The Governor's Program for Gifted Children

GPGC 2024 | JUNE 9 – JULY 20

GPGC Constitution

CONSTITUTION OF THE GOVERNMENT OF

THE GOVERNOR’S PROGRAM FOR GIFTED CHILDREN

 

 

 

PREAMBLE

 

WE, THE STUDENTS, of the Governor’s Program for Gifted Children, in order to establish a firm foundation on which a just and efficient government can be built, and one from which the students of the Governor’s Program for Gifted Children may acquire knowledge of the principles, procedures, and institutions of judicious government, have organized and established this Constitution to secure rights, liberties, and responsibilities for the Student Body.

Article
I: Branches of Government and Their Functions

 

Section 1: Branches

The branches of the Government are the Executive Branch, the Legislative
Branch, and the Judicial Branch.

Section 2: Functions

1. The functions of the Executive Branch are: to provide the leadership
needed to gain and secure student rights and privileges; to coordinate the
activities of the branches of the Government; and to represent the Government
whenever necessary.

2. The function of the Legislative Branch is to enact laws governing the
student body.

3. The function of the Judicial Branch is to try all cases in which a law of
the Government or conduct of a student is involved.

 

Article II: The Executive Branch

 

Section 1: The President–Election
and Qualifications

1. The Executive Power shall be vested in a President of the Student Body.
He shall hold his office for one year and until a new President is elected and
installed.

2. Nominations for President shall be made by petition. The petition must be
signed by not less than ten percent of the voting student body endorsing the
petitioner for the office. A person may sign only one Presidential petition.
The petitions must be presented to the Election officer. The Election Officer
shall hold a secret ballot election according to the law. The winner shall be
determined by a majority of the votes cast by the student body. In case no
candidate receives a majority of the votes at the election, a run-off election
shall be held the following day. In the run-off election, the two candidates
having the highest number of votes in the first election shall compete.

3. To qualify as a candidate for the office of President, a student must be
a full-time student of at least third-year standing.

Section 2: Approval of Legislation

The President shall have the power to approve or veto any legislation which
comes to him for his signature.

 

Section 3: Powers and Duties of
the President

The President shall have the following powers and duties:

1. To preside over all joint sessions of the House of Representatives and
Senate and over all sessions of the House of Representatives but he shall have
no vote in either instance;

2. By written proclamation directed to the members thereof stating the date,
place, and time of the session and the business to be transacted therein, to
call the House of Representatives and the Senate, or either of them, into
session;

3. With or without the sponsorship of a member, to introduce Bills,
Resolutions, and Constitutional Amendments in the House of Representatives,
and, when introducing such legislation without the sponsorship of a member, to
enjoy the rights accorded to a member to speak in favor of the bill and
otherwise to participate in debate on the bill.  If the President chooses to speak in favor of any
legislation introduced by him, he shall notify the Vice President before debate
begins on that legislation and the Vice President shall preside over all debate
concerning the legislation in favor of which the President chooses to speak;

4. To testify on any matter on which any Committee of the House of
Representatives shall receive testimony;

5. To summon the Student Body into Assembly for any governmental purpose or
other reason pertaining to student rights, liberties, or welfare. He shall
summon an Assembly of the Student Body when requested to do so by the Director
or by Petition signed by at least one fourth of the Full Time Students. The
President shall preside over all such assemblies, which shall be subject to
reasonable regulation by Program Staff relating to time, manner and place.
Nothing in this paragraph shall detract from the authority of the Director of
the GPGC or of Program faculty and staff to assemble the student body for any
purpose and to conduct any such assembly as they see fit;

6. To serve as the official representative of the Student Body at all functions
where such a representative is called for or appropriate and to present student
grievances and requests to the Program Administration when called upon to do so
by Resolution of the House of Representatives, the Senate, or both of them, or
by an Assembly of the Student Body;

7. To exercise all other powers and duties assigned to him by law.

 

Section 4: The Vice
President–Election and Qualifications

1. The Vice President shall hold his office for one year and until a new
Vice-President is elected and installed.

2. Nominations for the office of Vice President shall be made by Petition.
The petition must be signed by not less than ten percent of the voting student
body endorsing the petitioner for the office. A person may sign only one Vice
Presidential petition. The petitions must be presented to the Election Officer.
The Election Officer shall hold a secret ballot election according to the law.
The winner shall be determined by a majority of the votes at the election. A
run-off shall be held the following day. In the run-off election, the two
candidates having received the highest number of votes in the first election
shall compete.

