Act of Union 2027 (Makko Oko)

Act of Union 2027
Emperor's Law Council of Makko Oko
Citation	2027 c. XX
Enacted by	6th Session of the Law Council
Date of Royal Assent	July 1st, 2027
Date effective	July 1st, 2027
Repealing legislation
Autonomous Cities Law
Status: Current legislation

The Act of Union of 2027 (c. XX) is an Act of Council of the 6th Session which was ratified on July 1st, 2027 by Emperor Conall Solis as constitutional statute and came into force the same day. The act officially converted the divisions established under the Autonomous Cities Law into semi-autonomous provinces with greater authority and a mandate to hold elections. This officially established the union of the empire and saw the start of the Era of Unions. This, combined with the Voting Rights Act of 2027, established for the first time since the Republic a voted-in position of office, and elections.

Effects

The Act of Union 2027 brought about the first devolution since the Republic, and the largest in Makkonian history. The statute brought into effect the end of the full unitary government that had been in place since the formation of the nation, and with that, the end of nationalism and the beginning of unionism and devolution, establishing provinces and local governance and representation everywhere. Notably, the administrative government of the Phoenix Islands was excluded from this law, however, the government already had devolution and separation in many respects.

Full Text

SECTION I - ESTABLISHMENT OF PROVINCES

ARTICLE I - A province shall hereby be established as semi-autonomous territory of the empire that is not under national control.

ARTICLE II - The Autonomous Cities Law shall such be repealed on the effective date of this statute.

ARTICLE III - A provinces' borders, land and boundaries shall be mapped out and managed by the Privy Council.

ARTICLE IV - All provinces shall have directly elected governors to oversee the territory.

SECTION II - DEVOLVED & RESERVED POWERS

ARTICLE V - Any power, authority or right herein not explicitly defined or declared to be granted to the provinces under this statute shall be a reserved power to the national government.

ARTICLE VI - The provinces shall have the authority to establish provincial constitutions or constitution-esque frameworks should the Privy Council give royal assent to such statutes.

ARTICLE VII - The provinces shall have the authority to effect laws on a provincial level in compliance with national law and the Basic Rights, should the law have been granted royal assent by the Privy Council.

ARTICLE VIII - Taxation by the various provinces shall be a devolved power for any tax not already such levied by the national government.

ARTICLE IX - The provinces shall not have the authority to control or to levy a different national tax.

ARTICLE X - The provinces shall have the authority to establish a provincial justice system in compliance with national law and the Basic Rights.

ARTICLE XI - The provinces shall be able to request funding from the national treasury.

ARTICLE XII - The provinces shall not be able to legislate on any affair in relation to the Monarch, Imperial Family or Privy Council.

ARTICLE XIII - Additional powers may such be devolved by promulgation of the Privy Council.

ARTICLE XIV - No authority devolved to the provinces shall be construed as the national government being relieved of said authority unless the Monarch so orders.

SECTION III - DUTIES

ARTICLE XV - All provinces shall respect each other province, and the national government, in the operation of commerce, travel, justice and any other affair such mandated by the Privy Council.

ARTICLE XVI - All provinces shall respect the laws of each other province and extradite upon verification of a warrant. This duty excludes interprovincial and national crimes.

ARTICLE XVII - The various provinces shall be held to enforcing national law, as well as the Basic Rights as applicable.

ARTICLE XVIII - Any legislative branch of a province shall be directly elected.

ARTICLE XIX - All provinces shall respect the law enforcement of the national government and not impede them in any way.

ARTICLE XX - All provinces shall respect the Crown and the Monarch.

ARTICLE XXI - No province shall enter into any Treaty, Alliance, or Confederation, or represent the empire therefore.

ARTICLE XXII - All interprovincial crimes shall be nationally enforced, not provincially enforced.

SECTION IV - MODIFICATION OF PROVINCES

ARTICLE XXIII - A provinces' borders may such be modified by a promulgation of the Privy Council to take effect only if the Monarch and the people of the affected province consent.

ARTICLE XXIV - A referendum on the modification of borders outlined under Article XXII shall be run and managed by the Ministry of State Affairs.

ARTICLE XXV - New provinces may be established by an order of the Monarch. Should the province established be composed of territory obtained from other provinces through the modification of borders, unanimous approval of the Privy Council and the Governors affected shall be required.

ARTICLE XXVI - A rejection of a new province through the second clause of Article XXV may be overridden by a two-thirds majority vote of the House of Assembly.

SECTION V - GOVERNANCE

ARTICLE XXVII - One must be a citizen of the empire to be eligible to run for, or to be appointed or hired, to judgeship, law enforcement, governor, legislative branch or any other high-ranking or high-authority position.

ARTICLE XXVIII - All jobs in a provincial civil service shall be mandated under this article to conduct a religious test for the state religion on all individuals before appointment will be official.

ARTICLE XXIX - Should a person refuse the religious test under Article XXVIII, they shall not be appointed and for an elected position, will be replaced by a subordinate individual to later hold a special election.

ARTICLE XXX - The Privy Council shall define the religious test and any requirements that must be met for it to pass the article.

ARTICLE XXXI - The Supreme Court of Makko Oko shall be the court of last resort for hearing all provincial disputes and any other affair such related to the provinces including the constitutionality of laws.