Senatus consultum de provinciis ordinandis

SENATUS CONSULTUM DE PROVINCIIS ORDINANDIS

Enacted on: a.d. VIII Id. Oct. Q. Arrio P. Annaeo cos. ‡ XXII ANRC et MMDCCLXXII AUC (In the year of the consulship of Q. Arrius and P. Annaeus, 13rd April, 22 ANRC / 2772 AUC / 2019 AD)

Preamble

L. Sulla and Cn. Caesar, during the year of the unconstitutional sole consulship of L. Sulla, created an unnecessary number of unmanageable, empty provinces for Nova Roma, and by doing so, disrupted even the previously working provinces, which harmed the functioning of Nova Roma. Reform and reorganization became necessary. Based on the report of the Senate Commission for Review of Provincial Boundaries, the senate of Nova Roma came to the following decisions. The senate intends to motivate the citizens to form country level communities, that is, provinces for Nova Roma. In this spirit, the senate is now taking steps in order to maintain a more consistent provincial system by merging or dissolving the provinces which don't satisfy the aforementioned criteria for provincial status, but this merger or dissolution can be reversed at any time in the future if the provincial community will produce the required level of activity. The larger provinces created by this senatus consultum are intended to be temporary and will be divided into smaller provinces if active local groups earn the status of province.

I. The rule of establishment of provinces

A. The "provincia" is the country level administrative unit of Nova Roma based on an active and functioning community of Nova Roman citizens of that country. A province shall serve as the organized collectivity of citizens within a macronational country.

B. If a country is very large and there are more than one potential centers of activity within the country, more provinces can fill this role within a country.

C. More than one macronational country can make up a province if they share the same language and cultural characteristics or the Nova Roman communities in these countries are closely cooperating with each other.

II. Requirements for granting the status of province

A. The status of province shall be earned, not granted instantaneously. It can be earned by demonstrating active community life for a considerable time which convinces the senate that a nationwide Nova Roman community exists in the given country.

B. A country level Nova Roman community can be promoted to the status of province if there are:

1. at least 15 Nova Roman citizens in the country (or territory to become a province),

2. a functioning (minimum 15 messages per month, by 5 different citizens) online communication forum with 15 resident participants,

3. two gatherings of 5 resident citizens in a year,

4. partnership in a form officially recognized by Nova Roman law with one (at least partially Roman) reenactment group in the area, and

5. there is at least one candidate for governor.

C. The senate may refuse petitions that satisfy these requirements if it deems that more achievements are necessary in the territory in question: such refusal must contain a detailed justification and recommendations. The senate is forbidden to accept any petition that does not satisfy these requirements.

III. Evaluation of the status of provinces and losing inactive provinces

A. The senate shall give an evaluation of each already existing Nova Roman province at the same time as it appoints the governors each year. This evaluation shall be based on the criteria described at II.B.1-5, and the provincial report of the governors shall describe how the province satisfies these requirements. The provincial report, and the period that is evaluated shall cover every 12 months period (not overlapping). If for some reason a report is missed, or if it is done after a longer than 12 months hiatus, the next report shall include the missed period, too, but the senate must give an evaluation mark on every 12 months long period. If the provincial reports have to be submitted sooner and just less than 12 months can be reported, a report about less than 12 months will be also acceptable. The first evaluation after this senatus consultum shall be conducted at the next time when the governors' yearly appointment will be made, and it shall examine the last 12 months before the time of evaluation, even if it extends into months before the enactment of this senatus consultum.

1. If a province doesn't meet any of the requirements at II.B.1-5., the status of the province shall be marked as "abandoned". A province which satisfies only requirement II.B.1 shall also be marked as "abandoned".

2. If a province doesn't meet all the requirements at II.B.1-5., its status shall be marked as "unsatisfactory". However, if the province failed to satisfy only II.B.2., while there were more than two gatherings of at least 5 citizens in that year in the province, this failure shall be ignored. If a province satisfies only II.B.1, it shall also satisfy II.B.2 at the same time, otherwise it shall be classified as "abandoned".

3. If a province meets all the requirements at II.B.1-5., it shall be marked as "active".

4. If a province significantly exceeds all the requirements at II.B.1-5., or if it exceeds only the requirements at II.B.1., 3., and 4. but by 300%, it shall be marked as "excellent". Significantly exceeding the requirements is understood the following way:

a. (1) it has at least 20 citizens, (2) an online forum with 20 messages per month, by 5 different citizens, with 20 resident participants, (3) three gatherings of 5 resident citizens in a year, (4) partnerships with two Roman reenactment groups, and (5) two candidates for governor;

b. or (1) it has at least 45 citizens, (3) six gatherings of 5 resident citizens in a year, (4) partnerships with two Roman reenactment groups.