3. To qualify as a candidate for the office of Vice President, a student
must be a full-time student of at least second year standing.

 

Section 5: Powers and Duties of
the Vice President

The Vice-President shall have the following powers and duties:

1. To act in place of the President should the President be absent from a
Joint Session of the House of Representatives and the Senate or a Session of
the House of Representatives;

2. To serve as Acting President or to succeed to the Office of President as
provided elsewhere in this Constitution;

3. By written proclamation
directed to the members thereof stating the date, place, and time of the
session and the business to be transacted therein, to call the Senate into
session

4. To attend and preside over
all sessions of the Senate, but he shall have no vote in  that body except in the case of a tie;

5. To act as Parliamentarian
of the House of Representatives, providing advice on parliamentary procedures
when called upon to do so by the President or by Member of the House, but not
ruling on parliamentary disputes unless he shall be presiding over the House;

6.  To vote
in the case of a tie in the Senate;

7. To exercise all other powers and duties assigned to him by law.

 

Section 6: The Secretary–Election
and Qualifications

1. The Secretary shall hold his office for one year and until a new
Secretary is elected and installed.

2. Nominations for the office of Secretary shall be made by petition. The
petition must be signed by not less than ten percent of the voting student body
endorsing the petitioner for office. A person may sign only one secretarial
petition. These petitions must be presented to the Election Officer. The
Election Officer shall hold a secret ballot election according to the law. The
winner shall be determined by a majority of the votes cast by the student body.
In case no candidate receives a majority of the votes cast at the election, a
run-off election shall be held the following day. In the run-off election, the
two candidates having received the highest number of votes in the first
election shall compete.

3. Any full time student may qualify for the Office of Secretary.

 

Section 7: Powers and Duties of
the Secretary

1. To take and keep the minutes of the House of Representatives and of joint
sessions of the House of Representatives and the Senate;

2. To keep and maintain copies of all records and official documents of the
Government, save and except those of the Judicial Branch, including without
limitation, Bills, Acts, Presidential Orders and Proclamations, and the Roster
of Governmental Officers;

3. No later than the end of the Session, to turn over all Minutes, Records,
and other papers and documents relating to the Government in his possession to
the Student Government Advisor to be archived in the GPGC office;

4. To exercise all other powers and duties assigned to him by law.

 

Section 8: Executive Succession

1. The Vice President shall serve as Acting President, exercising the powers
and duties of the President, under the following circumstances:

a. If physical illness or similar temporary disability should preclude the
President from exercising the powers and duties of his office, he shall notify
the Vice President of this fact in writing, in which case the Vice President
shall serve as Acting President until the President shall notify the Vice
President in writing that he is able to resume his office. Should the President
be unable to transmit either or both of the required notices, the Director of
the GPGC shall do so;

b. If the President is suspended from office by operation of law, the Vice
President shall serve as Acting President for the duration of the suspension;

c. If the Director of the GPGC shall notify the Vice President in writing
that the President has been suspended from participation in the Program, the
Vice President shall serve as Acting President for the duration of that
suspension.

2. The Vice President shall succeed to the office of President, and shall
serve out the remainder of the President’s term in that office under the
following circumstances:

a. If the President resigns, as provided by law;

b. If the Director of the GPGC shall certify to the Vice President that the
President has been expelled from participation in the Program for the remainder
of the session or that the President for any reason is no longer a member of
the Student Body;

c. If the President is removed from office under the provisions of Article
VI of this Constitution.

3. Should the Vice President succeed to the office of President, he shall
call a special election to fill the office of Vice President to be held no
later than the third school day after he takes office.

4. Should the Offices of President and Vice President both become
contemporaneously vacant, the Director shall call a special election to fill
those offices as soon as practicable. Until the new President and Vice
President are elected and installed, the Speaker of the House shall serve as
Acting President. Upon installation, a President elected under this section
shall call a special election to fill any vacancies created in the Government
by the election to the offices of President or Vice President of persons holding
other offices.

