The Adrian Empire, Inc. CHANCELLOR'S MANUAL ACCEPTED FOR NOVEMBER 2000 IMPERIAL ESATES MEETING AMENDED MAY 2002 © 2002 The Adrian Empire Inc., all rights reserved. Anyone is welcome to point out any error or omission that they may find. Imperial Chancellor Chancellor@adrianempire.org Empress empress@adrianempire.org Emperor emperor@adrianempire.org Page 2 of 24 Chancellor's Manual as adopted November 2000, amended May 2002 TABLE OF CONTENTS Preface................................................................................................................................................................4 I. Purpose ...........................................................................................................................................................4 A. Philosophy.........................................................................................................................................4 B. Construing Law.................................................................................................................................4 II. Meetings.........................................................................................................................................................6 III. Agendas ........................................................................................................................................................6 A. Format and Procedure.......................................................................................................................6 B. Preparation and Distribution...............................................................................................................9 IV. Conducting Meetings: General......................................................................................................................10 A. Rules of Order.................................................................................................................................10 B. Consent Calendar............................................................................................................................10 C. Consideration..................................................................................................................................10 D. Voting.............................................................................................................................................11 E. Abstentions .....................................................................................................................................11 F. Upgrading/Downgrading Proposals ..................................................................................................11 G. Withdrawal of Proposals..................................................................................................................11 H. Typos..............................................................................................................................................11 I. Chancellor's Power to Create Language...........................................................................................11 J. Debate ............................................................................................................................................11 V. Parliamentary Procedure...............................................................................................................................12 A. Primary Motions..............................................................................................................................12 B. Secondary Motions .........................................................................................................................12 C. Tertiary Motions..............................................................................................................................14 D. Privileged Motions...........................................................................................................................14 VI. Levels of Law..............................................................................................................................................15 A. Imperial Crown Writs......................................................................................................................15 B. Estates Writs...................................................................................................................................15 C. Case Law and Minutes....................................................................................................................15 D. Authorized Deviation From Law ......................................................................................................15 E. Guidelines Not Rising to the Level of Law........................................................................................15 F. Custom and Tradition......................................................................................................................16 G. Precedent ........................................................................................................................................16 H. Policies............................................................................................................................................16 I. Internal Procedure ...........................................................................................................................16 VII. Definitions ..................................................................................................................................................16 A. Majority..........................................................................................................................................16 B. Warrants of Appointment.................................................................................................................16 C. Imperial Ministries ...........................................................................................................................16 D. Imperial Candidates.........................................................................................................................16 E. Imperial Charters.............................................................................................................................16 Chancellor's Manual as adopted November 2000, amended May 2002 Page 3 of 24 F. Banishment......................................................................................................................................17 G. Other Sentences ..............................................................................................................................17 H. Approval of Expenses......................................................................................................................17 I. Bylaw Changes................................................................................................................................17 J. Resolutions......................................................................................................................................17 K. Commentary....................................................................................................................................17 L. Appointment of Members for the Order of the Fleur-di-Lis...............................................................18 M. Approval of Reign ...........................................................................................................................18 N. Sovereignty.....................................................................................................................................18 O. Committees.....................................................................................................................................18 P. Lobbying.........................................................................................................................................18 Q. Parliamentary Immunity....................................................................................................................19 Appendix A: Sample Agenda Cover Letter ........................................................................................................20 Appendix B: Concerning Conduct in an Imperial Estates Meeting........................................................................21 Rules Regarding the Meeting.....................................................................................................................21 Appendix C: Advice for Chancellors..................................................................................................................23 Page 4 of 24 Chancellor's Manual as adopted November 2000, amended May 2002 PREFACE This manual is for the Imperial Chancellor and the Imperial Estates General only. Chartered subdivisions may use any parliamentary procedure they see fit so long as the fundamental rights of their Estates are conserved. Of course, anyone may take and use ideas from this manual. Its format is a bit unorthodox, being taken from a series of formally unrelated writings. Nevertheless, an Imperial Chancellor should find this to be a useful guide. This manual is in the process of extensive revision. Please do not hesitate to make suggestions to the Imperial Chancellor. Our thanks to Sir Nikolai Belski for his input on this manual. Yours in service, Maedb and Karl, Empress and Kaiser I. PURPOSE The Empire is vast. At times, as many as one-third (1/3) of all votes cast at a meeting of the Estates may be by proxy. In order to conserve the rights of all Estates to participate in our democratic process, the following rules are used. As used below, the "government" refers to the Imperial Crown and its Ministries. The "Estates" refers to the Imperial Estates General. A. PHILOSOPHY It has been pointed out more than once that, by law, it takes a unanimous vote of the Imperial Estate General to permanently banish a member, but it only takes 2/3 to change that law. In theory, if 2/3 of the members present wanted to permanently banish a member, they could vote to suspend notice, vote to change the law, and then vote to waive publication of that law­ after which, they could vote to permanently banish the member without unanimity. In theory. In practice, the law of unanimity is a strong statement of policy, which the Estate Holders have ALWAYS respected. We all understand the loophole. We have never tried to exploit it. We have all agreed that we want complete consensus before permanently banishing a member. Similarly, it has pointed out that the "grandfather clause," the prohibition on passing a law which affects anyone's previously-earned titles and honors, is no protection at all because the "grandfather clause" itself can be changed just like any other law. Although this is true, it has never happened. The "grandfather clause" has been in our Bylaws since February 16, 1992, and has never been challenged. It too is a strong statement of our philosophy that we make no laws which affect the previously-earned rights of our members. B. CONSTRUING LAW When interpreting any law, one must use common sense. When a law obligates someone to do something, one must read into that law, "as far as is feasible" or "to the extenT practicable." For example, the site of a meeting of the Imperial Estates General is to be published at least 60 days in advance of that meeting. What if a host chartered subdivision suddenly backs out? Or what if it is a chartered subdivision's turn to host a meeting of the Imperial Estates, and they do not make adequate preparations for the meeting? Or has made arrangements which are prohibitively expensive? Under such circumstances, we must all apply the law as best we can, following its intent to the best of our abilities. Chancellor's Manual Page 5 of 24 as adopted November 2000, amended May 2002 Also, when interpreting law which requires, for example, certain minimum armor standards, one may read in, "or equivalent." (e.g. 14-gauge steel, or equivalent). The idea is that we want items for a specific purpose. The steel (for example) is not what is important, necessarily, but rather the strength of the protection. Of course, "equivalent" really has to be "equivalent," which is what marshals (and other officials, depending on the issue at hand) are for. Page 6 of 24 Chancellor's Manual as adopted November 2000, amended May 2002 II. MEETINGS The rules are designed, among other things, to allow the Estates who cannot attend (often for reasons of geographical inconvenience) to send their proxies with confidence. Nevertheless, all Estates should be afforded an opportunity to attend. Each Kingdom should rotate as host for the meeting of the Imperial Estates General. That means tha ...