which the word “caucus” must exist in the title of the page and of the official caucus name. Wiki pages must describe the statement of purpose, the leadership, complete membership, and all valid public information of the caucus. No two caucuses may have the same name.
**Section 16.3: Registering Caucuses**
To register a caucus, an organizer must send a registration request including the membership (of at least three), a statement of purpose, and a leadership structure to either the Minor Executive or the Speaker of the Administration. The Minor Executive or Speaker of Administration must then list the committee, if they can see that the committee is reasonable, as registered.
**Section 16.4: Restrictions to Caucuses**
All caucuses must be planned, founded, managed, funded, and supported privately. They may not receive any support from the government and caucuses may not hire or employ any person. However, members of a caucus are permitted to refer to their membership in a caucus on official documents and may openly acknowledge their membership in a caucus and the membership of others in caucuses. There also may not be a caucus within/under another caucus.
No member of a caucus may use their office, funding from their office, or any power of their office to support a caucus.
**Section 16.5: Funding and Support**
Caucuses may not accept goods, funds, or services from private or public organizations, institutions, or individuals. Members of the caucus are the only entities allowed to support their caucus.
**Section 16.6: Caucus Rules**
Caucus members may set their own rules, structure, and organization. They may set up leadership systems, restrictions for entering, and guidelines for caucus matters.
**Section 16.7: Joining a Caucus**
Caucuses may set their own rules and restrictions for the joining of new members to the caucus. Executives and Administrators may join, lead, and serve in as many caucuses as they are accepted into.
**Section 16.8: Caucus Meetings**
As private entities, caucuses may determine the places and times for their private meeting and discussion.