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ARTICLE III �THE LEGISLATIVE BRANCH

Section 1.0 Make Up
1.1 The Student Senate shall consist of 35 Senators.
1.1.1 Twenty Senators-at-Large elected by the entire SGA membership.
1.1.2 Three Senators from each class elected by the members of their specific constituency.
1.1.3 If, after the election defined by the SGA election code is held, any of these Senator positions are vacant, the President shall make appointments with approval of the Senate, to be considered as a Senator-at-Large.

Section 2.0 Duties and Powers
2.1 The duties of the Senate shall be as follows:
2.1.1 To pass and carry through legislation that will benefit the Student Body and better the
environment of Northwestern State University as it effects their constituency.
2.1.2 To recognize and act in accordance to any properly submitted petition from the Student Body.
2.1.3 To elect a non-voting representative to the Student Activities Board from the Senate membership.
2.1.4 To approve all expenditures in excess of $100, not mentioned in the official budget.
2.1.5 To fulfill any other specific duties as mentioned herein.
2.2 The Senate shall establish and approve the Senate Rules, of which they must abide, at the first official
meeting of each semester. The Senate Rules will exist as a by-law to this Constitution.
2.3 The Senate shall have the sole right to impeach and remove any SGA official.
2.4 Each new Senate shall elect a Speaker of the Senate at their first official meeting of the academic year. He or she shall preside over all Senate meetings that year.
2.5 The powers and duties of the Speaker of the Senate (Senate Chair), shall be as follows:
2.5.1 To preside over all Senate Meetings
2.5.2 To provide a workshop for all new Senators, which will reinforce Senator duties and parliamentary procedure.
2.5.3 To provide an accurate agenda for all meetings, containing any legislation of motions.

Section 3.0 Quorum
3.1 Quorum shall be two-thirds of active membership.

Section 4.0 Legislation and Appointments
4.1 Any legislation brought before the Senate will automatically be tabled for at least one week, unless
emergency status is declared by the SGA President, in which case the legislation will be voted on by
the Senate.
4.2 Approval of legislation shall be as follows:
4.2.1 Any legislation concerning the Constitution must receive a favorable vote from two-thirds of
the entire Senate. The legislation must then receive a simple majority of votes cast in the
Student Body election.
4.2.2 Any legislation concerning a by-law must receive a favorable vote from two-thirds of the entire Senate, but will not be taken before the Student Body, unless otherwise specified herein.
4.2.3 Any other legislation must receive a simple majority of fifty percent, plus one, of Senators present.
4.2.4 All approved legislation must also be approved by the SGA President and the University President. If not acted upon within ten working days after presentation, the legislation will be automatically approved.
4.2.5 If the legislation is vetoed by the President, it will be returned to the Senate for reconsideration. The Senate may then approve the legislation with a two thirds vote of active membership.
4.3 Approval of appointments shall be as follows:
4.3.1 All appointments by the SGA President, unless otherwise specified herein, must receive approval from a simple majority of the entire Senate.
4.3.2 Vacated Senate seats will be filled by appointments made by the SGA President. Appointments to the Senate require a two-thirds vote of the entire Senate membership active. This vote will be held by secret ballot.
4.3.3 Elections for Senate seats will only be held in accordance with the Northwestern State University SGA Election Code. At the time of these elections those vacated seats which were filled by appointments will be opened up for election.

Section 5.0 By-laws
5.1 The Senate shall develop the by-laws of this Constitution, by which business shall be conducted.
5.2 The by-laws shall provide that no student serve simultaneously in an executive, judicial, legislative, or Student Activities Board position except those mentioned in ARTICLE III, Section 2.1.3.