Title: An Amendment Concerning the Secession of a State
Section 1: Power to Secede
Just as new states are admitted to the Union in Article IV Section 3 of this Constitution by powers vested in Congress, so to shall the secession of a State be approved by Congress representing the combined will of all people of the United States.
Section 2: Insurrection
Any State attempting to secede from the Union without the consent of Congress will be deemed to be in a condition of insurrection under Article I Section 8 of this Constitution.
Section 3: Method of Approval
Upon the receipt of a Bill of Secession from the duly elected republican form of government representing a State, both houses of Congress will be called into emergency session to address the bill and will remain in session until such time as a final determination of the bill is laid to rest.
Upon the receipt of a Bill of Secession, the States representatives to Congress will become non-voting members on all matters during the period of consideration of the bill.
Each house will adjourn to their respective chambers to debate the merits of the Bill of Session. After a period of debate, Congress will meet in joint session to vote on the bill. Each member of the Senate will receive one vote, each member of the House will receive one vote, and the Vice President will have one vote on the question of secession regardless of the votes cast by Senators. Members of Congress for the State requesting secession may fully participate in the debate process, however they shall not be counted or present during the joint session during the time the ballots are cast on the question of secession. Secession will be granted upon a majority of votes.
A roll-call vote on the question of secession will be conducted in a joint session of Congress no later than thirty calendar days after the official receipt of the Bill of Secession from the State. Final determination may be delayed in ten day increments upon approval by both the joint session of Congress and the Chief Executive of the State requesting the bill. No more than three extensions may be granted. If after the initial period and any approved extensions the bill has not been voted on or has not achieved passage, then the question of the bill will have failed.
Section 4: Citizenship
Individuals in all States of the Union are citizens of these United States. Upon a Bill of Secession each individual will choose to retain United States citizenship or will renounce their citizenship in the United States of America by accepting citizenship in the new country. Accepting citizenship in the new country will be considered voluntary revocation of United States citizenship. Voting in the new country after the date of independence of the new country will be considered voluntary revocation of United States citizenship.
After revocation of citizenship, an individual may in the future apply for naturalization under laws as determined by Congress under Article I Section 8 of this Constitution but will forever lose any designation of natural born citizen.
Parent or legal guardians of minor children may take such action as they deem appropriate, however a minor child will retrain United States citizenship for a period not to exceed one year after their birth date in the year of maturity where they would otherwise be able to vote in federal elections, prior to such time they must proactively choose to retain their United States citizenship under rules and procedures as determined by Congress or their citizenship will be considered renounced in the same manner as other adults.
Section 5: Entitlements and Other Payments
Upon loss of United States citizenship, either through an act of secession or through an individual act of renouncing citizenship, the individual will irrevocably renounce their citizenship and forfeit all claims to any and all entitlements payable by the United States government. States may make such laws dealing with loss of citizenship and entitlements as they deem necessary.
During a period of consideration of a Bill of Secession, all entitlement payments to individuals, payments to the State as part of any and all government programs, and payments that are part of government contracts with private entities in the requesting State will be reduced by fifty percent. If the Bill of Secession is approved, then such payments, programs, and contracts within the new country will be considered void. If the Bill of Secession is not approved and the State remains in the Union, then all reductions in payment will be eliminated and paid in full retroactive for the period of reduction.
Section 6: Taxation
Individual will be liable for all taxes due as of their last date of citizenship. Ex-citizens will be treated as other foreign persons as of their first date of non-citizenship for other tax purposes.
Section 7: Transfer of Property, Debt Allocation, and Other Considerations
As a requirement of secession, all mobile property and assets of the United State government will be returned to the United States. Property not returned will be added to any monetary amount owed to the people of the United States by the government of the ex-State.
The new country will assume a proportion of debt, effective as of the date of secession, equal to the percentage population of the seceding State as compared to the population of the United States in whole.
As of the date of secession, all business licenses and professional licenses issued under the authority of the United States or any of its legal entities will be considered void
All United States passports for those not retaining United States citizenship will be void upon the date of secession. Persons from the ex-State who do not retain United States citizenship will be required to obtain new travel documents and comply with all travel requirements in the United States as Congress may create.
This amendment shall be inoperative unless it shall have been ratified as an amendment to the Constitution by the legislatures of three-fourths of the several States within seven years from the date of its submission to the States by the Congress.
The Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation.
Some people think that States can summarily secede, others say no. A few like me think they can by following the same process used to be admitted to the Union.
OK, lets make it official.
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