5. The Legislature shall provide by law for the disability of the Secretary
and for the occurrence of a vacancy in that office. Although it may so provide
at any time, it need not do so until such disability or vacancy actually
occurs.

 

Section 9: Election Officer

An Election Officer shall be appointed by the Director of the Governor’s
Program for Gifted Children on the first day of each school session. To qualify
as Election Officer, he must be a full-time student and must not run for any
office in the pertinent election. The Election Officer shall call and hold a
General Election of officers and other members of the Government on the fifth
school day of each session.

Article
III: The Legislative Branch

 

Section 1: The
Legislature–Election and Qualifications

1. The legislative power shall be vested in a Legislature composed of a
House of Representatives and a Senate.

2. The House of Representatives shall be composed of two representatives
from each class. For the purposes of this Article, students shall be assigned
to a “class” by the Director or his designate based on age, school
grade level, or other considerations he deems appropriate. Representatives
shall hold office for one year and until a new House of Representatives is
elected and installed.

3. The Senate shall be composed of five Faculty members
with the provision that there shall be one faculty member from the Junior
Division, one faculty member from the Senior Division, one faculty member from
the Fine Arts and two faculty members from Housing.

4. The House of Representatives shall be elected in the following manner:
Students shall be nominated by petition and they shall compete for elections
only within their class. The candidate must have not less than ten percent of
the students in his class endorse his petition. If ten percent of the class is
less than two people, a petitioner must have the signatures of at least two
people. A person may sign only two legislative petitions and the petitioner
must be a member of the endorser’s class. These petitions must be presented to
the Election Officer. The Election Officer shall hold a secret ballot election
according to the law. Those two candidates with a majority and the largest
number of votes shall be declared the winners. Should only one person receive a
majority in the General Election, he shall be declared a winner and a run-off
will be held the following day between the two remaining candidates with the
highest number of votes. That candidate who receives a majority of the votes
will be declared the winner. Should no candidate receive a majority of the
votes in the General Election, a run-off election will be held the following
day among the four candidates with the highest number of votes. Should no two
candidates receive a majority of the votes in the run-off election, those two
candidates with the highest number of votes shall be declared the winners.

6. Any full-time student may qualify as a candidate for the House of
Representatives provided he is a member of the class which he is
elected to represent.

6. Faculty members of the Senate will be chosen in a manner agreed upon by
the faculty.

 

Section 2: Speaker of the
House–Election and Qualifications

1. A Speaker of the House shall be elected at the first regular meeting of
the House of Representatives and shall hold his position for one year and until
a new House of Representatives is elected and installed.

2. To qualify as a Speaker of the House, a student must be a member of the
House of Representatives.

3. In case of the permanent inability of the Speaker of the House to
discharge the powers and duties of his office, he shall be succeeded by a
student elected from and by the House of Representatives. A student from the
class of the former Speaker of the House will be elected by that class to
represent it as a Member in the House of Representatives. In case of temporary
inability of the Speaker of the House, the Vice President will act in his
place.

Section 3: Duties of the Speaker
of the House

The Speaker of the House shall preside over the House of Representatives in
the absence of the President and the Vice President, or at the request of the
President. He shall have authority to call meetings of the House of
Representatives, provided he gives reasonable prior notice to all sitting
members of the Executive.

 

Section 4: President Pro Tempore of the Senate – Election and
Qualifications

1. A President Pro Tempore of the Senate shall be elected at the first
regular meeting of the new Senate; he shall hold his position for one year and
until a new Senate is elected and installed. Nominations shall be taken from
the floor, and the President Pro Tempore shall be chosen by a majority of the
Senators.

2. To qualify as President Pro Tempore, a faculty member  must be
a member of the Senate.

3. In case of permanent or temporary inability of the President Pro Tempore
to discharge the powers and duties of his office, he shall be succeeded by
another faculty member or student elected from and by the Senate. In case of
permanent inability, another faculty member of the same staff position or student
from the same class will be elected to the Senate.

