Angels and Demons (Working Title)

http://www.webook.com/project/Angels-and-Demons

Articles V & VI, Hypothetical New-World Constitution

Article V. Amendments.

The Congress, whenever two thirds of both Houses shall deem it necessary, shall propose amendments to this Constitution, or, on the application of the legislatures of two thirds of the several semi-autonomous regions given the formation of no fewer than three of the same, or, on the petition of no fewer than three quarters of the citizens of the State, shall call a convention for proposing amendments, which, in any case, shall be valid to all intents and purposes, as part of this Constitution, when ratified through referendum by the no fewer than three fourths of the citizens of the State.

Article VI. State Supremacy.

Section 1. This Constitution, and the laws of the State which shall be made in pursuance thereof; and all treaties made, or which shall be made, under the authority of the State, shall be the supreme law of the land; and the judges of the State shall be bound thereby, anything in the Constitution or laws of any semi-autonomous region to the contrary notwithstanding. Those who first subject to themselves to these articles by their ratification shall be considered natural born citizens of the State and of the district wherein they reside.

Section 2. The Councilors, Senators, and Board members before mentioned, and the members of the legislatures of the several semi-autonomous regions, and all executive and judicial officers, both of the State and of the several semi-autonomous regions, shall be bound by oath or affirmation to support this Constitution, but no religious test shall ever be required as a qualification to any office or public trust under the State.

Article IV, Hypothetical New-World Constitution

Article IV. Territory.

Section 1. The Congress shall have the power to annex, by the concurrence of two thirds of the members of both Houses, any unclaimed land or territory, or any land or territory whose inhabitants have, by the authority of their government, consented to their annexation. Inhabitants of such new territories shall be made citizens of the State, granted equal rights to representation in the Congress, and to election of the several Executive officers, and shall be counted in the Census for the purpose of apportionment and redistricting of Senate districts.

Section 2a. The Congress shall have the power to create mutable administrative districts within the State and to devolve such power as they deem necessary to any republican governments as may be established within by act of Congress. The government of an administrative district shall have no power but those powers devolved to it by act of Congress. If such mutable administrative districts be created, they shall be apportioned according to population as prescribed by law. They may conform, but they shall not be required to conform to the boundaries of the districts from which Senators shall be elected. These mutable administrative districts shall be reapportioned and the boundaries redrawn after each enumeration of the Census. The State and the People may refer to mutable administrative districts by any designation as may be determined by law.

2b. Power devolved by law to the governments of mutable administrative districts may be rescinded by law. Such power may be, by law, made concurrent or exclusive. Concurrent powers may be exercised by both the mutable administrative district, and by the State. In devolving exclusive power to the mutable administrative district, the Congress lays down its own authority to exercise that power until it may again by law take it up.

Section 3a. The Congress shall have the power to make permanent any mutable administrative districts within the State. Upon the petition of no fewer than three quarters of the inhabitants of a mutable administrative district, Congress shall be compelled to make permanent that district. Permanent districts may not be reapportioned, and their boundaries may not be altered except upon the concurrence of three quarters of the legislature of the district or upon ratification by referendum of three quarters of the inhabitants thereof. Upon the reapportionment and redistricting of Senate districts, neither Senate district lines nor Independent School District lines shall cross the boundaries of a permanent administrative district. Senate districts within the permanent administrative district shall be apportioned as equally as is possible as those Senate districts without. The State and the People may refer to permanent administrative districts by any designation as may be determined by law.

3b. All powers devolved to a mutable administrative district are retained once such districts are made permanent. Further power may be devolved to a permanent administrative district; however, power devolved by law to the governments of permanent districts may not be rescinded by the Congress except upon the concurrence of three quarters of the legislature of the district.

Section 4a. Upon the concurrence of three quarters of the legislatures or upon petition of no fewer than three quarters of the inhabitants of no fewer than three contiguous permanent administrative districts, the aforementioned districts may form a semi-autonomous region. The inhabitants of the semi-autonomous region shall create by constitution a republican institution to govern the whole region, and the relationships between this government and any governments of the permanent administrative districts therein shall be determined by that constitution. Once created, Senate district lines and Independent School District lines may cross the boundaries of the permanent administrative districts within the semi-autonomous region, but may not cross the boundaries of the region itself. Senate districts within the semi-autonomous region shall be apportioned as equally as possible as those Senate districts without. No semi-autonomous region shall be denied representation in the Congress. The State and the People may refer to semi-autonomous regions by any designation as may be determined by law.

4b. The governments of semi-autonomous regions shall be granted police power within their borders and shall be charged with the provision of the general welfare within the region and to protect the individual liberties of its inhabitants. Such governments shall have all legislative, executive, and judicial power within their borders except as otherwise prohibited herein, and the powers of the State shall be supreme over the powers of the semi-autonomous regions.

4c. A person charged in any semi-autonomous region with treason, felony, or other crime, who shall flee from justice, and be found in another semi-autonomous region or otherwise within the State, shall on demand of the executive authority of the semi-autonomous region from which he fled, be delivered up, to be removed to the semi-autonomous region having jurisdiction of the crime.

4d. Full faith and credit shall be given in the State and each semi-autonomous region to the public acts, records, and judicial proceedings of the State and every other semi-autonomous region, and the Congress may by general laws prescribe the manner in which such acts, records, and proceedings shall be proved, and the effect thereof. The citizens of each semi-autonomous region shall be entitled to all privileges and immunities of citizens in the State and the several semi-autonomous regions.

4e. No semi-autonomous region shall enter into any treaty, alliance, or confederation; grant letters of marque and reprisal; coin money; emit bills of credit; make anything but gold and silver coin a tender in payment of debts; pass any bill of attainder, ex post facto law, or law impairing the obligation of contracts, or grant any title of nobility.

4f. No semi-autonomous region shall, without the consent of the Congress, lay any imposts or duties on imports or exports, except what may be absolutely necessary for executing it's inspection laws: and the net produce of all duties and imposts, laid by any semi-autonomous region on imports or exports, shall be for the use of the Treasury of the State; and all such laws shall be subject to the revision and control of the Congress.

4g. No semi-autonomous region shall, without the consent of Congress, lay any duty of tonnage, keep troops, or ships of war in time of peace, enter into any agreement or compact with another semi-autonomous region, or with a foreign power, or engage in war, unless actually invaded, or in such imminent danger as will not admit of delay.

4h. No semi-autonomous region shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the State, nor any other semi-autonomous region; nor shall any semi-autonomous region deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.

4i. Upon the concurrence of the legislature of a semi-autonomous region and three quarters of both Houses of Congress, a semi-autonomous region may secede from the State and form in and of itself an independent state with all the powers and sovereignty thereof. Inhabitants and officials of any semi-autonomous region shall not be considered in rebellion or insurrection should they peacefully consider or implement this clause. Citizens of the newly independent states shall no longer be citizens of the State, will be freed from all oaths of loyalty to the State and to this Constitution, and will be considered by the State to be foreign born.