Official Seal

Republic of New Lemuria 
 

 Constitution of the Republic of New Lemuria

THE LEGISLATIVE BRANCH

   

Sec. 1. The Legislative power of this Republic of New Lemuria (RNL) shall be vested in a Senate, which shall be designated the Legislature of the RNL; and the enacting clause of every law shall be as follows: “The People of the RNL, represented by the Senate, do enact as follows."

Sec. 2. The sessions of the Legislature shall be annual, and shall commence on the first Monday of January, immediately following the election of its members, unless the President of the RNL shall, in the interim, convene the Legislature by proclamation.

Sec. 3. Senators shall be duly qualified electors in the respective districts which they represent.

Sec. 4. Senators shall be chosen for the term of six years; and no person shall be a member of the Senate, who has not been a citizen for at least one year, and domiciled in his district for a minimum period of six months prior to his election.

Sec. 5. The Senators shall be divided by lot as equally as possible into three classes. The seats of the Senators of the first class shall be vacated at the expiration of the second year, so that one–third shall be chosen every two years.

Sec. 6. When the number of Senators is increased, they shall be apportioned by lot, so as to keep the third classes as nearly equal in number as possible.

Sec. 7. The Senate shall choose its own officers and shall judge the qualifications, elections, and returns of its own members.

Sec. 8. A majority of the Senators shall constitute a quorum to do business, but a smaller number may adjourn from day to day, and may compel the attendance of absent members, in such manner, and under such penalties as the Senate may provide. In the first meeting in January of each year, a schedule for further meetings throughout the course of the year will be agreed upon.

Sec. 9. The Senate shall determine the rules of its own proceedings, and may, with the concurrence of two thirds of all members elected, expel a member.

Sec. 10. The Senate shall keep a journal of its own proceedings, and publish the same; and the yeas and nays of the members, on any question, shall at the desire of any three members present be entered on the journal.

Sec. 11. The Senators shall in all cases except treason, felony, and breach of the peace, be privileged from arrest, and they shall not be subject to any civil process during the session of the Legislature, nor for fifteen days prior to the commencement and after the termination of each session.

Sec. 12. When vacancies occur in the Senate, the President, or the person exercising the functions of the President, shall issue writs of election to fill such vacancies.

Sec. 13. The Senate shall be open, except on such occasions as, in the opinion of the Senate, may require secrecy.

Sec. 14. Every bill which may have passed the Legislature, shall, before it becomes a law, be presented to the President. If he approves it, he shall sign it; but if not, he shall return it, with his objections, to the quorum, which shall enter the same upon the journal, and proceed to reconsider it. If, after such reconsideration, it again be passed by the Senate, by yeas and nays, by a majority of two–thirds of the members present, it shall become a law, notwithstanding the President's objections. If any bill shall not be returned within ten days after it has been presented to him, (Sundays excepted), the same shall be law, in like manner as if he had signed it,

Sec. 15. The Senate shall have the sole power of impeachment; and all impeachments shall be tried by the Senate. When sitting for that purpose, the Senators shall be upon oath or affirmation; and no person shall be convicted, without the concurrence of two–thirds of the members.

Sec. 16. In case of impeachment for and conviction of treason, high crimes, misdemeanors, or civil offenses, the President, Vice President and all other civil officers of the Republic shall be immediately removed from office. A vote of the Senate with 2/3 concurring shall be binding.

Sec. 17. No Senator shall accept or be granted any other position within the government, whether paid or unpaid, so as to avoid even the appearance of impropriety or the conflict of interest.

Sec. 18. Any person convicted of the embezzlement, or defalcation of the public funds of the RNL, shall be ineligible for any public office.

Sec. 19. No money shall be drawn from the treasury but in consequence of appropriations made by law. An accurate statement of the receipts and expenditures of the public monies, shall be attached to and published with the laws at every regular session of the Legislature.

Sec. 20. The members of the Legislature shall receive for their services a compensation to be fixed by law, and paid out of the public treasury; but no increase of the compensation shall take effect during the term for which the members shall have been elected.

Sec. 21. Each proposed bill will have but one subject.

Sec. 22. In all elections by the Legislature, the members thereof shall vote, and the votes shall be recorded.

