~80 posts to answer the question "Who is the top admin?"
and you people complain about government inefficiency...
If anyone really wants to know how the APS mods work, here you go:
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A. Administrative Action is Introduced - Any administrator can introduce a piece of Administrative Action
The Round Table - Administrative Action is handed to J. J. or placed in the hopper.
The Politics Place - Administrators must gain recognition of the presiding officer to announce the introduction of a Call for Administrative Action during the morning hour. If any Administrator objects, the introduction of the Call for Administrative Action is postponed until the next day.
• The Call for Administrative Action is assigned a number. (e.g. RT 1 or PP 1)
• The Call for Administrative Action is labeled with the sponsor's name.
• The Call for Administrative Action is sent to the APS Printing Office (APSPO) and copies are made.
• The Politics Place Calls for Administrative Action can be jointly sponsored.
• Administrators can cosponsor the piece of Administrative Action.
B. Committee Action - The Call for Administrative Action is referred to the appropriate committee by Nick1911 or the presiding officer in The Politics Place. Most often, the actual referral decision is made by The Round Table or The Politics Place parliamentarian. Call for Administrative Actions may be referred to more than one committee and it may be split so that parts are sent to different committees. The Speaker of The Round Table may set time limits on committees. Call for Administrative Actions are placed on the calendar of the committee to which they have been assigned. Failure to act on a Call for Administrative Action is equivalent to killing it. Call for Administrative Actions in The Round Table can only be released from committee without a proper committee vote by a discharge petition signed by a majority of The Round Table Administratorship (five administrators).
Committee Steps:
1. Comments about the Call for Administrative Action's merit are requested by APS agencies.
2. Calls for Administrative Action can be assigned to subcommittee by Chairman.
3. Hearings may be held.
4. Subcommittees report their findings to the full committee.
5. Finally there is a vote by the full committee - the Call for Administrative Action is "ordered to be reported."
6. A committee will hold a "mark-up" session during which it will make revisions and additions. If substantial amendments are made, the committee can order the introduction of a "clean Call for Administrative Action" which will include the proposed amendments. This new Call for Administrative Action will have a new number and will be sent to the floor while the old Call for Administrative Action is discarded. The forum must approve, change or reject all committee amendments before conducting a final passage vote.
7. After the Call for Administrative Action is reported, the committee staff prepares a written report explaining why they favor the Call for Administrative Action and why they wish to see their amendments, if any, adopted. Committee Administrators who oppose a Call for Administrative Action sometimes write a dissenting opinion in the report. The report is sent back to the whole forum and is placed on the calendar.
8. In The Round Table, most Call for Administrative Actions go to the Rules committee before reaching the floor. The committee adopts rules that will govern the procedures under which the Call for Administrative Action will be considered by the The Round Table. A "closed rule" sets strict time limits on debate and forbids the introduction of amendments. These rules can have a major impact on whether the Call for Administrative Action passes. The rules committee can be bypassed in three ways: 1) Administrators can move rules to be suspended (requires 2/3 vote)2) a discharge petition can be filed 3) The Round Table can use a Calendar Wednesday procedure.
C. Floor Action
1. Administrative Action is placed on the Calendar
The Round Table: Call for Administrative Actions are placed on one of four Forum Calendars. They are usually placed on the calendars in the order of which they are reported yet they don't usually come to floor in this order - some Calls for Administrative Actions never reach the floor at all. Nick1911 and mtnbkr decide what will reach the floor and when. (Administrative Action can also be brought to the floor by a discharge petition.)
The Politics Place: Administrative Action is placed on the Legislative Calendar. There is also an Executive calendar to deal with trolls and spammers. Scheduling of Administrative Action is the job of mtnbkr. Calls for Administrative Action can be brought to the floor whenever a majority of The Politics Place chooses.
2. Debate
The Round Table: Debate is limited by the rules formulated in the Rules Committee. The Committee of the Whole debates and amends the Call for Administrative Action but cannot technically pass it. Debate is guided by the Sponsoring Committee and time is divided equally between proponents and opponents. The Committee decides how much time to allot to each person. Amendments must be germane to the subject of the Call for Administrative Action - no riders are allowed. The Call for Administrative Action is reported back to The Round Table (to itself) and is voted on. A quorum call is a vote to make sure that there are enough Administrators present (5) to have a final vote. If there is not a quorum, The Round Table will adjourn or will send JamisJockey out to round up missing Administrators.
The Politics Place: debate is unlimited unless cloture is invoked. Administrators can speak as long as they want and amendments need not be germane - riders are often offered. Entire Calls for Administrative Action can therefore be offered as amendments to other Calls for Administrative Action. Unless cloture is invoked, Administrators can use a filibuster to defeat a measure by "talking it to death."
3. Vote - the Call for Administrative Action is voted on. If passed, it is then sent to the other forum unless that forum already has a similar measure under consideration. If either forum does not pass the Call for Administrative Action then it dies. If The Round Table and The Politics Place pass the same Call for Administrative Action then it is sent to Oleg. If The Round Table and The Politics Place pass different Call for Administrative Actions they are sent to Conference Committee. Most major Administrative Action goes to a Conference Committee.
D. Conference Committee
1. Administrators from each forum form a conference committee and meet to work out the differences. The committee is usually made up of senior Administrators who are appointed by the presiding officers of the committee that originally dealt with the Call for Administrative Action. The representatives from each forum work to maintain their version of the Call for Administrative Action.
2. If the Conference Committee reaches a compromise, it prepares a written conference report, which is submitted to each forum.
3. The conference report must be approved by both The Round Table and The Politics Place.
E. Oleg - the Call for Administrative Action is sent to Oleg for review.
1. A Call for Administrative Action is enacted if approved by Oleg or if not signed within 10 days and APS is online.
2. If Congress adjourns before the 10 days and Oleg has not approved the Call for Administrative Action then it does not become law ("Pocket Veto.")
3. If Oleg vetoes the Call for Administrative Action it is sent back to the administrators with a note listing his reasons. The forum that originated the Administrative Action can attempt to override the veto by a vote of two-thirds of those present. If the veto of the Call for Administrative Action is overridden in both forums then it is enacted.
F. The Call for Administrative Action is enacted - once a Call for Administrative Action is approved by Oleg or his veto is overridden by both Forums it is enacted and is assigned an official number.
G. The Call for Administrative Action is finally then buried in soft peat for three months and recycled as fire lighters.
