Orderly Chamber Act 631

Orderly Chamber Act 631

An Act for the better enabling of the Lord Speaker to maintain order, and to ensure the safety of all members and strangers of the House during sittings of the Stormwind House of Nobles.

Authors: Lord Adorlin Miller, 31st Count Eastwood

Sponsors: Lord Galmone Aurum, Duke of Aurumsmark, Lord Baldassar Partiger, Count of the Aspera Coast

Be it enacted by the King's most Excellent Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the House of Nobles, in this present Parliament assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:—

I Chamber Security

'''(i) The Lord Speaker shall appoint a Serjeant-at-Arms to ensure that the security of the chamber is maintained during sittings of the House. '''

(ii) At least two uniformed Chamber Guards appointed by the Serjeant-at-Arms shall be present for all House meetings, wherein

i. The Serjeant-at-Arms may be one of the Chamber Guards, however

(iii) The Chamber Guards shall never cross over the light blue line nearest the southeast wall into the Chamber unless ordered to do so by the acting Lord Speaker, unless

(iv) The acting Lord Speaker is incapacitated, at which point the Chamber Guards may enter under their own prerogative, or

(v) The Chamber Guards believe that there is an urgent threat to the safety of those in the chamber.

II Seating during Sittings of the House

'''(i) The Lord Speaker shall appoint a Gentleman or Lady Usher of the House to ensure all members and strangers to the chamber are seated properly during House sittings. '''

(ii) The Chair of the Lord Speaker shall always be positioned with its back facing the entranceway of the chamber, with the Lord Speaker facing the northwest wall of the chamber.

(iii) No member or stranger shall take a position behind the Chair of the Lord Speaker or a position which is otherwise obscured from the line of sight of the Lord Speaker when the Lord Speaker is facing the northwest wall of the chamber.

(iv) Ministers shall sit or stand around the centre table, however, they shall not be in a position behind the sight line of the Lord Speaker when the Lord Speaker is facing the northwest wall of the chamber.

'''(v) Those who require a seat may make use of any seat in a position within the sight line of the Lord Speaker when the Lord Speaker is facing the northwest wall of the chamber. '''

(vi) While another is speaking, those waiting to speak shall step back to their resting position, and shall only step forward when the active speaker has finished speaking.

(vii) Those who do not wish to speak shall remain on or behind the inner  (the line furthest from the wall) light blue line, and those who wish to speak shall step forward competely over the inner light blue line.

(viii) Members and strangers in the seated sections of the chamber shall stand to make their intent to speak known.

(ix) Ministers shall place their hand on the centre table to make their intent to speak known.

(x) The Lord Speaker shall stand to speak, and all other members shall return to their resting position, even if they are speaking.

(xi) The Lord Speaker may make additional adjustments to the seating of the House as necessary.

'''(xii) All strangers shall move to the northwest side of the chamber for divisions, as the northeast and southwest walls are used for aye and no division lobbies. '''

III Admittance to the Chamber during Sittings

(i) All Lords Spiritual and Temporal who have not been suspended from the service to the House for the reamainder of the day shall not be barred from entry to the chamber, inaomuch as

i. That Lord Spiritual or Temporal does not have a full or partial face covering, whereas

'''ii. That face covering is not required for medical reasons. '''

(ii) No uniformed Guardsman shall be permitted entry to the chamber unless ordered to do so by the Lord Speaker, unless 

i. The Lord Speaker is incapacitated, in which case the Serjeant-at-Arms shall have the authority to decide whether or not uniformed guardsmen may enter.

'''ii. If the Serjeant-at-Arms is incapacitated, uniformed guardsmen may enter the chamber under their own prerogative.'''

(iii) No full or partial face covering shall be worn within the chamber, except as allowed for Lords Spiritual and Temporal in Section III, Subsection I of this Act, even if for medical reasons.

(iv) Lords Foreign and Members of HM Judiciary who have not been removed for the remainder of the days sitting for disorderly behaviour shall not be barred entry to the chamber, insomuch as

i. That Lord Foreign or member of HM Judiciary does not have a full or partial face covering, whereas

'''ii. That face covering is not required for medical reasons, and'''

'''iii. The Lords Spiritual and Temporal have not put and approved a motion “that this House sit in private”, wherein all non-voting members shall be ushered completely out of the chamber and the door shall be closed, with the Chamber Guards taking position directly inside the door.'''

(v) The Lord Speaker, and by extension, the Serjeant-at-Arms, shall maintain the authority to deny entry to any person who is not exempted under Section III, Subsections I and IV of this Act.

IV Procedure of the House

(i) “A Treatise upon Parliamentary Practice” by Lord Adorlin Miller shall be established as the work of authority for the Speaker to maintain order during sittings of the House of Nobles.

(ii) The House of Nobles may establish procedure that contradicts and exempts itself from enacted law without repealing or making exception to that law, insomuch as

i. The procedure only exempts members while within the Petitioner’s Chamber, within select committees, or within the writing of papers that are only distributed to other members of parliament, called “parliamentary papers”.

'''ii. The procedure does not conflict with the provisions of this Act.'''

(iii) “A Guide to the House of Nobles’ Speakership and Procedures” by Lord Baldassar Partiger shall serve as an alternate work of authority as well as a guide to precedent, however, wherein that work of authority contradicts the work of authority established in Section IV, Subsection I of this Act, the newer authority shall hold.

V Parliamentary Privilege 

(i) Members shall be entitled to free speech within the chamber, select committees, and parliamentary papers, insomuch as 

'''i. Those papers are only distributed to Lords Spiritual and Temporal. '''

'''ii. That speech is not in conflict with procedures outlined in the work of authorities established in Section IV, Subsections I and III of this Act.'''

'''(ii) Members shall not be arrested for exercising their right to free speech insomuch as that speech complies with Section V, Subsection I of this Act. '''

(iii) The most favourable construction should be placed upon the deliberations of the House of Nobles.

i. Members shall not have their words reconstructed or altered with the intent to cause an unfavourable misinterpretation of them.

'''(iv) The House may punish members or strangers for a breach of order or contempt of Parliament. '''

(v) The House shall not have their matters interferred with by any body but itself and the Crown.

VI Repeal of Antecedent Legislation

(i) The Sensible Seating and Security Act shall be repealed in its entirely upon the passing of this Act.

(ii) The House Procedures Act shall be repealed in its entirety upon the passing of this Act.

(iii) The House Voting Procedures Act shall be repealed in its entirety upon the passing of this Act.

(iv) The Orderly Chamber Act 629 shall remain repealed in its entirety.

VII Short Title and Commencement

'''(i) This Act shall be cited as the “Orderly Chamber Act”. '''

'''(ii) The provisions of this Act shall come into force immediately. '''