Senate Handbook (Nova Roma)

Introduction

Over the years a number of handbooks or guides for various Nova Roman offices have been created. This has been done so as to have in one place all of the relevant information on the rules and procedures of a given magistrate or position. It is the intent of the Committee on Rules that this "Senate Handbook" will serve the same function for senators both new and old. It is hoped that this "Vade mecum" (lat. "go with me") will be a useful tool in providing both senators and the Senate's presiding officers with a readily available reference tool for quick and efficient use. It is also our hope that it will also serve as a source of reference for information to help provide, in a clear manner the rules and procedures of the Nova Roman Senate.

It is our goal to have this Senate Handbook available both online and in a downloadable form (printed form).

Within this handbook are the current constitutional and legal rules and procedures of the Nova Roman Senate. It also includes all senatus consulta ("advice of the senate") currently in force.

As always we would like input on updating and improving this "Senate Handbook" so please feel free to drop a note to any member of the Committee at any time.

Article V. The Senate

The supreme policy-making authority for Nova Roma shall be embodied in its Senate. The album Senatorum (list of Senators) shall be maintained by the censors according to qualifications set by law.

Rank of Senate actions within our constitutional framework

• 1st Constitution
• 1st when in effect the edits of a legally appointed dictator
• 2nd "edicta issued by consuls acting under the Senatus consulta ultima”
• 3rd "laws properly voted and passed by one of the comitia"
• 4th "decreta passed by the collegium pontificum"
• 5th "decreta passed by the collegium augurum"
• 6th "Senatus consulta"
• 7th magisterial edicta of a Censor
• 8th magisterial edicta of a Consul
• 9th magisterial edicta of a Praetor
• 10th magisterial edicta of a Curule Aediles
• 11th magisterial edicta of a Plebeian Aedile
• 12th magisterial edicta of a Quaestor
• 13th magisterial edicta of any of the Vigintisexviri (The Twenty-Six)

"Legal precedence. This Constitution shall be the highest legal authority within Nova Roma, apart from edicts issued by a legally appointed dictator. It shall thereafter be followed in legal authority by edicta issued by consuls acting under the Senatus consulta ultima, laws properly voted and passed by one of the comitia, decreta passed by the collegium pontificum, decreta passed by the collegium augurum, Senatus consulta, and magisterial edicta (in order of descending authority as described in section IV of this Constitution), in that order. Should a lower authority conflict with a higher authority, the higher authority shall take precedence. Should a law passed by one of the comitia contradict one passed by another or the same comitia without explicitly superseding that law, the most recent law shall take precedence. Source: Section I B

Constitutional powers of the Senate

The Senate of Nova Roma is empowered by different sections of the constitution to do the following:

• To "issue Senatus consulta (advice of the Senate) on those topics upon which it shall see fit to comment". Source: Section V. A

• To "exercise control over the aerarium (treasury) and shall oversee the financial endeavors, health, and policy of the state". Source: Section V. B

• To "prepare a budget for the following year." Said budget is to be adopted no later than November 31st of each year. Source: Section V. B 1

• To prepare and "pass supplemental Senatus consulta to modify the annual budget". Source: Section V. B 1

• To "impose taxes, fees, or other financial requirements on the citizens in order to maintain the financial welfare of the state". Source: Section V. B 2

• To "create provinciae for administrative purposes and appoint provincial governors" of new or existing provinciae. Source: Section V. C

• To fill a vacancy in an magistrate’s office "should there be less than three months remaining therein". Source: Section V. D

• To "issue the Senatus consultum ultimum (the ultimate decree of the Senate)". The SCU could empower the Consuls to deal with a given matter or it could appoint a dictator.

Source: Section V. E

• To "enact rules governing its own internal procedures". Source: Section V. F

• To "serve as the Board of Directors of the corporation", Nova Roma, Inc.

