Document:Senate Internal Procedures

The Speaker

a. Any senator may propose an election of the Speaker. If another senator seconds the proposal, an election for Speaker will be held.

b. The Speaker may tender a letter of resignation to the Senate. If the Speaker does so, an election for Speaker will be held. If the election concludes successfully and a new Speaker is elected, the former Speaker will be relieved of their office and the newly elected Speaker will assume their office. If no new Speaker is elected, the most senior senator will become Speaker.

c. At the beginning of any election, three days will allotted for the selection of candidates. After this a vote will be held for two days. The method used will be an instant runoff vote. Any ties will be broken in favor of the most senior senator.

d. If the office of Speaker is vacant, the most senior senator will become Speaker.

e. Senators seniority will be determined by the number of days they have served consecutively in the Senate until the present. Among senators who have served an equal number of days, the senator who registered earliest on the Regional Forums will have greater seniority.

2. Procedures

a. Any proposal made by any senator will be immediately brought to a discussion.

b. All discussions of any proposal will last for a minimum of three days. Once three days have passed, the proposal will be eligible for a vote.

c. Any senator may propose an alteration to any proposal to enact, amend or repeal a law or to amend the Constitution. [The senator who first originally introduced the procedure/Speaker] may accept or reject the proposed alteration at their discretion.

d. The Speaker may move any eligible proposal to a vote at their discretion.

e. Any senator may motion to move any eligible proposal to a vote. If another senator seconds the motion, the proposal will be moved to a vote.

f. Discussion on any proposal will be closed if it has been moved to a vote or the current session of the Senate has expired.

g. All forum votes will at least two days. If quorum has been met

Internet Relay Chat

1. The Senate's official Internet Relay Chat Channel will be #senate on EsperNet. If online, senators will join it. If a majority of senators are present, the Senate may conduct its business in it.
2. The Speaker will moderate the channel and enforce procedure. If they are absent, the most senior senator present will serve as Interim Speaker.
3. Whenever a senator makes a motion, any other senator may choose to second the motion. If there is a second, a vote will promptly be held. The motion will succeed if a simple majority of those voting approve.
4. Any senator may move to open discussion of a certain matter. The matter may be entirely new, or one already under discussion on the Regional Forums. No such motion may be made when another matter is already under discussion, or if the matter requires the presence a person not in the channel.
5. If discussion is ongoing, any senator may move to close it. If a majority of the Senate's membership ceases to be present, any ongoing discussion will be closed. Logs of the discussion will be promptly posted on the Regional Forums.