The Constitution of The eOffice^® Organization

a Constitutional Community

WE THE MEMBERS,

of the eOffice® Organization, in order to form a more perfect Community, reward contributions justly, insure internal harmony, protect ownership rights, promote general prosperity, and secure the blessings of liberty for ourselves and for those who follow us, do ordain and establish this CONSTITUTION.

 

Article I – Legislative Branch

Section 1. - Congress Defined. All legislative powers herein granted shall be vested in a Community congress, which shall consist of a Senate and a Board of Representatives.

 

Section 2. - Board of Representatives. The Board of Representatives shall be composed of members chosen every year by the Members within each Group of the Community.

 

No person shall be a representative who shall not have attained the legal age of majority in their country, and been two years a Member of the Community, or a Member at the time of the adoption of this Constitution, and who shall not, when elected, be a Member of that Group in which he or she shall be chosen.

 

Representatives and Community assessments shall be apportioned among the several Community Groups, according to their respective number of Members. The actual enumeration shall be made within three months after the adoption of this Constitution, and within every subsequent term of two years, in such manner as congress shall by policy direct. The ratio of representatives to Members will be established by a majority vote of the Senate, but each Group shall have at least one representative.

 

When vacancies happen in the representation from any Group, the Group executive thereof shall request an election to fill such vacancies.

 

The Board of Representatives shall choose their own presiding officer, as well as their other officers, from among their members; and shall have the sole power of impeachment.

 

Section 3. - Senate. The Community Senate shall be composed of two senators from each Group, chosen by the officers thereof, for a term of three years; and each senator shall have one vote.

 

Immediately after they shall be assembled in consequence of the first election, they shall be divided as equally as possible into three classes. The seats of the senators of the first class shall be vacated at the expiration of the first year, of the second class at the expiration of the second year, and of the third class at the expiration of the third year, so that one third may be chosen every year; and if vacancies happen by resignation, or otherwise, the Group executive thereof may make temporary appointments until the officers of that Group may choose a replacement in the normal manner.

 

No person shall be senator who shall not have attained to the legal age of majority, and been three years a Member of the Community, or a Member at the time of the adoption of this Constitution, and who shall not, when elected, be a Member of that Group for which he or she shall be chosen.

 

The Vice President of the Community government shall be the President of the Senate, but shall have no vote, except to break a tie.

 

The Senate shall choose their other officers, and also a President pro tempore to act in the absence of the Vice President, or when he or she shall exercise the office of President of the Community.

 

The Senate shall have the sole power to try all impeachments. When sitting for that purpose, they shall be on oath or affirmation. When the President of the Community government is tried, the Chief Justice shall preside: and no person shall be convicted without the concurrence of two thirds of the members present.

 

Judgment in cases of impeachment shall not extend further than to removal from office, and disqualification to hold and enjoy any office of honor or trust in the Community: but the party convicted shall nevertheless be liable and subject to indictment, trial, judgment and punishment, according to other Community policies.

 

Section 4. - Congressional Elections and Meetings. The times, places and manner of holding elections for senators and representatives, shall be prescribed in each Group by the popularly elected officers thereof; but the Community congress may alter such regulations, except for the places for holding elections.

 

The terms of senators and representatives shall end at noon on the 3rd day of January, of the years in which such terms shall expire. The congress shall assemble at least once in every year, and such meeting shall begin at noon on the 3rd day of January, unless they shall by policy appoint a different day.

 

Section 5. - Internal Operations of Congress. Each house shall be the judge of the elections, returns and qualifications of its own members, and a majority of each shall constitute a quorum to do business; but a smaller number may adjourn from day to day, and may be authorized to compel the attendance of absent members, in such manner, and under such penalties as each house may provide.

 

Each house may determine the rules of its proceedings, punish its members for disorderly behavior, and, with the concurrence of two thirds, expel a member.

 

Each house shall keep a journal of its proceedings, and from time to time publish the same, excepting such parts as may in their judgment require confidentiality; and the yeas and nays of the members of either house on any question shall, at the desire of one fifth of those present, be entered on the journal.

 

Neither house, during the session of congress, shall, without the consent of the other, adjourn for more than one day, nor to any other place than that in which the two houses shall be sitting.

 

Section 6. - Privileges and Disabilities of Members. The senators and representatives shall in all cases, except violation of Community security measures, be privileged from "arrest" or discharge during their attendance at the session of their respective houses, and in going to and returning from the same; and for any speech or debate in either house, they shall not be questioned in any other place.

 

No senator or representative shall, during the time for which he or she was elected, be appointed to any other office within the Community, which shall have been created, or the salary whereof shall have been increased during such time; and no person holding any appointed office within the Community, shall be a member of either house during his or her term in office.

 

Section 7. - Procedure for Passing Laws. All bills for raising revenue shall originate by the Board of Representatives; but the Senate may propose or concur with amendments as on other bills.