 

Section 5: Duties of the President
Pro Tempore

The President Pro Tempore shall preside over meetings of the Senate in the
absence of the Vice President or at the request of the Vice President. He shall
have authority to call meetings of the Senate, provided he gives reasonable
prior notice to all sitting members of the Executive Branch.

 

Section 6: Secretary of the Senate

Appointment and Qualifications

1. A Secretary of the Senate shall be appointed by the Vice President at the
first regular meeting of the new Senate; he shall hold his office for one year
and until a new Senate is elected and installed.

2. Any student or faculty member may be the Secretary of the Senate,
provided he holds no other office in the Government.

3. The Secretary of the Senate shall keep, take, and maintain custody of the
Minutes of the Senate shall be the custodian of all other official records of
the Senate. He shall, no later than the close of each session, deliver all
Senate records to the Student Government Advisor to be archived.

4. Further duties of the Secretary of the Senate may be specified by Act of
the Legislature of by Rules of the Senate.

 

Section 7: Quorum

 

1.                 
One half of the members of the House of Representatives shall
constitute a Quorum, with the provision that at least one elected
representative from each class be present.

2.                 
One half of the members of the Senate shall constitute a
Quorum, with the provision that at least three faculty senators are present.

 

Section 8: Powers of the
Legislature

The Legislature shall have power to:

1. Lay and collect reasonable taxes on: (a) any monies paid by the GPGC to
students as allowance, salary, or otherwise, (b) revenues or income of any
student operated enterprise, (c) any student privilege or special activity
requiring special regulation by the Government or which exists in derogation of
common rights; provided, however, that any measure imposing or increasing any
tax shall originate in the House of Representatives. This power shall include
authority to direct GPGC staff to deduct the amount of the tax from any amounts
payable by the GPGC to a student, before the student receives any such amounts;

2. Appropriate monies collected from taxation or from other sources to fund
the operations of the Government, to benefit the students, and for other public
purposes;

3. Amend the Code of Student Behavior and pass other laws regulating the
conduct of students;

4. Provide for the licensing and regulation of student corporations,
businesses, enterprises, and other for profit activities;

5. Enact laws providing for the efficient and effective operations of the
Government;

6. Carry out all functions assigned to it by this Constitution and enact
measures necessary and proper for the effectuation thereof;

7. Enact laws to protect student rights, privileges, and liberties.

 

Article IV: Judicial Branch

Section 1: Composition

 

The Judicial Branch of the Government shall be comprised of the
Governor’s Program Courts, the Office of the Prosecution, and the
Office of the Defense.

Section 2: Governor’s Program Courts

 

The Judicial Power shall be vested in an Appellate Court, a
Student Court, and in such courts inferior to the Student Court as the
Legislature may from time to time establish.

 

 

Section 3: Student Court–Composition, Jurisdiction, Duties

 

1. The Student Court shall be composed of a Chief Justice and
two Associate Justices who shall assume and hold their offices as
provided elsewhere herein. The Student Court shall have original
jurisdiction over the following cases and controversies: (1) violations
of the Code of Student Behavior referred to it by the Director or over
which it shall have jurisdiction as provided by law; (2) Civil suits
brought by one student against another; (3) Civil suits brought by a
non-student against a student and, with the consent of the non-student,
by a student against a non-student; (4) actions brought by any affected
student or faculty member to declare an act of the legislature
unconstitutional; (5) other matters as provided by Law.

2. The Student Court shall have Appellate Jurisdiction over cases
and controversies decided in courts inferior to the Student Court which
may be established by the Legislature, pursuant to rules and procedures
determined by the Legislature, and provided that the Legislature
explicitly vests such appellate jurisdiction in the Student Court. If
the Legislature does not so vest jurisdiction, than Appellate
Jurisdiction over such cases and controversies shall lie in the
Appellate Court.

3. The Justices of the Student Court shall together hear all
proceedings conducted in the Student Court, which proceedings shall be
presided over by the Chief Justice. Each Justice shall have one vote.
All Judgments and Decisions of the Student Court shall be by majority
vote and shall be issued in writing, signed by the Justices subscribing
thereto. A Justice voting in the minority may author and file a
dissenting opinion which shall be in writing and be signed by him.

