Document:Internal Procedures of the Senate
From Taijitu
Meeting Places
- The Senate will meet on the Regional Forums and on Internet Relay Chat in the channel #senate on EsperNet.
- If online, senators will join the #senate. If a majority of senators are present, the Senate will do business in #senate. Else it will do business on the Regional Forums.
- Logs of any discussion, motion or vote occurring in #senate will be promptly posted on the Regional Forums when recessed or concluded.
- If any discussions, motions or votes occurring in #senate conflict with concurrent ones on the Regional Forums, those from #senate will be given precedence.
Motions
- Any senator may introduce a motion to exercise any of the Senate’s powers.
- If any other senator seconds the motion, a vote will be held.
- If a the vote succeeds, the motion will carry.
Discussions
- If the Senate is doing business on the Regional Forums, any senator may open a discussion by creating a new thread. If the Senate is doing business in #senate, any senator my introduce a motion to open a discussion. Discussions in #senate may be new or continue one on the Regional Forums.
- When the Senate is doing business in #senate, any senator may introduce a motion to recess any ongoing discussion. If a majority of senators ceases to be present or a new discussion is opened, any ongoing discussion will be recessed.
- Any senator may introduce a motion to close an ongoing discussion.
Votes
- If an absolute majority vote for a measure in #senate, it will take immediate effect. If only a simple majority vote for it, the measure will be moved to a vote on the Regional Forums.
- If an absolute majority vote for or an absolute majority vote against a measure in a vote on the Regional Forums, the vote will be closed.
- If a vote has reached quorum and has been open for forty-eight hours, it will be closed. If quorum has not been met, the vote will be closed after forty-eight more hours.
- If any senator is present for a vote in #senate but does not participate, they will be considered to have abstained.
Seniority
- Senators who have served more consecutive days until the present will be senior to those who have served less.
- Among senators who have served an equal number of days, those who registered earlier on the Regional Forums will be senior to those who registered later.
The Speaker
- If the Speaker is unable to perform their duties or their office becomes vacant, the most senior senator available will become Speaker.
- If the Senate is doing business in #senate and the Speaker is absent, the most senior senator present will server as Interim Speaker.