 

Every bill which shall have passed the Board of Representatives and the Senate, shall, before it become a Community policy, be presented to the President of the Community; who, if he or she approve it, shall sign it, but if not shall return it, with his or her objections to that house in which it shall have originated, who shall enter the objections at large on their journal, and proceed to reconsider it. If after such reconsideration two thirds of that house shall agree to pass the bill, it shall be sent, together with the objections, to the other house, by which it shall likewise be reconsidered, and if approved by two thirds of that house, it shall become an approved policy. But in all such cases the votes of both houses shall be determined by yeas and nays, and the names of those voting for and against the bill shall be entered on the journal of each house respectively. If any bill shall not be returned by the President within five working days, after it shall have been presented to him or her, the same shall be an approved policy, in like manner as if he or she had signed it, unless congress by their adjournment prevent its return, in which case it shall not be approved.

 

Every order, resolution, or vote to which the concurrence of the Senate and Board of Representatives may be necessary (except on a question of adjournment, amendment to this Constitution, suspension of the President's "emergency powers," and issues related to the support services of congress) shall be presented to the President of the Community; and before the same shall take effect, shall be approved by him or her, or being disapproved by him or her, shall be re-passed by two thirds of the Senate and Board of Representatives, according to the rules and limitations prescribed in the case of a bill.

 

Section 8. - Powers Delegated to Congress. Congress shall have authority to—

 

1. Establish and collect assessments or fees for the administration of the Community's constitutional system; but all such assessments or fees shall be uniform throughout the Community and across all Groups;

 

2. Borrow money on the credit of the Community;

 

3. Regulate dealings with other Communities, and between the several Groups within the Community, but such regulation is limited to only the protection of ownership rights;

 

4. Establish uniform policies for vestiture of Members;

 

5. Establish uniform policies for Group divestures;

 

6. Provide for a standard exchange medium between Groups inside the Community, and between such units and other sources outside the Community;

 

7. Provide for the punishment of counterfeiting the exchange medium whether transferred inside or outside of the Community;

 

8. Establish standard methods of communication between officers of the Community;

 

9. Promote research and innovation, by securing for limited times to Groups the exclusive right to their innovations;

 

10. Define and establish tribunals inferior to the Community Supreme Court;

 

11. Make rules concerning repossession of Community goods;

 

12. Authorize the President to bring suit, hire attorneys, and take legal action against Members or outside parties involved in theft or piracy of Community property;

 

13. Authorize the President to organize and hire security forces, but no appropriation of money to that use shall be for a longer term than one year;

 

14. Authorize and remove authorization for the President to use his emergency powers;

 

15. Make rules for the government and regulation of security forces;

 

16. Provide for calling forth the Community Militia to execute the policies of the Community, suppress violent or uncivil activities, and to execute emergency preparedness and disaster recovery plans;

 

17. Provide for organizing, provisioning, and disciplining, the Community Militia, and for governing such part of them as may be employed in the service of the Community, reserving to the Groups respectively, the appointment of militia officers, and the authority of training the militia according to the discipline prescribed by congress;

 

18. Exercise exclusive legislation in all cases whatsoever, over all Community property necessary to the constitutional system of the Community, including security facilities and other needful buildings;

 

19. Declare penalties for violations of Community policies, including, but not limited to: termination or suspension of Membership, and compensation for damages between Groups, but no such penalties shall require monetary award from personal holdings of Community Members;

 

20. Reverse, by a two-thirds vote of both houses, a presidential veto of a legislative policy;

 

21. Reverse, by a two-thirds vote of both houses, a presidential decision to rescind a judicial decision, or grant a pardon;

 

22. Maintain standard treasury records of all receipts and expenditures and make examination of such records open to all Community Members and Groups; And

 

23. To make all policies which shall be necessary and proper for carrying into execution the foregoing powers, and all other powers vested by this Constitution in the officers of the Community, or in any Group thereof.

 

Section 9. - Limitations upon the Powers of Congress. Congress shall not—

 

1. Require the Groups to extend vested Member status to either contract Members or direct Members, before two years following the acceptance of this Constitution, but may assess, from the Groups, for each unvested Member, an amount equal to twice the Group assessment for vested Members.

 

2. Suspend the right of persons, Members, or Groups to a trial for the purpose of answering charges.

3. Create a policy declaring a person, Member or Group guilty without a trial.

 

4. Create a policy making a person, Member or Group chargeable for acts preceding the effective date of the policy.

 

5. Impose assessments directly on Members, but only on Groups;

 

6. Calculate Group assessments using any other formula than the number of respective Members, but may choose either vested Members only, or vested and non-vested;

 

7. Impose an assessment, tax, or duty on articles or services, but may require fees to be paid to compensate or protect ownership rights;

 

8. Give preference, by any regulation or assessment, to one Group over another;

 

9. Draw money from the treasury, except for approved and budgeted items and other special expenditures approved by congress;

 

10. Create superior and inferior classes of Members;

 

11. Accept any gift, payment, or title from any source, either inside or outside the Community, or create standing policies to permit such by its members, but each such advance must be approved by congress explicitly, except for wages earned in the members' constituent Groups;

 

12. Make any policy respecting an establishment of religion or prohibiting the free exercise thereof;

 

13. Make any policy abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press;

 

14. Make any policy prohibiting Members peaceably to assemble;

 

15. Make any policy prohibiting Members from petitioning the government for a redress of grievances; Or,

 

16. Take Group property for Community use without just compensation.

 

draft 1.x - constitution of the eoffice® organization

Last updated 572 days ago by Tom Gordon