4. The Chief Justice may, by written Order, assign pretrial motions
and other preliminary matters to be heard by himself or by an Associate
Justice sitting alone. The Chief Justice may, by written Order,
designate a Associate Justice to preside over any proceedings before
the Student Court, in which event the Chief Justice shall hear the
matter as an Acting Associate Justice.

5. The Legislature may provide for recusation of any Justice of the
Student Court who is a party or who otherwise has an interest in
proceedings before the Court. Should the Legislature not so provide,
any recusations or motions for recusation of a Justice of the Student
Court shall be dealt with by the Chief Justice of the Appellate Court.

6. The Chief Justice may appoint such sergeants at arms, and other
support personnel as are necessary to carry out the Court’s business.

 

 

Section 4: Appellate Court–Composition, Jurisdiction, Scope of Review, Duties, Attorneys

 

1. The Appellate Court shall be composed of a Chief Justice and
four Associate Justices. The Director shall appoint a Chief Justice
from the faculty or staff (and may appoint himself), two Associate
Justices from the faculty, and two Associate Justices from the Student
Body. The Chief Justice shall preside over all proceedings of the
Appellate Court but shall vote only in event of a tie.

2. The Appellate Court shall have jurisdiction over: (1) appeals
from the Student Court; (2) appeals from the rulings of such other
inferior courts and tribunals as the Legislature may from time to time
establish, unless jurisdiction over such matters is explicitly vested
in the Student Court; (3) other matters as provided by Act of the
Legislature.

3. The Appellate Court shall also have discretionary jurisdiction to
review cases decided by the Student Court pursuant to the Student
Court’s appellate jurisdiction. The Appellate Court may exercise this
jurisdiction on its own motion or on application of any party to the
case, provided that no such jurisdiction shall be exercised without the
consent of at least two Justices of the Appellate Court.

4. The Appellate Court shall review de novo all facts and law
adduced in the court of original jurisdiction, and may take additional
evidence at its discretion.

5. The Justices of the Appellate Court shall together hear all
proceedings conducted in the Appellate Court, which proceedings shall
be presided over by the Chief Justice. Each Justice shall have one
vote. All Judgments and Decisions of the Appellate Court shall be by
majority vote and shall be issued in writing, signed by the Justices
subscribing thereto. A Justice or Justices voting in the minority may
author and file a dissenting opinion or opinions which shall be in
writing and be signed by the dissenter(s).

6. The Chief Justice may, by written Order, assign pretrial motions
and other preliminary matters to be heard by himself or by an Associate
Justice sitting alone. The Chief Justice may, by written Order,
designate a Associate Justice to preside over any proceedings before
the Appellate Court, in which event the Chief Justice shall hear the
matter as an Acting Associate Justice.

7. The Legislature may provide for recusation of any Justice of the
Appellate Court who is a party or who otherwise has an interest in
proceedings before the Court. Should the Legislature not so provide,
any recusations or motions for recusation of a Justice of the Appellate
Court shall be dealt with by the Director. If the Director is serving
as the Chief Justice of the Appellate Court, he may not be recused save
on his own motion.

8. The Chief Justice may appoint such clerks, sergeants at arms, and
other support personnel necessary to carry out the Court’s business.

9. The Chief Justice may direct that matters before the Court of
Appeal be presented by the Office of the Prosecution and the Office of
the Defense, or by such other students, faculty, or other persons as he
may choose with due regard for a student’s right to appoint counsel of
his choice under the Constitutions of the United States and of the
State of Louisiana.

 

 

Section 5: Office of the Prosecution

 

1. The Office of the Prosecution shall consist of a Prosecuting
Attorney and an Assistant Prosecuting Attorney, elected as provided
below.

2. In all disciplinary proceedings in the Student Court, under the
Code of Student Behavior or otherwise, the Office of the Prosecution
shall present the case against the student. In any proceeding in the
Student Court in which the constitutionality or validity of any Act of
the Legislature or other official action of the Government is at issue,
including disciplinary proceedings where the invalidity or
unconstitutionality of any such Act or official action is raised as a
defense, the Office of the Prosecution shall defend the
constitutionality or validity of such Act or official action. In any
civil action in which the Plaintiff has not procured other counsel as
provided below, the Office of the Prosecution shall represent the
Plaintiff.

