View source for Assembly of the South Pacific

{{Infobox legislature
|name                = Assembly of the South Pacific
|coa_pic             = [[File:AssemblySeal.png|60px]]
|coa_alt             = 
|coa_caption         = Seal for the Assembly & the [[Chair of the Assembly|Chair]]
|logo_pic            = Assembly-line-color-pathtext.svg
|logo_caption        = Logo for the Assembly
|house_type          = [[Unicameralism|Unicameral]]
|foundation          = {{start date and age|2006|01|19}}
|preceded_by         = General Assembly of the South Pacific
|legislature         = '''<u>''48th Presidium''</u>'''
|committees1         = [https://thesouthpacific.org/t/3422 Foreign Affairs]<br>[https://thesouthpacific.org/t/3930 Defence]<br>[https://thesouthpacific.org/t/3931 Domestic Affairs]
|political_groups1   = 
* {{color box|#009BEE}} [[The Cakeists]]
* {{color box|#FF9A01}} [[The Pieists]]
* {{color box|#E1C494}} [[The Ice Creamists]]
* {{color box|gray}} Independent
|leader1             = [[BlockBuster2K43]]
|leader1_type        = [[Chair of the Assembly]]
|leader2             = ''Vacant''
|leader2_type        = [[Deputy Chair of the Assembly]]
|leader3             = [[Welly]]
|leader3_type        = [[Clerk of the Assembly]]
|election1           = 1st November 2023
|election2           = 11th February 2024
|election3           = 19th November 2023
|constitution        = [[Charter of the South Pacific]]
|website             = [https://www.nationstates.net/page=dispatch/id=1952897 Assembly on the Forums]
|footnotes           = [https://www.nationstates.net/page=dispatch/id=1952897 The Assembly Gazette]<br>[[Office of Assembly Affairs]]<br>[[Office of Legislator Applications]]
|jurisdiction = the South Pacific
|authority = [[the South Pacific]]
|new_session = 1st November 2023
}}

The [[Assembly of the South Pacific]] is the supreme legislative authority in [[the South Pacific]]. It has existed in some form since 2003. Members of the Assembly vote on the laws and representative officials of [[the South Pacific]]. The leadership of the Assembly is made up of the [[Chair of the Assembly]], the [[Deputy Chair of the Assembly]], and the [[Clerk of the Assembly]].

==Role==

The Assembly of the South Pacific is made up of [[Legislators of the South Pacific|Legislators]]. Legislators may propose and vote on bills concerning the governance of the South Pacific, though they cannot vote on bills that would affect only the on-site community. Legislators vote in the Cabinet, Delegate, and Chair elections and legislator status is required to run for these positions. The Assembly also votes on appointments made by the Cabinet, such as nominations for the Citizenship Committee and the High Court. The Assembly may recall officials for dereliction of duty, abuse of authority, or violations of the law.

Any legislator can propose a bill to the Assembly. There is a debate period of three days for bills on general laws and five days on constitutional laws; after this, bills may be moved to a vote if there is a motion and a second from separate legislators.

===Chair of the Assembly===
{{See also|Chair of the Assembly}}

The Assembly elects a [[Chair of the Assembly]] who is elected for a term of 6 months, if the Chair is absent, recalled or generally not in office, new Chair elections will be called. The Chair is responsible for maintaining order and decorum in the Assembly, guiding debate into bills, bringing bills to vote, and recording changes to law. Alongside this, the position of the Chair performs various other administrative, maintenance and secretarial functions, this includes, bringing bills to vote, recording votes, maintaining the MATT-DUCK law index, and making records of vote and debate threads. The Chair is responsible for enforcing legislative procedure and law standards, and for determining if bills contradict the Charter or other constitutional laws.

===Deputy Chair of the Assembly===
{{See also|Deputy Chair of the Assembly}}

The [[Deputy Chair of the Assembly]] is the second-highest ranking official within the [[Assembly of the South Pacific]]. The [[Deputy Chair of the Assembly]] executes the functions that will assist in the day-to-day running of the Assembly, they are also responsible for helping the [[Chair of the Assembly]] with their tasks as chair. In certain circumstances, the [[Deputy Chair of the Assembly]] may issue tasks and execute the functions of the [[Chair of the Assembly]] if the [[Chair of the Assembly|Chair]] is absent or away. If the [[Chair of the Assembly]] resigns of leaves their position as [[Chair of the Assembly]], the Deputy Chair will assume the acting role of [[Chair of the Assembly]] until an election can be held.

===Clerk of the Assembly===
{{See also|Clerk of the Assembly}}

The [[Clerk of the Assembly]] is a ''de facto'' [[Deputy Chair of the Assembly]]. However, they are usually responsible for maintaining and writing content for the countless media platforms in use by the Assembly, alongside amending any guides written by the Assembly to ensuring that they are kept up-to-date. However, their powers are defined at the start of each presidium and may be subject to change. The Clerk also does not possess the same powers and authority compared to the [[Deputy Chair of the Assembly]].

==History==

The legislative body known as the Assembly was founded in late June or early July 2003, when it was known as the General Assembly of the South Pacific.<ref>Slackervania, 7 July 2003. https://www.tapatalk.com/groups/thespacific/new-name-t5.html#p27</ref> The name was changed to Council of the South Pacific in July. In the Great Council of January 2006, the name of the Council was changed to the Assembly.<ref>Fudgie, 19 January 2006. https://www.tapatalk.com/groups/thespacific/council-results-t4148.html#p116933</ref>

Until the Great Council of 2016, members of the Assembly were known as Citizens rather than Legislators.<ref>Assembly Resolution on Citizenship Continuity, 3 July 2016. https://tspforums.xyz/thread-4282.html</ref> Currently, legislators refers to members of the Assembly while citizens refers to all members of the South Pacific.

==Membership==

Legislators are admitted to the Assembly by the [[Legislator Committee]]. They may lose legislator status if their nation leaves the South Pacific or if they do not meet the voting requirements (a legislator must vote in at least half of the votes in a month where a minimum of two votes are held).

The roster of legislators is publicly viewable [https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1vvmvcnmZHvD1be7OKx0qTk5ffNoU5zHgRgy4jKKHhYA/edit#gid=2051530894 here].

==Further Reading==
* [https://tspforums.xyz/thread-4111.html#5 The Charter of the Coalition of the South Pacific, IV. THE ASSEMBLY]
* [https://tspforums.xyz/thread-6913.html Legislator Guide]

==References==
{{reflist}}