Legislative Council of the Fœderal Capital Territory



The Legislative Council of the Fœderal Capital Territory (known in short as the FCT Legislative Council) is the unicameral legislature of the Fœderal Capital Territory (FCT). It sits in the Senate building on Civic Square, close to the Central Business District in San Francisco County, Fœderal Capital Territory.

Creation
The Council was created by an Act of the U.S. Congress, the Fœderal Capital Territory (Constitution) Act, 1722. The first election under the FCT Constitution Act was held on 8 November 1722 and Council first convened on 9 January of the following year. Until this point, the FCT had been directly administered by the U.S Congress. It replaced the FCT Board of Supervisors, which existed from 1718 to 1722, but had no legislative power, with a principal function of advising Congress on matters relating to the Territory.

Membership
Since its inception in 1722, the Legislative Council has had fifty-seven (57) Members (“Commons-Councillors”) elected from the seven Counties of the Fœderal Capital Territory: Republic County, Presidio County, San Francisco County, Colma County, Castro County, Bayview County, and Daly County; and twenty-four (24) Members (“Regents-Councillors”) elected by the twenty-four States, with one Regent-Councillor from each State. Each of the fifty-seven (57) Commons-Councillors are elected in single-member districts to a four-year term, using a two-round variant of first past the post; whereas Regent-Councillors are elected to a six-year term, and, pursuant to the FCT Constitution Act, are chosen in and for each State “in accordance with their respective laws and customs”, but effectively by the Governor of the State, by and with the advice and consent of the upper house of the State Legislature.

The Governor-General of the United States who is ex officio  the Governor of the Fœderal Capital Territory is the head of state of the Fœderal Capital Territory and all executive powers are vested in the Office of Governor; however, the Governor does not govern directly or on his own initiative. Instead, he invites a member of the Legislative Council who can command their confidence and supply to be the Administrator (the FCT-equivalent to a first minister) and to form a Government in his (the Governor’s) name for the duration of the four-year life of the Legislature, or until the Administrator loses the confidence or supply of the Legislative Council. In practice, the Governor chooses the leader of whichever party can form Government (known as the FCT Government). The Administrator, in turn, appoints Commissioners to form a cabinet, known as the Executive Cabinet of the FCT. The leader of the second-largest party in the Council usually becomes the Leader of the Opposition.

Election dates for the Council are fixed in the FCT (Constitution) Act 1722, with elections held on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November every four years. The next election is due 3 November 1726.

Enactment of legislation
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Powers and functions
The FCT Legislative Council lacks the full powers of a State legislature. Article II-B, section 8, part A(4), of the U.S. Constitution Treaty grants exclusively to the Congress, the power, “[t]o exercise exclusive Legislation in all Cases whatsoever, over such District (not exceeding ten Miles square) as may, by Cession of particular States, and the Acceptance of the Congress, become the Seat of the Government of the United States[.]” In exercise of that power, Congress have restated in the Territorial Self-Government Legislation (Disallowance and Amendment of Laws) Act, 1721 that they reserve exclusively to themselves the right to legislate for the “Territory belonging to the United States” in all matters, including power to override laws passed by territorial Legislatures.

Local government functions
Unlike the legislatures of the other States and Territories in the United States, the Legislative Council also has the functions of a municipal council; the FCT has no other local government.

Current distribution of seats


Fœderal Capital Territory general election, 1722

Typeface
The sans-serif, “San Francisco”, is used for all of the FCT’s Heraldic branding; whereas for the FCT’s Corporate branding, the serif, “Iowan Old Style”, is used.