Senate traditions (Nova Roma)

Draft 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.