Sec. 23 The Senate shall have power to lay and collect taxes, duties, imposts and excises, to pay the debts and provide for the common defense and general welfare of RNL, as follows:

Sec. 24. To borrow Money on the credit of the RNL;

Sec. 25. To regulate Commerce with foreign Nations;

Sec. 26. To establish a uniform Rule of Naturalization, and uniform Laws on the subject of Bankruptcies throughout the RNL;

Sec. 27. To coin money, regulate the value thereof, and of foreign coin, and fix the Standard of Weights and Measures;

Sec. 28. To provide for the punishment for counterfeiting of all negotiable instruments and cash. ;

Sec. 29. To establish Post Offices and post roads;

Sec. 30. To promote the progress of science and useful arts, by securing for limited times to authors and inventors the exclusive right to their respective writings and discoveries;

Sec. 31. To constitute Tribunals inferior to the Supreme Court;

Sec. 32. To define and punish piracies and felonies committed on the High Seas, and offences against the Law of Nations;

Sec. 33. Any declaration of the need for the defense of the Republic or the appropriation of the means to effect such, must be approved by the Senate.

Sec. 34. The Privilege of the Writ of Habeas Corpus shall not be suspended, unless when in Cases of Rebellion or Invasion the public safety may require it.

Sec. 35. No Bill of Attainder or ex post facto Law shall be passed.

Sec. 36. No Title of Nobility shall be granted by the RNL: and no person holding any office of profit or trust shall, without the Consent of the Senate, accept of any present, Emolument, Office, or Title, of any kind whatever, from any King, Prince, or foreign State.


The Executive Branch


§1. The executive power of the Republic shall be vested in the Office of the President. He shall hold his office for a term of four years, after having received a majority of votes from those electors eligible to vote. A Vice President shall also be elected in a similar manner and for a concurrent term of four years. No candidate for either office may be eligible unless he or she has attained the minimum age of thirty five.

§ 2. No person who is not then a citizen of the Republic of New Lemuria shall be eligible to vote.

§3. In the event that the President shall be unavailable to serve, whether through death, disability, resignation or impeachment, the Vice President shall assume the Office until the term shall end and the next election be held.

§4. The President and the Vice President shall be paid an annual salary to be fixed by the Senate.

§5. Before taking office the President, the Vice President, and all other public officials must publicly swear or affirm and then subscribe the Oath of Office, in which he promises to faithfully execute the laws of RNL to the best of his ability.

§6. The President shall be the Commander in Chief of all national security forces the Republic chooses to employ, but he will need the consent of the Senate to make treaties, or to commit Citizens or the security forces to combat operations.

§7. On an annual basis the President shall address the Senate and the People on the “State of the Nation”, which shall include a report on the fiscal health of the country and all other issues relevant to the Citizens.

§8. All civilian officers of whatever rank may be removed from office upon impeachment for treason, bribery or other felonies and serious misdemeanors. A two thirds vote of the Senate shall be required.


The Judicial Department


§ 1. The judicial power of the Republic of New Lemuria shall be vested in a Supreme Court and in such district courts as the Legislature (Senate) shall determine.

§ 2. The Supreme Court shall consist of a Chief Justice and two associate justices, of whom any two may constitute a quorum.

§ 3. The judges shall be nominated by the President but approved by the Senate, when any candidate receives a simple majority of that body, so long as a quorum of Senators is available to vote. They shall serve terms in accordance with regulations determined by the Senate but in no case longer than four years at one time.

§ 4. The Supreme Court shall have jurisdiction of all appellate matters, whether criminal or civil, while the District Court(s) shall have jurisdiction of all other matters.

§ 5. The Legislature shall provide for the dissemination to the public of all statutes, regulations, ordinances and judicial opinions and such shall be available, at no cost, for publication by any person or persons.

§ 6. No judge shall accept any emolument of any kind whatsoever for the performance or non performance of his duties, apart from the pay given by the government as compensation for his services.

§ 7. All judges are subject to the laws of the Republic in the same manner and to the same extent as would be any private citizen.

§ 8. No judge may, during the tenancy of office, hold another office in the government or receive anything of value for any activity which might constitute a conflict of interest.

§ 9. Judges shall not charge juries with respect to matters of fact, but may re-state testimony and explain the law. Juries will be the final arbiter of both the facts and the law.

§ 10. The style of all process shall be in the name of “The People of the Republic of New Lemuria”and all prosecutions, warrants etc. shall be made in their name and by their authority.