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BE IT ENACTED by the Magisterium of the East Pacific:
SECTION I. TITLE
…1.1-This act shall be known and cited as the “Endorsement Caps Act”.
SECTION II. FINDINGS
…2.1 The Magisterium finds that:
…2.1.1- The stability of the in-game region is largely dependent on the influence and endorsement levels of the Delegate and Viziers,
…2.1.2- Endorsements and Influence remain crucial tools with which to determine the in-game delegacy,
…2.1.3- It is prudent that The East Pacific maintain flexibile endorsement caps to reflect the cultural initiatives and security situation of the region.
SECTION III. DEFINITIONS
…3.1- For the purposes of this act, the following terms are defined as:
…3.1.1- Region- “the NationStates region of The East Pacific”;
…3.1.2- Nation- “a nation within region, regardless of citizenship status”;
…3.1.3- Qualified Endorsement Cap- “a cap, with a qualifier to be subjected to it, that is set by the Delegate and confirmed by the Magisterium”;
SECTION IV. ENDORSEMENT CAPS
…4.1- The Delegate is empowered to propose to the Magisterium any number of Qualified Endorsement Caps, which shall be ratified by a majority vote. A proposal for a Qualified Endorsement Cap must include the following: a simple title, the qualification for that cap, and the number (or numbers) targeted by the proposed Cap.
…4.2- No Qualified Endorsement Cap may exceed the number of current Delegate Endorsements for any reason.
…4.3- Qualified Endorsement Caps may be repealed in the following ways:
…4.3.1- At the request of the Delegate, with a majority vote of the Magisterium; or
…4.3.2- Without the consent of the Delegate with a 2/3 majority vote of the Magisterium.
SECTION V. GENERAL PROVISIONS
…5.1- The Delegate must display the current numerical value of all Qualified Endorsement Caps the Non-Delegate-Friendly and Delegate-Friendly Endorsement Caps on the Region’s World Factbook Entry.
…5.2- The Delegate and the Viziers are not subject to any Qualified Endorsement Caps.
…5.3- The Delegate, any Vizier, member of the Eastern Pacific Police Service, or other designee of the Executive may choose to act as a Compliance Officer for the purposes of this Act.
…5.4- The top four endorsed Viziers shall be entitled to the in-game Regional Officer power “Border Control” if they opt-in to act on an ejection or banishment order made under this Act by the Delegate. The Delegate may revoke this power if the Vizier refuses a legitimate ejection or banishment order under this Act.
SECTION VI. VIOLATIONS OF ENDORSEMENT CAPS
…6.1- Any nation found to be doing the following commits a summary offence:
…6.1.1- Maintaining endorsements in excess of the endorsement cap to which it is subject;
…6.1.2- Soliciting additional endorsements beyond the endorsement cap to which it is subject.
…6.2- To enforce a banishment or ejection under this act, the offending nation must be “Notified” by a Compliance Officer via a ‘tag’ on a publicly available list of offenders for at least 3 days.
…6.3- Any nation, having been under Notice in accordance with 6.2 and remaining in violation of this Act shall be subject to summary ejection OR banishment. Citizens reserve the right to to appeal to Conclave.
…6.4- Any nation, found soliciting additional endorsements beyond the applicable endorsement cap while under Notice in accordance with 6.1 shall be subject to summary ejection OR banishment. Citizens reserve the right to to appeal to Conclave.
…6.4.1- The Delegate must submit notice of this action to the Conclave.
…6.5- The Delegate may temporarily suspend punitive action under this Act if the offending nation has proven a willingness to comply with the cap, at the Delegate’s discretion.
SECTION VII. ENACTMENT
…7.1- This bill shall be enacted upon its signature by the Delegate, except if the Magisterium votes to override a veto of this bill by the Delegate.
…7.2- Upon Enactment of this bill, the Simplified Endorsement Cap Act is repealed.
…7.3- Upon Enactment of this bill, the following Qualified Endorsement Caps are established until their repeal or replacement:
…7.3.1- The “Non-Delegate-Friendly Endorsement Cap” shall cap the endorsements for nations not endorsing the Delegate at 10 20.
…7.3.2- The “Delegate-Friendly Endorsement Cap” shall cap the endorsements for nations endorsing the Delegate at 400.
…7.3.3- The “Government Officer Endorsement Cap” shall cap the endorsements for Magisters, Arbiters, and certified Executive Staff endorsing the Delegate at 375.. at 25 endorsements above the “Delegate-Friendly Endorsement Cap”.
…7.3.4- The “Senior Officers Endorsement Cap” shall cap the endorsements for Executive Staff Ministers, EPPS Senior Officials, and EPSA Generals endorsing the Delegate at 400 at 50 endorsements above the “Delegate-Friendly Endorsement Cap”.
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Rationale For Changes:
5.1: I never saw the Qualified Endorsement Caps on the WFE ever since I joined NS (a year ago.) Since no one has thought to enforce this section of the law, I felt it was supposed to be changed. The two caps mentioned in 5.1 are the most widely known and followed ones. Both have been on the WFEs in times past, so they have not been forgotten in the way of mentioning the Caps on the WFE.
7.3.1: Bit of a controversial one. The discussion began in the Executive Discord, with enough valid points to believe the proposal worthwhile. I won’t reveal opposition arguments in order to extend thoughts and ideas discussed in the following posts. The reason I feel that this change is valid is that nowadays, nations who don’t do anything usually gain at least 15-20 endorsements from hopeful endorsement swappers. Unfortunately, these nations become apathetic to everything NS except issues and WAs, so they do not endorse anyone. I don’t believe this change would hurt the region at all, since the Delegate-Friendly Cap is at 400, and our Delegate is currently around 750-800 endorsements.
7.3.3 & 7.3.4: This is not a much-needed amendment, but admittedly, I made a mistake which caused the Senior Officers Cap and the Delegate-Friendly Cap to be the same amount in the last amendment to this act. With these changes, it will help prevent the mistake I made occur. If it happens once, it can definitely happen again.
Additionally, I am unsure if 4.1.1 should be worded differently according to the changes of 7.3.3 & 7.3.4; input would be welcome.
I welcome all Magisters and citizens willing to discuss this proposal.