Parliamentary Practice (2020, Cupertino Alliance)

twenty-eighth day of march 2020 (28 march 2020)

Definitions

“Delegate” refers to anyone who attends the Sessions of the Cupertino Parliament. This includes the Chair of the Board, Superior Judge(s), and all Ministers.

Article 1 - Membership Attainment Pre-Voting

All membership applications sent before 24 hours of the upcoming session gain the right to be discussed in the next upcoming session.
All membership applications sent after 24 hours may get discussed in the next upcoming session, however this is not guaranteed.
If, by any chance, the Division of Membership Attainment deems that an nation has already applied for an application too recently, may reject the application. This requires that over 2 applications were sent during a period of 2 months, with each time the Division did not see any significant improvement during the 2 applications.

Article 2 - Parliament Session Planning

The Chair of the Board is required to plan at least the date of the session 3 days before the session is planned. The time of the session is to be announced at least 1 day before the session. If these rules are not met, the session will not happen.
The Chair of the Board is required to analyze data in sessions monthly to choose the most optimal time to hold a session. This can be done through looking at message history from the past sessions, as well as the collection of data.
Sessions will be declared cancelled if the Chair of the Board fails to appear within 30 minutes after the Session was planned. This will be waived if the Chair of the Board informs the Parliament that he/she won’t attend. A makeup meeting can be hosted during the day, the next day, or the day after the next day.
If the Chair of the Board suddenly goes inactive without notice for 20 minutes, a delegate may propose a “Motion to close the quorum” It will open to voting for 10 minutes. All delegates may vote, and if it passes a majority (50%), the quorum will be closed. A makeup session can be held during the day, the next day, or the day after the next day.

Article 3 - The Action of Proposing and the Notary General

All major laws (agreements, declarations, plans, major acts, long plans) shall be in the law format, as explained in the “#how-to-propose” channel in the Meeting Hall category.
All minor laws (small acts, minor changes, etc) can be proposed through a Discord poll.
For quality control, the Cupertino Alliance shall adopt an Notary General to make grammar fixes and to ensure that the form of proposals within the Cupertino Alliance are met to this standard. The Notary General is appointed by the Chair of the Board.
Delegates are expected to nominate proposals which are appropriate and align with the Mission of the Cupertino Alliance, 2020. Please do not waste the Notary General’s time in checking an act which is intentionally not appropriate, not safe for work, etc. Such is punishable with a suspension (unable to talk and engage in the Discord server, effectively missing out on all the sessions). Repeated offenses and/or serious offences can lead to an official expulsion of the delegate. The nation will have 2 weeks to find another delegate, or else an expulsion of the nation will take in effect.
All proposals must gain the approval of the Notary General before discussing and voting in sessions. Certain proposals which are a couple sentences do not need to be checked by the Notary General. Acts made during the session can still be discussed, however will require the approval of the Notary General before voting.

Article 4 - During Parliamentary Sessions

Delegates are mandated to use one of these listed below for their Discord nickname (i.e. names you change via /nick):
- [First and last name of delegate]
- [Last and first name of delegate]
- [Name of delegate (First and/or last)] - [Nation]
- [Name of delegate] - [Position within alliance]
- [Name of delegate] - [Nation] - [Position within alliance]
- [Name of delegate] - [Position within alliance] - [Nation]

Alternatively, if there is only 1 person in the position, only 1 delegate with that name, or only 1 delegate in the nation, they can use these nicknames:
- [Position within alliance]
- [Nation]
- [First name of delegate]
- [Last name of delegate]

This to increase the formal-ness within the alliance. This rule does not include Discord usernames. (i.e. the ones you change in your user settings)

All new delegates will be defaulted to
- [First name of delegate] - [nation]

All delegates are to have unique nicknames. If, by any chance, there are 2 delegates from the same nation, with the same position, and have the same first and last name, they can put a numerical value after their name. Delegates do not need to use grammar or proper capitalization for their nicknames. Furthermore, delegates can also use a common nickname for their name. (e.g. Nick for Nicholas, Tom for Thomas, etc). Though, it is not recommended mostly for mentioning purposes, they can use different fonts. They must still be readable. The font may or may not be changed in the Cupertino Gazette.
The Session will start when a majority of members say something
The English language shall be the working language in the Cupertino Alliance. Though, other languages can be spoken during Cupertino Alliance sessions, to promote diversity within the alliance.
Delegates are expected to be semi-formal. Swear words are allowed but not recommended, however the capitalization or proper grammar of each sentence is not necessary. The use of slur words, offensive language and not safe for work content however, does not align with the Mission of the Cupertino Alliance, 2020 and will call for an immediate kick from the session, and an investigation. The delegate, minister and/or Chair may also face a suspension (unable to talk and engage in the Discord server, effectively missing out on all the sessions). If, by any chance, the member in question has a long track record, or the incident is very offensive, the Cupertino Alliance can mandate an official expulsion of the delegate. The nation will have 2 weeks to find another delegate, or else an expulsion of the nation will take in effect.
Sessions should be discussing the Cupertino Alliance first. Certain side conversations are allowed but they need to be minimal. If an conversation which does not relate to the Cupertino Alliance, a member state, or micronations takes an notable majority of time in the session, the Chair of the Board may request that the discussion should be moved to #general or direct messages. Repeated violations of this rule can lead to a kick of the member from the session.
Whilst we do want to be formal at the same time, we do value our fun side. Memes which align with these rules are allowed. If they are not safe for work, considered offence, does not align with the Mission of the Cupertino Alliance, 2020 or etc will call for an immediate kick from the session, and an investigation. The delegate, minister and/or Chair may also face a suspension (unable to talk and engage in the Discord server, effectively missing out on all the sessions). If, by any chance, the member in question has a long track record, or the incident is very offensive, the Cupertino Alliance can mandate an official expulsion of the delegate. The nation will have 2 weeks to find another delegate, or else an expulsion of the nation will take in effect.
After everything is finished, the Chair of the Board needs to leave at least a 10 minute grace period for any other delegates to share anything before closing out the session.
Delegates reserve the right to kick a delegate, minister and/or Chair from a session for a rule violation. If this reaches a simple majority, the Chair is required to kick the delegate. All instances of this happening, no matter if they passed or not, must be reviewed by the Superior Judge and the Chair of the Board to determine if the delegate did violate a rule, and thus can take administrative action.
If the Chair gets kicked out of a session, the Chair is required to name a Chair Pro Tempore to finish the session. Normal proceedings of the session will continue.
All delegates are referred using gender neutral terms if possible. A delegate can make a request to change it to a feminine or masuline term.
All delegates are to treat other delegates with respect. Again, if this is violated, this will constitute the delegate getting kicked from the Session. Repeat offenders can face a suspension and after that the Cupertino Alliance can mandate an official expulsion of the delegate. The nation will have 2 weeks to find another delegate, or else an expulsion of the nation will take in effect.
Delegates can have alternate accounts. However, both accounts will only count for one vote. If an alternate account and the orginal account vote twice, it will only count for one vote. If this rule is violated many times, the alternate account may be kicked out from the Cupertino Alliance server.

