Senate Committees Act, 1737

[Esterlen 4499]

 

ACT OF THE IMPERIAL DIET

 

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SENATE COMMITTEES ACT, 1737

17 Sun’s Smile

Introduced in the Imperial Senate.

Passed through the Imperial Senate in the term of 1736-1738.

 

AYE

 

Armas

Corbish

May

Rutledge

Sigismundic

 

ABSTAIN

 

Bowers

Harjalainen

Helvets

 

An act to establish statutory committees under the purview of the Imperial Senate to conduct oversight and scrutinize the matters of the Council of State in their performance and actions to execute the laws of the Holy Orenian Empire. The formal title of the law shall be styled as the Senatorial Committees Formation Act.

 

INTRODUCTION

 

The Senatorial Committees Formation Act, or colloquially as the Senate Committees Act, shall establish various standing committees of the Imperial Senate to oversee the functions of the Council of State of the Holy Orenian Empire. This act shall provide the basis pursuant under the Edict of Establishment to exercise the enumerated powers of the Writ of Summons and the Writ of Impeachment to scrutinize the ministers in the execution of their responsibilities thereof.

 

SECTION I:

 

The committee shall be styled as follows, assigned and pertaining to the several Imperial councillors: 

 

The committee shall be vested with the following powers in the oversight of the respective  departments of the Council of State:

 

• Exercise the writ of summons to any minister of the several departments.

• Conduct hearings, testimonials, and inquiries concerning the actions of ministers within the department in question.

• Subpoena documents and letters scribed and recorded within the record of the departments in question.

• Recommend to the Senate floor on resolutions and rulings to proceed for further legislative consideration.

SECTION II:

 

The Senate shall establish the following standing committees, which by statutory authority, shall serve to oversee the Council of State:

 

• The Imperial Senate Committee on Justice

  • To oversee the Ministry of Justice and the Supreme Court, inquire on the enforcement of law, summon Imperial legal documents for review, and hold hearings and determine recommendations for articles of impeachment.

• The Imperial Senate Committee on Civil Affairs

  • To oversee the Ministry of Civil Affairs, inquire on the civil issues relating to the Imperial denizens, such as nomenclature and election purview, and hold hearings to arbitrate disputes.

• The Imperial Senate Committee on the Treasury 

  • To oversee the Imperial Treasury, inquire on the nature of the budget, summon documents and ledgers recorded by the department, and hold hearings and determine reviews for appropriations to be debated on the Senate floor.
     

SECTION III:

 

The structure of the Senate committees shall be as prescribed below:

 

• The committees shall be composed of three senators.

• The committee shall have among them, a chair, to facilitate the duties and exercise the powers of the committee responsibilities.

• The chair shall hold the authority to call for meetings of the committee, issue subpoenas and summons, and set the business of the committee.

• The chair shall retain their seat throughout the duration of the legislative term and must be approved at the beginning of each term by a plurality.

• The chair, once duly elected by his peers, shall appoint the two remaining committee members and will remain responsible for the composition of the members.

• A majority of two-thirds of the committee must vote to approve recommendations and committee resolutions to the full floor of the Senate.

 

SECTION IV:

In the case that the Senate finds it necessary, this act shall endow provisions to the Senate to amend the quantity of statutory committees. As such, the Senate may propose the addition and or the dissolution of committees in whatever way it sees fit to maintain the efficacy of the legislative process and oversight on the Council of State. 

 

Introduced by Senator Terrence May on the 11th of Horen’s Calling, 1737.

 

ISSUED AND PROCLAIMED,

 

His Imperial Excellency, Adrian Leopold of the House de Sarkozy,

Lord Protector of the Holy Orenian Empire, Duke and Governor-General of Helena, Duke of Adria, Baron of Renzfeld