B. Consequences of inactivity

1. A province which is evaluated as "abandoned" for two consecutive years, it shall be, at the second time of receiving this mark, automatically dissolved without the need of any further decision by the senate. This dissolution is implied by the issuance of this second evaluation as "abandoned", even without the explicit mention of the senate, and it has the full force of law and it cannot be overridden, but the province has to be re-established if the senate reconsiders itself. This severe measure is intended as a motivating tool for the members of every Nova Roman province that they should maintain a minimum activity in order that their province can exist, and the loss of a province, just like in ancient Roman times, shall be the real consequence of failing to maintain the functions of the state and society. It symbolizes the loss of the ancient Roman provinces in times of attack or evacuation of the Roman armies and civic institutions. This shall not be considered a dissolution of the province by the senate, but it shall be considered the losing of this province due to its being abandoned and not functional: a natural (factual, "historical") cause of loss, which is simply acknowledged by the senate by the second issuance of the evaluation "abandoned". There shall be, however, no impediment for the local citizens to petition the re-establishment of the province, or to incorporate this territory into another existing province. If the lost province is part of a larger country which has other existing Nova Roman provinces, it is recommended that the senate re-incorporate the lost area to the other provinces of this country, after due acknowledgement of the province in question having been lost due to inactivity.

2. A province which is evaluated exclusively and only as "unsatisfactory" or "abandoned" variously within five consecutive years, it shall be, at the fifth time of receiving either of this mark during these five consecutive years, shall be treated in the same way as described in III.B.1.

C. Simplifying requirements during long lasting catastrophes

In time of catastrophes or incapacitating emergencies (e. g. a national or international catastrophe of months lasting effects, quarantine, pandemic, war) within a province or in many provinces, the senate may depart from the requirements and consequences of the evaluation described in section III.A-B, and simply the requirements for the afflicted provinces. In order to do it validly, the senate must issue a detailed reasoning about why it chose not to adhere to the requirements in evaluation, what the waived or simplified requirements are, or what the new temporary evaluation rules are. The evaluation and distribution of "marks" shall still be done, but under the loosened requirements. These temporary evaluation rules expire immediately after the evaluation.

IV. Reorganizing the currently existing provinces

A. Mergers

1. The senate merges Provincia Nova Britannia Citerior and Provincia Nova Britannia Ulterior for the purpose of more effective administration under the name "Provincia Nova Britannia". This is the same territory as the original Provincia Nova Britannia of Nova Roma before Cn. Caesare C. Tullio cos..

2. The senate merges Provincia America Noveboracensis, Provincia Mediatlantica, Provincia Columbia and Provincia Virginia for the purpose of more effective administration under the name "Provincia America Noveboracensis et Mediatlantica". This is the same territory as the original Provincia Mediatlantica of Nova Roma before L. Sulla (III) cos. sine collega, plus the State of West Virginia in addition, from the currently existing Provincia Virginia (part of the original Provincia Lacus Magni). At the same time, the senate establishes Regio Noveboracensis which shall have the same territories as Provincia America Noveboracensis before, but it shall operate under the supervision of Provincia America Noveboracensis et Mediatlantica. A lieutenant governor for this region shall be appointed by the senate in the rank of legatus upon the recommendation of the governor of Provincia America Noveboracensis et Mediatlantica.

3. The senate merges Provincia Lacus Magni, Provincia America Cismississippiana, Provincia Ohio and the State of Kentucky part of the currently existing Provincia America Transappalachiana for the purpose of more effective administration under the name "Provincia Lacus Magni". This is the same territory as the original Provincia Lacus Magni of Nova Roma before L. Sulla (III) cos. sine collega, minus the State of West Virginia which becomes now part of Provincia America Noveboracensis et Mediatlantica.

4. The senate merges Provincia Carolina, Provincia Georgia Florida, Provincia America Mississippiensis and the State of Tennessee part of the currently existing Provincia America Transappalachiana, due to their inactivity, and for the purpose of more effective administration under the name "Provincia America Cismississippiana" which shall serve as an umbrella province, with the hope that it will be soon divided to smaller provinces as activity arises in its various territories. The overseas territories of Puerto Rico and Virgin Islands shall belong under the administration of this umbrella province, as well. This is the same territory as the original Provincia America Austrorientalis of Nova Roma before L. Sulla (III) cos. sine collega, minus the States of Louisiana and Arkansas, which now become part of Provincia America Transmississippiana.