Article 5 - Post Parliamentary Procedure

The Chair of the Board is expected to put up votes during the session or no more than 1 day after the session has been adjourned.
Acts made during the session can still be discussed, however will require the approval of the Notary General before voting.
Voting ends at 3 days if an majority isn’t reached, or ends when an majority is reached
However, if the Notary General fails to approve the act made in session within 3 days, voting will still go on. Gazette will still be published and the act have an TBD result on it instead of the usual results.
Member applications shall be collected privately. Members can choose a reason, please note that unless it violates the Mission of the Cupertino Alliance, 2020 or is not safe for work, or considered offensive, it will not be edited.
The Gazette shall be published to the Cupertino Alliance no more than 3 days after votes have ended.
All proposals go into effect when the Gazette is released to the public, unless the proposal is an urgent one, or specifically lists a date which is less than the time that the Gazette is published.
The Gazette shall be in public domain. The Cupertino Alliance shall not introduce laws restricting the view of the Gazette, nor add commercial paywalls or sell the Gazette to intend to earn a profit out of them.
The Gazette will contain a transcript to improve transparency. However, a delegate can request to censor a part of the transcript for protection, personal information, etc.

Article 6 - Windhoek Agreement and the Appeal of a Administrative Decision

All incidents are logged to the delegate’s Windhoek database.
If a delegate disagrees with an action taken by the alliance, the delegate will have 2 weeks to appeal it to the Superior Judge. If the delegate is the Superior Judge, Parliament will appoint another Superior Judge Pro Tempore to review it.
The Superior Judge can withhold and withdraw the punishment, decrease the punishment, or not make any changes. If there is more information to be discovered, a tribunal can be formed with multiple judges from member nations. The tribunal can also withhold and withdraw the punishment, decrease the punishment, or not make any changes, however, it also gains the option to increase the punishment, or if that is serious, expel the delegate. The nation will have 2 weeks to find another delegate, or else an expulsion of the nation will take in effect.

Article 7 - Ministerial Orders

If, by any chance, a Minister deems that something is necessary that is related to their division, the Minister may issue a Ministerial Order.
This order can include delegates and / or member nations
If a delegate or delegates feel like the Ministerial Order infringes on their rights or not issued on good intentions, they can call the Superior Judge to review the order.
If the Superior Judge deems that the order infringes on their rights or not issued on good intentions, the Superior Judge may overturn the Order.
The Minster can appeal this order through another judge.
Ministerial Orders are less “powerful” compared to Chairmanship Orders. If the Chair can order to revoke the Ministerial Order while a Minister can not order to revoke a Chairmanship Order (unless through the Superior Judge).

Article 8 - Chairmanship Orders

If, by any chance, the Chair of the Board needs that something is necessary, the Chair may issue a Chairmanship Order.
This order can include delegates and / or member nations
This is more “powerful” than a Ministerial Order and can overturn it. Furthermore, this does not require approval from Parliament.
If a delegate or delegates feel like the Chairmanship Order infringes on their rights or not issued on good intentions, they can call the Superior Judge to review the order.
If the Superior Judge deems that the order infringes on their rights or not issued on good intentions, the Superior Judge may overturn the Order.
The Chair can appeal this order through another judge.

Article 9 - Copyright and Privacy Information

For the sake of transparency within the Alliance, the transcript will be published into the Cupertino Gazette.
All information deemed personal or classified will be censored from the Gazette.
Delegates can request the Chair to remove certain information within the Gazette.
The transcript must include all the text (including swear words) from when the Session opens until the Chair adjourns the session. Other information that was sent before or after the session may be included optionally for context.
If certain nicknames are used, the attendance will have the nickname in the bracket after the user.
The Cupertino Gazette shall be public domain.

Article 10 - Agreement

&All delegates who attends Cupertino sessions automatically agree to follow the Parliamentary Practise rules.
These rules shall be made aware to all delegates within the Cupertino Alliance, and shall be reminded to them when a new delegate is appointed.