S3-001: The Local Authority and Governance Act of 1177

**The Local Authority and Governance Act.**

*Introduced by Sen. Henrik Roundhead (The Liberal Party)*

### Preamble

We, The Liberal Party, propose these reforms to introduce a new Local Authority and Governance Act to provide a more democratic and accountable system of government to the people of Nydia.

His Majesty, by and with the advice of the Senate and the Privy Council, enacts as follows:

## **SECTION 1:** Provincial Executive

### **Subsection 1:** Provincial Governors

**Paragraph A:** Each Province of the land of Nydia will elect a Governor who will act as the executive of the respected province.

**Paragraph B:** Elections to select a Governor shall take place every six years in line with the elections for the Prime Minister and shall operate on a STV (Single-Transferable Vote) system. All elections shall be overseen by the Electoral Commission.

**Paragraph C:** Any province without a governor shall be referred to as ‘Executive Free’ and will, until such time as a President is elected,be governed by the Interior Ministry subject to the approval of the Senate of Nydia.

**Paragraph D:** Should the Senate of Nydia reject proposed legislative changes by the Interior Ministry for ‘Executive Free’ provinces, a committee will be established for it to propose changes.

**Paragraph E:** Governors shall act as the provincial executive, forming province-wide leadership. This includes power and control over provincial law enforcement agencies and fire services. All legislative changes are subject to the approval of the governor, unless they’re passed with a two thirds majority. Should they be passed with a simple majority, any veto may be overturned by a new two thirds majority of a local authority assembly.

## **SECTION 2:** Provincial Governance

### **Subsection 1:** Local Authority

**Paragraph A:**A Local Authority is a local or municipal governing body responsible for passing legislation.

**Paragraph B:**Each Local Authority covers a specific geographical area. All areas of Nydia must be represented in a local authority, and the precise borders for each local authority are to be defined by the Central Election Board. It is unlawful for local authority borders to be set in a way which unfairly and intentionally gives a specific party or parties an undue advantage.

**Paragraph C:**Each Local Authority will be headed by a Mayor.

**Paragraph D:**Each Mayor is responsible to oversee and help maintain Local Authorities. Local Authorities are legally responsible for a constituency, or zone of a province.

**Paragraph E:**Nydia is comprised of twenty local authorities called: Vanaza, Martuni, Telavi, Kobuleti, Akhtala, Bolnisi, Abobyan, Duisburg, Dilijan, Langkaran, Merdekan, Stepanavan, Ghobi, Vratsa, Ozurgeti, Tashir, Noyemberyan, Vinnytsia, Nor Hachn, and Jermuk.

**Paragraph F:**Each Local Authority will possess an ‘Assembly’ which will be responsible for the governance of its provincial region outlined in Section 2, Subsection 2 of this act.

**Paragraph G:**As a requirement, all provincial capitals must possess a Local Authority.

**Paragraph H:**Each Assembly shall possess a number of seats proportional to its population at a ratio of 1 seat for every 12,000 voters rounded down. Elections for this Assembly shall take place in line with elections for the Nydian Legislative Election and operate via a proportional representation system

**Paragraph I:**Any change in the number of seats may only take effect at an election for the Local Authority.

**Paragraph J:**Funding for each local authority shall be provided from the Senate and the Budget.

### **Subsection 2:** Powers of Local Authorities

**Paragraph A:** Local authorities shall have the power to: establish local resource departments (such as repairs); impose bylaws which concern local people (such as regulating fines and state usage); approve business licensing; address local peoples concerns; budget for building and projects.

**Paragraph B:** The Mayor, as chair of the local authority, will be the candidate/from the party that receives a plurality of votes at the election. They will preside over all meetings of the local authority and are responsible for approving measures passed by said authority. Mayor will be required to report to the governor and all measures passed by a local authority can be vetoed by a provincial governor subject to overturning in Section 1, Paragraph E. The Mayor shall possess the power to: suspend the sitting of the local authority, give commands to the local law enforcement and fire rescue, and appoint local authority officials.

### **Subsection 3:** Elections

**Paragraph A:** The Central Election Board is tasked with making all due preparations for any election, including party and candidate registration deadlines, local authority boundaries, and local authority seat changes.

**Paragraph B:** Parties wishing to stand in Local Authority elections must sign up with the Electoral Commission. Parties do not have to run on a county-wide ticket and may be specific to the local area.