SB 36, 21st Century Student Government Act

21st Century Student Government Act

SB 36, 87th Session

Version Info:

Version Downloads (Senators only).

Basic Information:

Primary Sponsor(s):

Compton (Corresponding)

Current Status:

Enrolled

Report(s):

GO-07

Long Title:

AN ACT RESTRUCTURING THE PERMANENT COMMITTEES OF THE SENATE AND CREATING A PERMANENT COMMITTEE ON LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT

Summary of Purpose:

Establishes requirements and restrictions on the general operation of permanent committees, makes the Standing Committee on Public Affairs a permanent committee, and creates a permanent Committee on Leadership Development

Consideration History:

9-4-2007:

Filed for introduction

9-5-2007 Senate:

First Reading
Referred to the Government Operations Committee by the Student Senate President

9-20-2007 Committee:

Government Operations Committee Consideration
The Government Operations Committee reported the bill to Senate by counted vote, 2-1, GO-07

9-23-2007 Senate:

Second Reading
Postponed by consent

10-3-2007 Senate:

Second Reading
Adopted by counted vote, 23-17

Online Text

(as of 9-5-2007, as initially introduced)

SENATE BILL 36

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

An act RESTRUCTURING THE PERMANENT COMMITTEES OF THE SENATE AND CREATING A PERMANENT COMMITTEE ON LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT

Short Title: 21st Century Student Government Act (Public)

Sponsored by: Senator COMPTON (corresponding)

Signatories: Student Senate President DOUCETTE

First Reading: September 5, 2007 Version Date: September 3, 2007

Referred to: Government Operations .

WHEREAS, permanent committees of the Student Senate exist to fulfill certain core portions of the SenateÕs mission; and,

WHEREAS, as the Student Government moves into the next century, itÕs important for the Senate to readjust its priorities toward a leadership- and advocacy-focused paradigm; and,

WHEREAS, establishing a new Permanent Committee on Leadership Development, and converting the Standing Committee on Public Affairs to a permanent committee, are both critical to achieving this objective; now, therefore, be it

ENACTED, by the North Carolina State University Student Senate that:

Section 1. Statutory Authority. This bill is adopted pursuant to the provisions of Article II, Sections 5(c) and 5(d) of the Student Body Constitution and Chapter 2, Rule 17(b)(4) of the Student Body Statutes.

Section 2. Chapter 2, Rule 10(e) (ÒCommittee on Public AffairsÓ) of the Student Body Statutes shall be stricken in its entirety pursuant to Section 3 below, and the section reserved for future use.

Section 3. Chapter 2, Rule 11 (ÒPermanent CommitteesÓ) shall be amended as follows:

Rule 11. Permanent Committees.

(a) Purpose of Permanent Committees. The permanent committees of the Student Senate exist to guarantee the completion of certain core functions of the SenateÕs mission. Unlike standing committees, each permanent committee established in these Rules shall have at least one (1) or more specific objectives that must be completed in each legislative session.

(b) Appointment of Permanent Committees. The President shall appoint Senators to each permanent committee. No Senator shall serve on more than one permanent committee at any given time. The President shall ensure that at least one (1) Senator representing first-year students at-large serves on each permanent committee. Membership shall, in general, be accorded to current and aspiring leaders of the Senate. In addition, no permanent committee shall have more than nine (9) members.

(c) Committee Officers. The President shall appoint one Senator to serve as Chair of each permanent committee, except in the case of the Committee on Appropriations, which the Senate President Pro Tempore shall be ex-officio Chair. The Chair of a committee shall be considered a full voting member of the committee. Each committee shall ~~elect a Vice-chair from its membership at its earliest opportunity, and again at such times the office might become vacant~~ also have an ex-officio Vice-chair, who shall be the Chair of the relevant standing committee stipulated in each permanent committee charter. Additional officers may be designated by the committee or the chair.

(d) Quorum. Quorum of a permanent committee shall be a majority of the voting members, thereby including the chair, but excluding non-voting ex-officio members. At no point shall quorum be established with less than three (3) Senators.

Section 4. Chapter 2, Rule 12 (ÒPermanent Committee Duties and CompositionÓ) shall be amended as follows:

Rule 12. Permanent Committee Duties and Composition.

(a) Committee on Appropriations. The Committee on Appropriations shall ensure a fair distribution of Student Body Funds to registered student organizations. The committee shall execute the process of student organization appropriations as defined by statute (SBS ¤5-2). The Committee on Appropriations shall be comprised of at least seven (7) senators, and the Student Body Treasurer, non-voting ex-officio. All members of the Committee on Appropriations shall be Senators representing one of the several colleges, schools, or recognized programs and at no time shall be comprised of, excluding the Chair, more than two (2) members of any given college, school, or recognized program Senate delegation.

The Chairman of the Senate Standing Committee on Finance shall be the ex-officio Vice Chairman of the Committee on Appropriations.

(b) Committee on Leadership Development. The Committee on Leadership Development shall ensure adequate advocacy and related training for all members of the Student Senate, provide for a smooth transition between sessions of the Senate, and generally be responsible for all leadership development initiatives of the Student Government. In particular, the committee shall (i) plan all Senate-related aspects of the Student Government retreat, (ii) plan and implement the Washington, DC advocacy event, (iii) maintain a three-year calendar for the Student Government to include, at minimum, all dates and deadlines stipulated in the Student Body Statutes and all dates included in the UniversityÕs academic calendar, and (iv) provide a tentative schedule of all meetings of the successive session of the Senate.

The Chairman of the Senate Standing Committee on Government Operations shall be the ex-officio Vice Chairman of the Committee on Leadership Development.

(c) Committee on Public Affairs. The Committee on Public Affairs shall be responsible for all advocacy initiatives and formulating policies regarding bodies of governance at the local, state, and federal level, including the Raleigh City Council, the UNC Association of Student Governments, the UNC Board of Governors, and the North Carolina General Assembly. The committee shall review all matters of student concern external to the University, except where another committee has direct jurisdiction. In particular, the committee shall (i) establish a two-year legislative agenda for Student Government to correspond with each biennium of the North Carolina General Assembly, (ii) have at least one (1) member in attendance at each business meeting of the Raleigh City Council, (iii) provide legislative oversight and implementation of the Pack the Polls voter mobilization program, and (iv) ensure adequate attendance at all meetings of the UNC Association of Student Governments, above and beyond the minimum delegation provided in Student Body Statutes ¤1-3.2 (ÒDelegation CompositionÓ).

The Chairman of the Senate Standing Committee on Tuition & Fees shall be the ex-officio Vice Chairman of the Committee on Public Affairs.

Section 5. This act shall be effective upon enrollment, except for restrictions relating to maximum committee size and service on multiple permanent committees, and the designation of ex-officio Vice Chairmen, with said clauses becoming effective upon the adjournment sine die of the 87th session of the Student Senate.

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