Preamble
This Act clarifies the way in which the Representative Assembly will provide a vote of confidence on candidates to the Scientific Council. The intention is that the SC, candidates for the SC and the RA will work together cooperatively to interview candidate SC members at the earliest opportunity and affirm (or deny) the appointment.
NL 4-8 Scientific Council Affirmation Procedures Act is repealed.
When a vacancy occurs on the SC, the Chair will announce that a vacancy is pending in the Forums and CDS group notices, and will specify a timeframe for external nominations to be submitted. Any citizen may put their own name forward for consideration, or may nominate any other citizen. The Chair and other members of the SC may also identify suitable nominees.
The SC will review all nominations to ensure that nominees meet the posted qualifications for SC membership.
All nominees with the required qualifications will be interviewed by the SC and will be accepted as an SC candidate by a simple majority vote.
In the event of multiple candidates, the candidate put forward to the RA will be selected by a blind draw. The Chair of the SC will provide the LRA with the name of the candidate within 24 hours of the vote or of the blind draw.
The LRA will invite the candidate to appear at the next meeting of the RA to be interviewed in regards to their perceived likelihood to uphold the Constitution, and to receive a vote of confidence from the RA. RA members are expected to consider any candidate based on their ability to perform the duties of an SC member, not on any personal friendship or enmity. RA members will give a brief rationale for their vote and the candidate will be considered confirmed by a simple majority.
If the candidate is unable to attend the next meeting of the RA he or she will provide the LRA with a selection of dates and times that they are available to attend a future RA meeting, and both the candidate and the LRA will make every effort to schedule the candidate’s appearance as soon as possible.
If the candidate fails to appear at the next RA meeting, or a meeting held on an agreed date and time within 60 days of the SC meeting that approved their candidacy, their candidacy will be considered withdrawn. If the RA, due to its own failure to be quorate or to hold a meeting on an agreed date and time to interview the candidate, fails to interview the candidate at a public RA meeting, within 60 days of the SC meeting that approved the candidacy, the candidate will be considered confirmed.
During the 60 day period, or until the RA vote of confidence is held, the candidate will attend SC meetings and will be permitted to contribute their opinions and expertise, but will not be permitted to vote.
Passed 26 May 2012