Jockian Constitution

The Constitution of Jockia is the supreme law of the Republic of Jockia.

Article One: Legislative

Section 1

All legislative powers shall be vested in a Parliament of Jockia, which shall consist of a House of Representatives and an Assembly.

Section 2

• The House of Representatives shall be composed of Members of Parliament chosen every general election by people of several towns and cities.
• No person shall be a Representative who shall not have attained to the age of eighteen years, and not been a natural born citizen of the Republic of Jockia.
• For each jurisdiction (town or city) there will be one Representative.
• When vacancies happen in the Representation from any jurisdiction, the Parliamentary Authority shall issue an Order of Election to fill such vacancies.
• The Representatives will elect their Speaker and other roles as soon as they enter Parliament for the first time. Each Representative will have one vote.
• The House of Representatives will have the power to reprimand an MP, as long as two-thirds of the House agree to it.
• A single Representative (only if the party he or she belongs to has a majority) will have the power to propose laws if they see fit, and they will be passed to the Assembly, as long as two-thirds of the House pass the bill.

Section 3

• The Assembly of Jockia shall be composed of one Assembler from each jurisdiction (town or city) and will be chosen by the House of Representatives immediately after the general election when Parliament first assembles. Each Assembler will have one vote.
• If vacancies happen by resignation, or otherwise, during the course of a Parliament, the Parliamentary Authority shall issue an Order of Election to fill such vacancies.
• No person shall be an Assembler if they have not attained the age of eighteen years, and are not a natural born citizen of the Republic of Jockia.
• The President of the Assembly will be chosen by the Assemblers when the Assembly first meets following the general election. Each Assembler will have one vote.
• The President of the Assembly will have no vote, but will have the power to reject a bill and have it go no further.
• The Assemblers shall choose their Speaker, and also a President, when they first meet following the general election.
• The Assembly will receive laws from the House of Representatives, and will vote on them. If two-thirds of the Assembly agree on the bill that has been proposed, it will officially become law if the Prime Minister of Jockia signs the bill.

Section 4

• The Assemblers and Representatives shall be voted on in the general election, which will take place every five years on 27 June.
• The whole Parliament shall assemble at least once a year on 1 June, with the Representatives to the right and the Assemblers to the left.
• In law, the Representatives have the power to appoint another day for a full Parliament meeting, as long as two-thirds of the House agree.

Section 5

Each House may determine the rules of its proceedings following a general election, punish its MPs for disorderly behaviour, and, with a two thirds majority, expel an MP.

Section 6

• The political party with a majority in either the House of Representatives or the Assembly will sit on the right, whereas all opposition will sit on the left.
• When a bill is proposed by a Representative that belongs to the ruling political party, it shall first be debated on by all Representatives for three hours. The vote will be cast the next day, and it will determine whether the bill continues to the Assembly or is dropped. The same process shall be continued through the Assembly.
• All bills shall originate in the House of Representatives; but the Assembly may propose an amendment if two-thirds agree.
• Every bill which shall have passed through the House of Representatives and the Assembly, shall, before it become a Law, be presented to the Prime Minister of Jockia; if he or she approves he or she shall sign it, but if not he or she shall return it, with his or her objections told to the House of Representatives, where it originated. The House may vote on the bill again if two-thirds of the House wishes.
• The Prime Minister of Jockia will have the power to propose a bill to the House of Representatives, and if two-thirds agree on said bill, its usual journey through Parliament will take place.

Section 7

• Parliament shall have the power:
• To borrow money on the credit of the Republic of Jockia;
• To pass bills establishing roads, shops and other convenience buildings;
• To promote the progress of Science and useful Arts, by securing for the rest of their lives to authors and inventors the exclusive right to their respective writings and discoveries;
• To define felonies, misdemeanours and other criminal law;
• To declare war, grant pardons, and make laws concerning prison;
• To provide and maintain an army and navy;
• To call forward the Armed Forces to repel an invasion;
• To pass a bill proposing the construction of a city which would become the Seat of Government of the Republic of Jockia;
• To make all laws which shall be necessary and proper for carrying into execution this Constitution.