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of an Economic Council for the Bi- zonal Area, the Council of States nonetheless has continued to perform an important and useful legislative role during the past year. Its legis- lative procedures have, however, undergone some important changes during this time. One of the original purposes of tbe Council of States was to draft laws on subjects which required zonal uniformity. Once the Council ef States-consisting of the three minis- ters president of the southern states and the president of the Bremen Senate-agreed on a law, they re- commended it to Military Govern- ment for approval. Upon approval by Military Government, each minister president acting under the decree- making powers, vested in him by Military Government, enacted and promulgated the law in his state. The Council of States as such has never had the authority to promul- gate laws; this was always done by each minister president promulgating the identical law in his state. With the adoption of the constitutions, the ministers president in the states lost their decree-making power as they became subject to the powers and authorities given them by the consti- tution and the legislature. This development deprived the Council of States of the legal power by which its laws could be promul- gated. Military Government Pro- clamation No. 4 remedied this legal gap by granting to each minister president (and the president of the Bremen Senate) a limited power on promulgating laws-Council of States- initiated laws-without reference to the state legislatures but with the requirement of prior Military Govern- ment approval. The Council of States, in turn, took an important step towards adjusting its legislative procedures to the present status of democratic govern- ment in the US Zone by establishing a parliamentary advisory council at the seat of the Council in order to provide parliamentary representation and to promote necessary coordination of state legislation. The parliamentary council, which is composed of 24 members (seven each from Bavaria, Hesse, and Wuerttem- berg-Baden, and three from Bremen) in effect concurs on all draft laws to be submitted by the Council of States to Military Government for approval. T1HE POLICY and procedures for 1the initiation and enactment of uniform legislation in the US Zone have been clearly defined in the past year. In disposing of draft legislation, the Council of States has applied three basic considerations: 1. Necessity for zonal uniformity of legislation because of the nature of subject matter or to assure successful application. 2. Desirability of coordinated (but not necessarily uniform) state legis- lation in order to preserve legal unity. 3. Determination to restrict zonal legislation to a minimum in order to guard against encroachment upon state rights. Accordingly, if the Council of States by unanimous vote considers zonal uniformity of legislation nec- (although not necessarily on one draft) which is then referred to the state parliaments with a recomin mendation for enactment under the state constitutions. As many laws Initiated in the past by the Council of States no longer require zonal uniformity, they may now be individually amended by the state legislatures. There are, however" certain, Council-initiated laws which continue to require zonal uniformity and which in the future can only be changed by Council action. The Council recommended a list of such laws to Military Government, which in turn approved it. The list includes: Law for Liberation from National Socialism and Militarism. Law con- cerning Judicial Aid for Equitable Settlement to Contracts. First Law for the Amendment of the 1946 Code on Administration of Cri- minal Justice. T a- on Acuso - f LandA far tierman workmen In Berlin unload sacks ot potatoes irout a Uutgu AU& distribution among the population in the US Sector. The potatoes, a donation from the United States, arrived in excellent condition. (Signal Corps) INFORMATION BULLETIN
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