3. In all matters in which the Office of the Prosecution shall
represent any party, the Prosecuting Attorney shall be lead counsel and
the Assistant Prosecuting Attorney shall assist him and work under his
supervision. During any court proceedings, the Assistant Prosecuting
Attorney shall examine witnesses, raise objections, and argue to the
court only with expressed permission of the Prosecuting Attorney.

 

 

Section 6: Office of the Defense

 

1. The Office of the Defense shall consist of a Defending
Attorney and an Assistant Defending Attorney, elected as provided below.

2. In all disciplinary proceedings in the Student Court, under the
Code of Student Behavior or otherwise, the Office of the Defense shall
present the case for the student, unless the student shall have
procured other counsel as provided below. In any proceeding in the
Student Court in which the constitutionality or validity of any Act of
the Legislature or other official action of the Government is at issue,
including disciplinary proceedings where the invalidity or
unconstitutionality of any such Act or official action is raised as a
defense, the Office of the Defense shall attack the constitutionality
or validity of such Act or official action. In any civil action in
which the Defendant has not procured other counsel as provided below,
the Office of the Prosecution shall represent the Defendant.

3. In all matters in which the Office of the Defense shall represent
any party, the Defending Attorney shall be lead counsel and the
Assistant Defending Attorney shall assist him and work under his
supervision. During any court proceedings, the Assistant Defending
Attorney shall examine witnesses, raise objections, and argue to the
court only with expressed permission of the Defending Attorney.

 

 

Section 7: Right to Alternative Counsel

 

1. In judicial proceeding, a student shall have the right to
decline representation by the elected student attorneys and may be
represented by alternative counsel as provided herein.

2. A student desiring alternative counsel must provide prompt
written notice to the Chief Justice of the Court in which the legal
proceedings are pending, which notice shall state the name and status
(student, faculty, parent, other) of such counsel.

3. If the proffered alternative counsel is a student, the Chief
Justice of the Court in which the legal proceedings are pending may
require such student to pass an oral or written examination on GPGC law.

4. If the proffered alternative counsel is a faculty or staff
member, the Chief Justice of the Court in which the legal proceedings
are pending may appoint a faculty or staff member to assist the student
attorneys opposing such faculty or staff member or to take over conduct
of the case. If the proffered alternative counsel is an adult who is
not a member of the GPGC faculty or staff, the Director may remove the
action to the Appellate Court or to such other tribunal as the Director
may specify, including a tribunal constituted by the Director
specifically for the purpose of trying that action.

 

 

Section 8: Qualifications, Election, Appointment, and Terms of Student Members

 

1. The Chief Justice and Associate Justices of the Student
Court, the Student Justices of the Appellate Court, the Prosecuting
Attorney, and the Defending Attorney must all be full time students of
at least second year standing. The Assistant Prosecuting Attorney and
the Assistant Defense Attorney must be full time students and may be of
first year standing only. The Faculty Justices of the Court of Appeals
must be members of the GPGC teaching faculty or dormitory staff.

2. Nominations for the three Justices of the Student Court, the
members of the Office of the Prosecution, and the Members of the Office
of the Defense shall be by Petition. Each Petition must be signed by
not less than ten percent of the voting student body endorsing the
petitioner for office. Each Petition must be presented to the Election
Officer. The Election shall hold a Secret Ballot Election according to
the law. The winner shall be determined by a majority of the votes
coast by the student body. In case no candidate for a given position
receives a majority of the votes at the election, a run-off election
will be held the following day. In the run-off election, the smallest
number of candidates whose votes total a majority of the votes cast
shall compete.

3. The Chief Justice of the Student Court shall be appointed by the President, with a majority vote of the House of Representatives, from the Justices of the Student Court elected by the students. The Chief Justice and Associate Justices shall serve for so long as they are full time students. When the office of Chief Justice becomes vacant, the President shall appoint a new Chief Justice from any Associate Justice(s) elected in previous years or from any newly elected Justice(s) with a majority vote of the House of Representatives.