5. The senate merges Provincia America Deserta and Provincia America Hispanica for the purpose of more effective administration under the name "Provincia America Hispanica". This is roughly the territory of the original Provincia America Austroccidentalis of Nova Roma before L. Sulla (III) cos. sine collega, minus the State of Texas, Oklahoma which become now part of Provincia America Transmississippiana and plus the state the State of Nevada, which was originally Provincia California et Nevada (usually called only Provincia California, currently part of the currently existing smaller Provincia America Hispanica).

6. The senate merges Provincia California Angelensis and Provincia California Franciscensis with the Havaia (Hawaii) part of the currently existing Provincia Alasca et Havaiia for the purpose of more effective administration under the name "Provincia California". The overseas territories of Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, American Samoa shall belong under the administration of this province, as well. This is the same territory as the original Provincia California of Nova Roma before L. Sulla (III) cos. sine collega, minus the State of Nevada from the currently existing America Deserta which now becomes part of Provincia America Hispanica.

7. The senate merges Provincia Minnesota, Provincia Dacota, Provincia America Missuriensis, Provincia America Nebrascensis, Provincia America Montana, Provincia America Oregonensis, Provincia America Gallica and the Alasca (State of Alaska) part of the currently existing Provincia Alasca et Havaiia due to their inactivity into the active province of Provincia America Texia, under the name "Provincia America Transmississipiana" which shall serve as an umbrella province, with the hope that it will be soon divided to smaller provinces as activity arises in its various territories. This is the same territory as the original Provincia America Boreoccidentalis and Provincia America Medioccidentalis Superior of Nova Roma before L. Sulla (III) cos. sine collega, plus the States of Louisiana and Arkansas, originally from Provincia America Austrorientalis (currently America Gallica), and States of Texas and Oklahoma, originally from Provincia America Austroccidentalis (currently America Texia). The intention of the senate is to encourage activity in these territories in order to earn the status of province again, therefore this huge umbrella province of inactive territories is not intended to remain one province for long: this is a temporary solution. At the same time, the senate establishes Regio America Texia which shall have the same territories as Provincia America Texia before, but it shall operate under the supervision of Provincia America Transmississippiana. A lieutenant governor for this region shall be appointed by the senate in the rank of legatus upon the recommendation of the governor of Provincia America Transmississippiana. Likewise, the Alaska part the former Provincia Alasca et Havaia shall be named Regio Alasca, and a lieutenant governor shall be appointed by the governor of Provincia America Transmississippiana in the rank of praefectus.

8. The senate merges Provincia Canada Citerior and Provincia Canada Ulterior for the purpose of more effective administration under the name "Provincia Canada", and establishes Regio Canada Citerior and Regio Canada Ulterior which shall have the same territories as Provincia Canada Citerior and Ulterior before, but they operate under the supervision of Provincia Canada. Lieutenant governors for these regions shall be appointed by the senate in rank of legatus upon the recommendation of the governor of Provincia Canada.

9. As a temporary measure, Provincia Britannia, Provincia Gallia, Provincia Germania and Provincia Thule shall be combined into one administrative unit as "Dioecesis Europae Celticae et Germanicae", and shall share one governor who receives the title dux and praetorian imperium to govern the dioecesis "pro praetore", or if the governor is a former consul, consular imperium to govern it "pro consule". These denominations are taken from the late Roman period, because there is no parallel from earlier Roman history, and Nova Roma shall always try to revive original Roman terminology and ideas for educational purposes and out of respect for Roman traditions, instead of inventing new terminology. These aforementioned provinces, however, shall formally continue to retain their names and their designations as provinces for historical reasons, but for administrative purposes, they shall be temporarily one province, where dioecesis shall be understood as "combined province", and "provincia" in the case of these territories, shall be understood as "large regio". These territories shall be represented in the NR website as independent provinces, but they shall be marked as part of a larger administrative unit, and the dux shall be accorded, and be allowed to be referred to, as governor of each of these provinces separately (legatus pro praetore or propraetor or proconsul of Britannia, of Gallia, of Germania and of Thule) in order to satisfy the strong national sentiments and the historical sensitivity of the Nova Romans of these countries. Additionally, the parts of Switzerland assigned to Provincia Gallia and Praefectura Italia in P. Memmio K. Buteone (II) cos. shall be returned to Provincia Germania, the parts of Belgium assigned to Provincia Germania P. Memmio K. Buteone (II) cos. shall be returned to Provincia Gallia, and the overseas territories of France shall be placed under the administration of Provincia Gallia.

B. Dissolutions

Due to their prolonged inactivity and due to the originally erroneous concept and procedure at their creation, the senate dissolves Provincia Argentina, Provincia Guria, Provincia Nipponia and Provincia Venedia.