The Petition Act

Bill Identifier: 20251209-0

Summary: Imported from Reddit - Status: Passed

Raw Contents:

We as DIP have been working on this act for a long time we hope you enjoy it and maybe add it?

Section 1. Purpose of This Act

The purpose of this act is to establish a clear and organized system for how Citizens may bring forward ideas and take part in community decisions. This section introduces the scope and intention before defining the terms and steps used in the process.

Section 2. Definitions

Citizen: Any Reddit account older than 30 days and active in the subreddit, defined as commenting at least once per week.

Moderator Role

Moderators may not vote, create petitions, or take part in political processes.

Moderators stay neutral and may delete petitions that violate Reddit TOS, are impossible to execute, or are not serious/community-focused.

Petition: A Citizen-led proposal created only after a council suggestion has been ignored or declined.

Council Suggestion: A formal proposal submitted to the council.

Section 3. Scope of Petitions and Laws

Petitions: Citizen-led suggestions for community decisions, including overriding ignored or rejected council suggestions after 14 days.

Existing Laws and Pinning Rules: Petitions cannot conflict with existing laws and may propose deletion. Deleted laws cannot be recreated by the council for 30 days. Petitions must wait 7 days before pinning if they reach 20% support. These related rules are combined here to keep the structure simple.

Section 4. Council Suggestion and Petition Process

Any Citizen may create a council suggestion.

A petition may be created 14 days after a suggestion if the council declines it, does not respond, or marks it “In Progress” but does not complete it within the 14-day extension.

Petitions reach Level 1/2 consideration after 7 days, and a Citizen may create a new petition only 21 days after their previous one. These points are grouped to keep the process consistent.

Section 5. Petition Rules and Support

Only Citizens may create petitions.

Moderators, council members, and the president cannot create petitions.

Petitions must use the official “Petition” flair, be serious, and relate to community governance.

Petitions cannot conflict with existing laws.

Citizens show support by commenting on the petition thread; only one comment per Citizen counts, and signatures must include the Citizen’s Reddit username (automatically visible).

Section 6. Voting Process

Voting happens in a 14-day Petition Vote post.

Citizens participate by commenting to show support.

Votes are counted exactly 14 days after the post is created.

Section 7. Petition Power Levels
Level 1: 50% Citizen Support → Council Review

If 50% of Citizens support the petition, the council must review it and respond with Accept or Reject, including an explanation.

No law is created automatically at this level.

Level 2: 70% Citizen Support → Automatic Law or Deletion

If 70% of Citizens support, the petition becomes law automatically or removes an existing law.

The president cannot veto it.

Council must enforce it immediately.

Petitions cannot modify existing laws; they may delete them or create new ones that do not conflict.

Section 8. Protection of Citizen Rights

No Citizen may be punished for signing or not signing a petition.

All Citizens have equal rights within the petition system.

No one may pressure or manipulate signatures or votes.

Moderators cannot vote, create petitions, or intervene.

Section 9. Amendment of This Act

This Act may only be changed with 80% Citizen support through a valid petition. Council and president cannot change or remove this act.

Status: Passed

History