Senate Voting Act 1822 - Long Title
An Act relating to the Codification of Senate Voting Rules
Section 1: Short title
This Act may be cited as the Senate Voting Act 1822.
Section 2: Commencement
(1) All sections shall come into operation on the day on which this Act passes the Senate in the positive.
Section 3: Interpretation
"Act" or "Act of Senate" is a statute enacted as primary legislation by the Pulian Senate.
"bill" refers to an unlegislated Act under consideration by the Senate.
"Government Bill" means a bill proposed by a Government minister on behalf of the Government.
"Private Senator's Bill" means a bill proposed by any Senator not on the behalf of the Government.
"quorum" means the minimum number of Senators required to participate in a vote on the Senate floor for it to be considered valid.
Section 4: Passage of Acts
(1) In order to become law all bills must undergo the following passage through the Senate:
(a) they are commended to the chamber;
(b) a period for debate occurs in which the proposal of amendments can be made;
(c) any amendments proposed during the debate are voted on; and
(d) the bill as a whole is voted on and the bill either passes into law or is rejected by the Senate.
Section 4A: Commendation
(1) Bills are commended to the Senate by a Senator who provides the text of the bill and an explanation as to the intent of the bill.
(2) The types of bills are:
(a) Government Bills which are introduced by Government Senators on behalf of the Government; and
(b) Private Senator's Bills which are introduced by any Senator not on the behalf of the Government.
(3) The Senator who commends the bill to the chamber moves a motion that the bill be read for the first time which signals the time for debate has begun.
Section 4B: Debate
(1) Bills are debated by Senators prior to any votes being held.
(2) During the debating period arguments for and against the bills can be read and amendments to the bill proposed.
(3) The standard time set aside in the Senate for the debating of bills is three days.
(4) The debating period can be cut short and the voting phase as detailed in Section 4C undertaken immediately at any time in that period if:
(a) at least two-thirds of the Senate consent to it; or
(b) if the leaders of parties that represent two-thirds of the Senate consent to it.
(5) If extra time beyond the standard debating time is deemed necessary to continue the debating period the time can be extended if:
(a) a simple majority of Senators consent to it; or
(b) if the leaders of parties that represent a simple majority of the Senate consent to it.
Section 4C: Voting
(1) All votes carried out on a bill, whether on an amendment to the bill or on the passage of a bill as a whole must meet the quorum requirements set out in Section 4D.
(2) If any amendments were proposed during the debating period of Section 4B then:
(a) each amendment must be voted on:
(i) a simple majority vote in favour of an amendment results in the bill being thusly amended;
(ii) a simple majority vote against an amendment results in the amendment motion failing; and
(iii) a tied vote for an amendment results in the amendment motion failing.
(b) the voting timeframes for amendments are:
(i) a maximum duration of two days; however
(ii) if an outcome of the vote is resolved in less time than the maximum allowed for in subsection (2) the bill may progress to the voting detailed in subsection (3).
(c) multiple amendments may be voted on simultaneously.
(3) If there were no amendments proposed or otherwise after all amendment votes have been finalised then the bill as a whole is voted on:
(a) a Senator moves that the bill be read a second time which commences the vote to determine if the bill is passed into law:
(i) a simple majority vote in favour of the bill results in the bill thusly passing into law;
(ii) a simple majority vote against the bill results in the bill being rejected by the Senate; and
(iii) a tied vote for a bill results in the bill being rejected by the Senate.
(b) the voting timeframes for the passage of the entire bill are:
(i) a maximum duration of two days; however
(ii) if an outcome of the vote is resolved in less time than the maximum allowed for in subsection (3) the bill may be passed into law sooner than that.
Section 4D: Quorum
(1) All votes in Section 4C are subject to the quorum.
(2) The quorum of the Pulian Senate is half the total number of Senators plus one, where numbers not whole are rounded down.
(3) Only a quorum of Senators can cast a vote that will amend legislation or pass bills as per Section 4C.
(4) Votes as per Section 4C which do not involve a quorum of Senators are deemed to have failed.