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Discussion [DRAFT] Government Transparency Act

  • Thread starter Thread starter Clorinda
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Clorinda

Clorinda

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Government Transparency Act

Proposed by: @Clorinda
Preamble

An act to maintain government transparency through answerability.

Section 1. Assembly Updates

(1) The Prime Minister must release a thorough, written report detailing cabinet accomplishments and plans on the first of every even-numbered month (1 February, 1 April, 1 June, 1 August, 1 October, 1 December) to the Assembly.

(2) The Prime Minister may use discretion and choose to withhold sensitive information or other matters they deem fit.

(3) In the event of the Prime Minister’s absence or general unavailability, they may select a member of the cabinet to release this statement in their place.

(4) If the required report is not submitted within a 72 hour grace period, the Speaker is required to report this failure to release to the Assembly.
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Here’s a draft I based off of TRR’s Government Accountability Act, which I find preferably to the Sunshine Act.
 
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Government Transparency Act

Proposed by: @Clorinda
​
Preamble​

An act to maintain government transparency through answerability.

Section 1. Assembly Updates

(1) The Prime Minister must release a thorough, written report detailing cabinet accomplishments and plans on the first of every even-numbered month (1 February, 1 April, 1 June, 1 August, 1 October, 1 December) to the Assembly.

(2) The Prime Minister may use discretion and choose to withhold sensitive information or other matters they deem fit.

(3) In the event of the Prime Minister’s absence or general unavailability, they may select a member of the cabinet to release this statement in their place.

(4) If the required report is not submitted within a 24 hour grace period, the Speaker is required to report this failure to release to the Assembly.
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Formatted it a little better.
 
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Deadeye Jack said:
Yes this is moreso what I had in mind in the other discussion. Although I think maybe 24 hours is too fast paced.
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I agree that 72 hours would probably be safer, even though a report like that should be wrote in advance.
 
Deadeye Jack said:
Yes this is moreso what I had in mind in the other discussion. Although I think maybe 24 hours is too fast paced.
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Wang Yao said:
I agree that 72 hours would probably be safer, even though a report like that should be wrote in advance.
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I considered this when writing this bill but thought that even less time may amp up the pressure to ensure its release. I’m 100% fine with a 72 hour grace period though and will edit the OP shortly.
 
Full support.

Except for that date format lol, but obviously it doesn't matter
 
Government Transparency Act

Proposed by: @Clorinda​
Preamble

An act to maintain government transparency through answerability.

Section 1. Assembly Updates

(1) The Prime Minister must release a thorough, written report detailing cabinet accomplishments and plans on the within the first of every even-numbered month (1 February, 1 April, 1 June, 1 August, 1 October, 1 December) week of every month to the Assembly.

(2) The Prime Minister may use discretion and choose to withhold sensitive information or other matters they deem fit.

(3) In the event of the Prime Minister’s absence or general unavailability, they may select a member of the cabinet to release this statement in their place.

(4) If the required report is not submitted within a 24 hour grace period, the Speaker is required to report this failure to release to the Assembly.
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Alternatively you could just say within the first week of every month.
 
This seems like something that won't work in practice, people will forgot it needs to get done, and people will use it against a PM that is otherwise productive.

Against.
 
Debussy said:
This seems like something that won't work in practice, people will forgot it needs to get done, and people will use it against a PM that is otherwise productive.

Against.
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Seeing as it works in The Rejected Realms and has worked for years, completely disagree with this uninformed take.
 
Chanku said:
I don't particularly see any reason or need for this. Furthermore, I question if legislation is necessary in this matter, or if an alternative way to go about this would be possible.
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Legislation is necessary in this matter so Lazarene citizens know what’s happening inside the government that represents them. Posted and unposted updates help illuminate government happenings or lack thereof.

Additionally these updates would hold the government accountable and put actual legislative pressure on them to promote the region, its events, interests, etc. A couple of citizens complaining every once and a while won’t do much and extreme action like the recently-attempted entire cabinet recalls only frustrate everyone.

This is a not only productive but simple way of holding the government to our standards, I can’t comprehend why some may be against the principle of a bill like this.
 
Clorinda said:
Seeing as it works in The Rejected Realms and has worked for years, completely disagree with this uninformed take.
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This isn't TRR and calling me uninformed about how things work here doesn't help your case.
 
