BE IT ENACTED BY THE STATE OF FIRESTONE CONGRESS* HERE ASSEMBLED THAT:
SECTION 1: This legislation will establish publicized political debate in Firestone, allowing candidates for the offices of House of Representatives, Senate, and Governor/Lieutenant Governor with enough support to be put in the ballot the ability to debate, and showcase their views one day prior to their respective election ballots to open. It will also allow for citizens to become more familiar with the candidates.
SECTION 1A: Political debates will be hosted by representatives of each officialized political party in the State of Firestone, with a seat for each party, with one member of each party put on as a moderator. Moderators will be given a designated area where they can ask questions.
SECTION 1B: At the start of the debate, each candidate will be given two minutes to say their opening statement. Each opening statement will end when the candidate states he/she is finished, or his/her time is up. The moderators must manage this time. The first candidate to speak will be the candidate furthest to the right, followed by the candidates to his/her left. Opening statements will end after all of the candidates present have spoken.
SECTION 1C: After the opening statements, each moderator may ask a maximum of three questions related to the candidates or election. Once a question is asked, each candidate must answer the question, and will be given a minute each to talk. The moderator asking the question will choose the first person to speak. The individual on the candidate’s left hand side will answer the question next, and so on and so forth. If there is no candidate on the left hand side, it goes all the way to the right. Once all candidates have spoken, the next host may ask their question.
SECTION 1D: Once questioning has finished, closing statements will commence. Each candidate will be given 2 minutes to give their closing statements. The candidate furthest right will speak first, followed by the candidates to his/her left. Each closing statement will end when the candidate states he/she is finished, or his/her time is up. The moderators must manage this time. Closing statements, and the event will end after all of the candidates present have spoken.
SECTION 1E: If a candidate speaks during another candidate’s time, he/she will be issued a warning by a moderator. If the candidate reaches three warnings, he/she may be ejected from the stage.
SECTION 1F: The moderator the party selects will be required to read this legislation, and adhere to its guidelines during the debate. Failure to do so will be a misdemeanor crime.
SECTION 1G: During this event, no media outlet will be put before another. All news networks may broadcast during this event, but all have equal standings in the event.
SECTION 2: With the hosts representing each political party, there will be a system of first come first serve, with the first arriving party representative being able to ask one question, which will be followed by the next representative’s question. The first representative may be able to ask their second question after all of the other representatives asked their first, and so on and so forth.
SECTION 2A: Moderators will be responsible for managing this event, with the assistance of the founder.
SECTION 3: The Firestone Department of Research and Development will be responsible for the development and implementation of the debate area. The founder and moderators for this event will be responsible for its management during the time of the event.
A. Podiums for each candidate who is eligible to participate in the debate must be placed on the stage, and each candidate must have access one way or another to the stage. Access to the stage must be blocked for non candidates. Candidates must also have a means to have their message seen by all in the auditoriums similar to the Firestone meeting complex.
B. There must be a clearly visible area for each political party representative, with seats. They must have a method to ask their questions clearly, and to have it visible by all in the audience, and on the stage, similar to the Firestone meeting complex. The area they have must be only accessible to them.
C. There must be stands for the audience to sit in. They must be able to view the entire stage.
SECTION 4: Upon passing both chambers of the State of Firestone Congress, this piece of legislation shall go into effect immediately.
SECTION 5: All laws in conflict with this legislation are hereby declared null and void.
Respectfully submitted to the Congress of the State of Firestone,
Chief Sponsor(s): Middle Class Citizen Firkins
Middle Class Citizen TomSpernato
Representative Xarahox
Co-Sponsor(s): Representative Shayne_Lord
Representative Neostic