This elected legislative body will be known as the Government of Tavonni (hereinafter referred to as the Government).
The minimum age for an elected Local Councillor is 18 years of age.
The length of an interval shall not exceed 5 years.
Elections will be conducted by the Electoral Commission of Tavonni.
The Count of Tavonni will NOT be allowed to cast a vote in a Plebiscite, unless the matter concerns the County Household, the County Estate, or the Planet of Tavonni as a whole. The Count will be allowed to vote in elections for his locality.
Voting will not be compulsory.
If a petition is received by the Government from 5% of the total population, or 33% of a region, then the subject of the petition is deemed to be a matter of public importance, and must therefore be carried to a Plebiscite.
A Bill can be declared to be a matter of public importance (and thus subject to a Plebiscite) if voted to be so by a majority in either the House of Legislation or the House of Review.
The Count of Tavonni can unilaterally declare an issue to be a matter of public importance.
A Plebiscite will be deemed to have passed if voted in favour by a majority of participating voters, provided that the total number of participating voters is greater than 33% of the total population of Tavonni.
Unlike other Plebiscites, private property Plebiscites will be deemed to have passed if voted in favour by over 50% of all eligible voters, and if approved by the Count of Tavonni.
Private citizens or companies may purchase freehold real estate from the County Estate. This is considered private land.
The Government of Tavonni will be granted land for public use by the County Estate. The Government may resume private land by Statute.
In peacetime, land may be resumed by the County Estate, with the owner given prior notice of one Imperial standard year. In times of war or anticipated hostilities, land may be resumed by the County Estate without notice. In wartime, the Count (or whoever is designated as the commander of the Tavonni Planetary Navy) may take command of any private vessel in the Tavonni system. Wherever possible, this involuntary service will be repaid during or at the end of hostilities.
The owner of private land that has been resumed must receive appropriate compensation from the resuming authority, either the County Household or Government.
If necessary, a Member of the Planetary Government may requisition military equipment from Tavonni military units to establish secure communications, as long as this does not militarily jeopardise the unit, or is likely to bring it into combat for which it is not prepared.
Count of Tavonni
Person granted the hereditary title of Count of Tavonni by Imperial decree. At the time of constitution, the position of Count of Tavonni is held by Count Leto Khaanraarshuinki,
IN
Fleet Admiral (ret.), and will be passed on to his designated heirs.
Private land is that which is owned privately, either by a natural person, or a body corporate. Permission must be obtained from the owner to enter this land. Resources beneath the land are NOT the possession of the owner; these are possessed by the lessee of the mineral rights for the area. If there is no stated lessee, then the implied ownership rests with the Count of Tavonni.
Public land is land granted by the Count of Tavonni to the Government for the purpose of the Public, or such Crown Land as is set aside by the Count.
Crown land is land that is directly owned by the County Household, either by right, resumption, or purchase. For legal purposes it may be considered private land, except in the case of military establishments, or the County Palaces.
A locality is run by a Local Council, consisting of 10 elected Local Councillors.
A Local Council has the authority to create local regulations. Regulations in conflict with Regional or Planetary Statutes are deemed suspended.
Locality boundaries will be decided upon by the Electoral Commission of Tavonni.
A region is run by a Regional Council, consisting of 10 Regional Councillors.
A Regional Council has the authority to enact Regional Ordinances. Regional Ordinances in conflict with Planetary Statutes are deemed suspended.
Regional boundaries will be decided upon by the Electoral Commission of Tavonni.
The Planetary Government has the authority to create Bills that cover matters affecting the entire planet of Tavonni. Bills which are approved by the Count of Tavonni become Statues.
The process of creating a Statute from a Bill is outlined below:
A Member of the Planetary Government proposes a Bill. The House of Legislation discusses that Bill, and creates a draft Bill. When the contents of a draft Bill have been agreed to by a majority vote of the House, the Bill is passed to the House of Review.
The House of Review reviews the draft Bill. The contents of the Bill may be amended by a majority vote of the House. If the Bill is amended, it is returned to the House of Legislation to be re-drafted. If the Bill is agreed to without amendment, it is passed to the Count of Tavonni for final approval.
If a Bill or Plebiscite is not approved by the Count or his appointed representative within a period of 30 days from being passed by the Planetary Government, then it is automatically vetoed. Vetoed Bills or Plebiscites do not become Statutes.
The period of passage of a Bill may be extended by the Count (or representative) by so informing the Planetary Government. Extensions may not exceed 100 Days. A vetoed Bill (either by Act or Omission) may not be resubmitted to the Planetary Government for 6 months (180 Days).
Electoral Commission of Tavonni
An independent body whose tasks are to establish electoral boundaries and to oversee the conduct of elections.