Extraordinary session of State Congress enacts new Basic Law

The cover page of the new Basic Law.

The Congress of People's Councils - the supreme organ of state power - has unanimously approved the Second Basic Law as the Republic's new constitution.

The new Basic Law was adopted at an extraordinary session of the State Congress which was announced earlier this week by order of the Central Executive Committee. The draft was written by the respected BML Chairwoman and Prime Minister of the Republic Brooklyn Hewitt. The final paragraph of the Preamble reads:

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​The First Basic Law constructed the Central People’s Government, instituted the rule of the people’s councils, and affirmed the relationship between the party and state; however, in the past year, the Republic has conquered victories and bounded past achievements at an astounding rate. The Republic of today is far beyond the Republic of August in the first Revolutionary Year. In recognition of the higher stage of microsocialism and state development which has been achieved by the New Richmond Republic, the Central People’s Government hereby enacts this Second Basic Law in the name of the people’s revolution.

​The first Basic Law was adopted on the 3rd of August 2021 (1RY), just one day following the Republic's proclamation of independence from the Commonwealth of New Virginia, by a conference of the provisional government, the newly-constituted Blair Mountain League, and various citizens. Like its successor, it was written by Mother Hewitt, who has publicly spoken on how its writing was "rushed," having been composed in less than a day's time; it was later heavily amended at the Second State Congress in February this year. 

The extraordinary session also amended the National Holidays Act of 2021 to change the date of the Day of the Basic Law to the 11th of August and named the first two cantons: Meditullia (formerly known as the Heartland region) and Campestria (formerly the Outlands region).

What has changed?

The Second Basic Law has made very few changes to the structure of the Central People's Government or the position of the Party and the people's councils; however, it has expanded much of the contents of its predecessor and includes entirely new articles and provisions. Changes instituted by the new Law include:

• The article on the Republic's fundamental principles was revised and expanded to reflect modern Hewittist thought; the first Basic Law was written at a time when the revolutionary ideology of the New Richmonder workers had yet to be fully-developed and standardized.
• The article on human rights and civilian duties has been greatly expanded, including the newly-guaranteed right of state cooperative workers to unionize ,go on strike, and to leisure and relaxation; the right of freedom from bigotry and chauvinism, the right of non-party members to attend and speak at people's council sessions, the right of citizens who suffered loss due to infringement of rights by state officers to financial compensation, and countless others.
• New provisions have been made for the establishment of people's councils at the cantonal level (cantons being newly-established geographical groupings of municipalities and territories), in municipal subdivisions, among certain groups of people, and in organizations (such as the Corps of Revolutionary Guards) upon the demand of the people who would comprise the councils.
• The new office of Chairperson of the Congress of People's Councils was created, to be elected twice annually at the beginning of every congressional convocation; and the right of Congress delegates to direct questions to any state officer (which they are obliged to answer) was enshrined.
• The People's Commissioner of the Republic now possesses the authority to grant state awards and honorific titles, to proclaim amnesties, to issue pardons, and to proclaim martial law in times of war or domestic turmoil.
• The term of office for the Prime Minister and the Central Executive Committee was shortened from one year to six months.
• The People's Tribunal was renamed as the People's Senate, the First Justice as the Consul of Justice, and the justices as the tribunes.
• The inclusion of a new article regarding national and revolutionary defense, including the creation of the elected office of Supreme Commander and the provisions of martial law, under which the Central People's Government's standard operation is ceased and all power is held by a Revolutionary Defense Commission, led by the Supreme Commander as Chairperson of the Commission (the supreme leader of the state and military under martial law, who governs by decree through the Commission).
• The system of land administration was reformed, including the constituting of new subdivisions between the national and municipal level known as Cantons which are led by appointed or elected governors and the creation of new Special Autonomous Regions (or SARs) which are populated lands not belonging to the New Richmonder cultural nation and having their own autonomous governments that are nonetheless under the NRR's sovereignty.
• The inclusion of a new article regarding the state microsocialist economy, enshrining many of the principles laid out by the First Annual Economic Plan of 2021 and reflecting the developments in the Party line regarding microsocialism since the enactment of the first Basic Law.