4. Once elected to the Position of Justice of the Student Court, a
student may neither run for nor hold any office in the Government, even
if he should resign the office of Justice. Notwithstanding the
foregoing provision, a present or former Justice of the Student Court
or a present or former Student Justice of the Appellate Court may serve
as Election Officer and may hold that position while serving as Justice.

5. Justices of the Appellate Court and members of the Office of the
Prosecution and of the Office of Defense shall serve for a term of one
year and until their successors are installed. Tenure in these offices
shall not disqualify the holder from running for and holding any other
government office for which he other wise qualifies.

Article
V: Legislative Processes

1. Bills may be introduced in either the House of Representatives or the
Senate and must be passed by both bodies in identical versions before they may
be presented to the President for his signature. In the event of a discrepancy
between the House and Senate Versions of a bill, either body may concur in the
version passed by the other or both houses may concur with a version arrived
upon by the Conference Committee.

2. The Conference Committee shall consist of representatives of both the
House of Representatives and the Senate. The representatives of the House of
Representatives shall be the Speaker of the House and two House members of the Speaker’s
choosing. The representatives of the Senate shall be the President Pro Tempore
and two Senate members of the President Pro Tempore’s choosing.

3. Every bill which has passed both the House and Senate shall be presented
to the President. The President shall have two school days to consider the
pending Bill. The President shall have the options of 1) signing the bill into
law and presenting the Bill to the Secretary to be notarized or vetoing the
bill and returning the bill with his objections, one copy to the Speaker of the
House and one copy to the Vice President. These officials shall then present
the bill to the House of Representatives and to the Senate with the President’s
objections. The Legislature shall reconsider the bill. If, after such reconsideration,
two-thirds of each house shall re-approve the bill within two school days, the
bill shall become law without the President’s signature.

 

Article VI: Impeachment of Officials

 

Section 1: Grounds for Impeachment

The President, the Vice-President, Secretary, and all other governmental
officials except the faculty Justices of the Court of Appeals, who are subject
to higher authorities, shall be removed from office on impeachment for, and
conviction of, bribery or other high crimes or misdemeanors.

 

Section 2: Process of Impeachment

1. Before an official of the Governor’s Program for Gifted Children can be
impeached, a petition must be presented to any of the three justices of the
Student Court. This petition must contain the charge brought against the
official and the signature of his accuser. Six persons shall then be chosen at
random from the roll of full time students to sit on a jury. A unanimous vote
of the jury shall be necessary to indict the official.

2. If the jury finds that there is a case against the accused, a trial shall
then be held before the Legislature which shall sit in judgment. The accused
has the right to choose his own attorney. If more than two members of the
Legislature find the accused innocent, he shall be acquitted.

 

Article VII: Constitutional Amendments

 

To amend this Constitution, one fourth of the number of qualified voters
must sign a petition stating the amendment and the reasons for wanting an
amendment. The petition shall be presented to the House and the Senate. It
shall be passed only by a four-fifths majority of each house.

 

Article VIII: Rights and Privileges of the Governed

1. The Government shall make no law prohibiting the rights of the students
peaceably to assemble or petition the Government.

2. The Government shall make no law prohibiting the free exercise of the
right to vote by all qualified voters in recognized elections. A qualified
voter shall be any student of the Governor’s Program for Gifted Children
enrolled at the time of the Election.

3. The Government shall be obliged to respect the personal privacy of all
who fall within its jurisdiction.

 

Article X: Special Appointments

 

In circumstance when an elected government position becomes unfilled, the President shall have the power to appoint, with a majority vote consensus of the House of Representatives, a student to fill the position, upon the acceptance of the student.

 

 

Article XI: Ratification of the Constitution

 

This Constitution shall be submitted to the Student Body
of the Governor’s Program for Ratification. It shall be considered
ratified when it has been accepted, as shown by a vote, by a simple
majority of the voters. It will go into effect upon ratification.

Ratified by the student body on the thirtieth day of June, nineteen hundred and sixty seven.