Source: Section I.C

• To ratify alterations to the Constitution as passed by the comitia centuriata;

Source: Section I.D

• To ratify edicta of an appointed Dictator that alters the Constitution Source: Section 1.D

• To "nominate additional families to the Comitia Curiata for elevation to patrician status if this elevation does not cause the Ordo Patricius to exceed 5% of the population of Nova Roma". Source: Section II C 1c

• To appoint "an Interrex to serve a term lasting no more than five days"should both consular positions be vacant at the same time" "The Interrex shall organize new elections in the Comitia Centuriata to elect two new consuls to serve out the remainder of the previous consuls' term of office". Source: Section IV B 2

Legal (Nova Roman) powers of the Senate

The Senate of Nova Roma is empowered by different Nova Roman laws to do the following:

To designate the ceremonial functions of the decuria lictoria (lictors) Source: Lex Vedia apparitoria

To appoint Tribunus Plebis or Aedilis Plebis because of a lack of candidacies for the annual elections : By extending by one year the term of the magistrate serving in that office, with the consent of that magistrate, or by appointing senators to serve the required magistrate positions Source :Lex Grylla de magistratibus plebis creandis

To approve, along with both Censors an exemption for age for a candidate for office Source: Lex Vedia de magistratuum aetate

To establish the Official fora of Nova Roma. Source:Lex Octavia de sermone

To appoint the Magister Aranearius Source: Lex Apula de magistro araneario

To appoint the Editor Commentariorum and the assistant Editor Commentariorum

To appoint the Curator Aerarii of Nova Roma, Inc.

To appoint additional Financial Officers to serve as the assistants to the curator aerarii and can substitute for them when needed.

To issue century points for special appointed positions, as well as rewards for special services performed on behalf of the State. Source: Lex Fabia centuriata

OTHERS TO FOLLOW

• C. This Constitution shall serve as the bylaws for Nova Roma, a legally incorporated entity in the state of Maine, USA (hereafter referred to as "the corporation").

The conduct and procedures of the Board of Directors and the officers of the corporation shall be according to the guidelines and strictures set forth in this Constitution.

The Board of Directors of the corporation shall be composed of the Senate of Nova Roma (as described in Section V of this Constitution), and the officers of the corporation shall be composed of the magistrates of Nova Roma (as described in Section IV of this Constitution), as follows:

• 1. The co-presidents of the corporation shall be the consuls of Nova Roma;
• 2. The co-vice-presidents of the corporation shall be the praetors of Nova Roma;
• 3. The co-treasurers of the corporation shall be the quaestors of Nova Roma;
• 4. The co-secretaries of the corporation shall be the censors of Nova Roma

Resolution of the Board of Directors of Nova Roma, Inc

Resolved: Authorisation for events.

For a good collaboration with institutions, universities, museums, other organizations or groups with roman related interest, but not limited to these, and, in order to organize an event or to participate to one, a nova roman citizen, in his name or in a group of nova roman citizens name, can apply sending to the consuls a petition to obtain an authorization to support Nova Roma as a non-profit association to that event.

Petition must include:

a description of the event and the dates when the event is organized. the purpose of the event. the nova roman participants names and how the event will contribute to Nova Roma cultural development. Consuls can approve that authorization after a preliminary consultation with censors about these minimal requirements about applicant: if the applicant is nova roman citizen from one year and is assidui. the applicant has experience in one of Nova Roma office including apparitorii. the applicant proved a good moral conduit during the time. The authorization has a limited validity from one month to three months depending by each specific case.

The authorization is valid only for the event described in petition and is approved in concordance with the event mentioned purposes.

Yes - 19; Abst - 3; No - 2. Item passed.

Senate Traditions

While a great deal of what the Nova Roman Senate does is required or sanctioned by law or constitutional provision there are a few important conventions that have been established by tradition and consensus.

The first and most important is the Senate seal. This is an unwritten but mutually agreed to procedure in which the content of Senate discussions are kept within the confines of the Senate. Senators may discuss issues between themselves and other Senators as long as non- Senators are not privy to these discussions.

The presiding officers of the Senate (Consul, Praetor or Tribune) are allowed to have experts come before the Senate to deliver a given plan or present support for a given agenda item. These guests must adhere to the Senate seal just as Senators do.

An exception to this is that Magistrates like Consuls, Praetors and Censors may discuss maters pertaining to the Senate with their staffs in order to develop or draft proposals but they do not discuss who said what on the Senate floor. Discussion of Senate business is otherwise kept within the Senate.

While Tribunes are required to witness the proceedings of the Senate and to report Senate voting results to the people, they are expected to adhere to the Senate seal as if they were a member of the Senate.

Another Senate growing tradition is that Senators allow the Consuls to vote first on the agenda followed by the Princeps Senatus and then having the rest of the Senate cast their own votes.