Chanku said:
My issue is more-so reaching to legislate when it isn't necessary. If we had PMs that refused to respond to any questions or that was extremely opaque, then I would be more willing to support this, but as it is I don't see a need when we have other mechanisms we can use
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Debussy said:
This isn't TRR and calling me uninformed about how things work here doesn't help your case.
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I see your point of view Chanku, thank you for not outright dismissing this piece. And Debussy, I think I’m aware this isn’t TRR, however, that seems to be your only rebuttal. You seem to be a part of the small minority opposing this no-nonsense bill and I can respect that, but it’s a little comedic to think that choosing to outright dismiss a bill rather than reading up on how it has worked for another region, and how similar acts have impacted how other regions maintain government activity. If you’re fine with Domais’ draft, which I am not because of how muddled it seems to be (in my opinion), please vote for it and against this one. I’ve tried to give you perspective but you’re ardently against it and I see I’m not going to be able to change your opinion, so I hope this helps Domais’ case for their proposal for you. :)

Thank you both for your comments though.
 
To me this seems like over-legislation. It seems unnecessary to legislate to force the Prime Minister and the Speaker to publish reports, especially once you start throwing adjectives like thorough and verbs like detailing in. Personally, I make most of the decisions I do make with regards to our government in the shower each morning-there is no paper to hand and it's a far cry from the meticulously minuted meetings of other regions.

With regards to comparisons to TRR, I'd like to echo what my regionmates have already said-this is not The Rejected Realms. This region has been crippled in the past by over-zealous legislation, and as such our legislature is conservative. When we do make new mechanisms it is for the best, in my opinion, to consider carefully whether they are necessary. Where they are, we should at least try to keep those mechanisms as simple as humanly possible and to describe them comprehensibly in as few words as possible. The mechanism for oversight of the Prime Minister and his cabinet is simple-the Assembly may recall them. To try to complicate the laws that constrain and regulate the cabinet will not improve the region in the long run. Sections of law which mandate only that the Prime Minister or Speaker must write something is bound to become a frivolity, a law without real clout that doesn't strongly mandate anything.
 
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McChimp said:
To me this seems like over-legislation. It seems heavy handed to legislate to force the Prime Minister and the Speaker to publish reports, especially once you start throwing adjectives like thorough and verbs like detailing in. The mechanism for oversight of the Prime Minister and his cabinet is simple-the Assembly may recall them. To try to complicate the laws that constrain and regulate the cabinet will not improve the region in the long run.

With regards to comparisons to TRR, I'd like to echo what my regionmates have already said-this is not The Rejected Realms. Our legislature is conservative, and when we do make new mechanisms it is for the best, in my opinion, to consider carefully whether they are necessary or at least to try to keep those mechanisms as simple as humanly possible and to describe them comprehensibly in as few words as possible.
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Seems to me like the Assembly won’t recall an inactive minister unless they’re incredibly terrible, seeing as one CTEd in the position.

And once again, I don’t see how this complicates the region at all. I’d argue that this constrains the region in a healthy way and it’s obvious it doesn’t damage or outright affect government proceedings. It’s not difficult to release an update every two months on what’s going on, and while I understand Laz doesn’t have the activity level TRR does, it still should be fairly easy for Laz.
 
Clorinda said:
Seems to me like the Assembly won’t recall an inactive minister unless they’re incredibly terrible, seeing as one CTEd in the position.

And once again, I don’t see how this complicates the region at all. I’d argue that this constrains the region in a healthy way and it’s obvious it doesn’t damage or outright affect government proceedings. It’s not difficult to release an update every two months on what’s going on, and while I understand Laz doesn’t have the activity level TRR does, it still should be fairly easy for Laz.
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If you are referring to Moe, incidentally of our Prime Ministers they were one of the finest we have had in spite of that particular episode.

It is a crime in Lazarus to knowingly or recklessly violate her laws. To add laws mandating trivial things like documentation therefore adds a whole collection of opportunities for complex and divisive trials. Our laws ought to be taken very seriously and law ought to be written only in cases where that seriousness is required.

Additionally, every individual law that is written and that includes things that must be done is another law that our citizens have to read and know about. There is something to be said for not writing them unless strictly necessary in the name of readability and accessibility.
 
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