 

 

Article XII: Responsibilities and Rights of the Director

 

Section 1: Responsibilities

 

The Director of the Governor’s Program for Gifted Children has
legal responsibility for the student body of the Governor’s Program for
Gifted Children, and administrative responsibility for the personnel,
financial, and academic policies and practices of the Governor’s
Program for Gifted Children. The Government shall pass no law impairing
the ability of the Director to carry out his legal and administrative
responsibilities.

 

 

Section 2: Rights of the Director

 

1. The Director may attend any meeting, hearing, trial, or other
official function or proceeding of any Branch or agency of the
Government. He shall receive notice of all such meetings, hearings,
trials, or other official functions and may participate in same, as
provided below.

2. The Director may call the House of Representatives, the Senate,
or both of them, into session to consider any matter he wishes to place
before them, or for any other purpose.

3. The Director shall be an ex-officio member of both houses of the
Legislature, but shall have no vote in either body. He shall, at his
request, be allowed to exercise all forms of non-voting participation
in each house, including without limitation, giving testimony at
committee hearings, speaking on any motion or legislation, asking
questions, and raising points of order.

4. The Director shall receive prompt notice of all matters
instituted in any GPGC Court. At any time, he may join in any matter in
the capacity of Intervenor and shall, from the moment of the
intervention, enjoy all rights to participate in the proceedings
accorded to a party. With or without joining as an Intervenor, he may
file an amicus curia brief pertaining to any matter before any GPGC
Court. The Director may exercise these rights personally, or through an
attorney or other person designated to represent him.

 

Article XIII: Miscellaneous Provisions

 

Section 1: Gender

 

In this Constitution, Acts of the Legislature, and in all other
official acts and documents of the Government, the use of the masculine
gender will include and apply to the feminine. No Constitutional
provision, Act of the Legislature, or other official act or document of
the Government shall be construed as applying to persons of one gender
only, unless the intent to so apply be clearly evidenced and be
consistent with other provisions of this Constitution.

 

 

Section 2: Effective Dates of Legislation

 

Constitutional amendments become effective immediately upon
completion of the last act necessary for their ratification. Acts
signed into law by the President shall become effective at noon on the
school day immediately following such signature, or at such other day
and time stated in the Act. Acts passed notwithstanding the President’s
veto shall become effective at noon on the school day immediately
following approval by the last house of the Legislature to give its
two-thirds approval. Acts neither signed nor vetoed by the President
shall become law at noon on the third school day following approval by
the last house of the Legislature to give its approval; he shall have
until such time to either sign the bill or to veto it; provided,
however, that there be at least three school days remaining in the
session in which the Act was passed. If there are fewer than three
school days remaining in the session in which the Act was passed, and
if the President does not sign or veto the Act during such time, then
the Act shall not become law.

 

 

Section 3: Lateness of Actions Not Affecting Validity

 

Where this Constitution or an Act of the Legislature specifies
that an appointment, legislative action, or similar governmental act
take place on or by a specified day, and where such appointment,
legislative action, or similar governmental act does not take place on
or by the specified day, but occurs later, such lateness does not
affect the validity of the appointment, legislative action, or similar
governmental act nor does it impair the validity of other governmental
acts causally related thereto, unless the clear intent of the relevant
Constitutional provision or Act of the Legislature is otherwise. In
particular, but without limitation of the foregoing, the failure of the
Director to appoint an Election Officer on the first day of the session
does not impair the validity of the elections held under the authority
of such Election Officer, provided he is appointed sufficiently early
to perform his duties.

 

 

Section 4: Limitation of Action for Procedural Invalidity

 

No Constitutional provision, Act of the Legislature, or other
official action of the government may held invalid for any defect in
the procedure used to enact, promulgate, or otherwise effectuate it
unless suit to do so is filed as provided by law no later than the
tenth school day of the session subsequent to the session in which it
was enacted, promulgated, or otherwise effectuated. Nothing in this
provision shall be construed to impose any time limitation on an action
to hold such a Constitutional provision, Act of the Legislature, or
other official act of the government invalid for reason of its
substance.

One of the best parts of the program


for me was, for once, it allowed me to be one of the "normal" kids, instead of the "brainiac" nerd. I cherish that gift.


– George A., Alumnus