Introduction
We are excited to bring you the latest updates and insights on the initiatives, policies, and achievements of our government as we continue our commitment to serving and enriching the lives of our citizens. This newsletter serves as a bridge of communication, connecting you with the important work happening throughout our state and offering you a glimpse into the impact we are making at the San Andreas State Government.
New Employees
When employees join the San Andreas State Government, we ask them a crucial question: why did they choose to join the government? We then share their answers with the public to provide insight into the kind of impact these individuals wish to make on the future and development of our city. Here are quotes received from our new employees:
CeeCee Rhodes, Public Relations Bureau Intern wrote:
I joined SAGOV because I have always wanted to help people in anyway I can. Before I joined SAGOV I was trying to help people by any means possible; from helping people get their first car to listening to people that needed to vent their frustrations or helping to keep people safe. I have also always really liked listening to different point of views that people have on current issues in the city. Ever since I first met Chuck Mapleton on a roadworks site I thought what he did was really interesting.
I joined the Bureau to hopefully bring around a way to help the citizens of San Andreas by opening a Community Center that will house opportunities to get away from the life of crime which a lot of people have unfortunately fallen into by offering them another way of life. I hope to include many opportunities for people from help with applications to trying to get the FRD more readily available to those who require it.
Herrman Wolff, Public Relations Bureau Intern wrote:
I have always been interested in communication and public relations, and this naturally evolved over time, especially with how I interacted with individuals as a Journalist for Weazel News. Joining the Government became a natural goal for me to help prove to myself and the state that reformed individuals can feed back into the state, and my interest in communication, made the Public Relations Bureau a perfect fit for me.
I hope to bring a new perspective to the bureau and continue to help progress the state of San Andreas in the right direction by facilitating the interaction between Government and citizens. It's an exciting new step in my life that I cannot wait to jump into!
Gordon Graves, SAAA Intern wrote:
I joined SAGOV with the goal of forwarding the progress of SAAA. My ultimate goals are to flesh out certifications and the like for private businesses to be able to function with SAAA guidance, approval, and support. In addition to this, I want to further the existing infrastructure to the point that it runs with no issue and as much autonomy as possible. Anyone from intern and above within the SAAA should know what they can do, when they can do it, and who they can ask in the rare event that it isn't explicitly clear and addressed in our procedures and documentation.
Recent Releases
NEWSLETTER #19 - LRC: Election Results and Look Back
Introduction
The Law Review Committee is pleased to announce the successful conclusion of our recent election, marking once again a significant milestone in our commitment to promoting both legal discourse and excellence. The new committee members are excited to embark on their journey of upholding the principles of justice and law, as well as building upon the foundation laid by their predecessors.
Election Results
After a rigorous and competitive election process the following individuals have been elected by the people for the upcoming term. The top 4 candidates who will be sworn into the Law Review Committee for the 3rd Congress for the months of September 3rd, 2023 until December 31st, 2023.
- Representative-Elect Solomon Cobb - 50
- Representative-Elect Trixie Bankshot-Vane - 46
- Representative-Elect Herrman Wolff - 44
- Representative-Elect Herbert Butler - 26
A Look Back
As we express our gratitude to the outgoing committee members, we also take this opportunity to reflect on the remarkable legislative accomplishments achieved during their time served over the past term. The Law Review Committee successfully advocated for and initiated various legislative actions that have had a significant impact on the legal landscape, each of which we have listed below to showcase the work that has been done and to emphasize the thanks that we wish to extend to the previous members.
H.R. 1 | Weapon Classification Act:
View Legislation Here
View Legislation Here
- This Bill, introduced by the Los Santos Police Department, shaped our current gun laws in a monumental way. Not only classifying them into 4 different classes, but also better allocating punishments for the different classes of weapons.
H.R. 2 | HELP Act
View Legislation Here
View Legislation Here
- This bill was introduced by The Honourable Sayaka Yukimura and not only better defined the legal definition, but also created a new charge better protecting our citizens from Stalking and Harassment.
H.R. 4 | Passenger Princess
View Legislation Here
View Legislation Here
- This bill, introduced by The Honourable Tessa Fallon, has locked down a previous statute of 'Failure to Pay A Toll' from unjust citing, allowing any occupant of a vehicle to pay for the toll rather than just the driver.
H.R. 5 | Correction of Body Armour Act
View Legislation Here
View Legislation Here
- This bill was introduced and brought through the house by the Delegate for The San Andreas State Government, updating it to the times we live in now, once again protecting our citizens from being unjustly charged.
H.R. 6 | The Human Body Reporting Relief Act
View Legislation Here
View Legislation Here
- This bill was once again introduced by The Honourable Tessa Fallon, and like the above, updated our penal code to the modern times we now live in. During the process, The Los Santos Emergency Medical Services then amended the bill, adding the charge of Looting, creating a distinction between abuse of a human body and looting.
H.R. 7 | Parole Re-Classification Act
View Legislation Here
View Legislation Here
- The San Andreas Department of Corrections introduced this bill, with them taking over the Parole system and not feeling it just to have a Parole Violation be a felony, only harming someone's reformation progress rather than assisting it.
H.R. 8 | Contempt of Congress
View Legislation Here
View Legislation Here
- This bill was again put forward by The Delegate for The San Andreas State Government, and has the purpose of ensuring order during a congressional meeting while also giving the Law Review Committee the power of subpoenas and adjusting the charge of Perjury to also include lying to The Law Review Committee.
H.RES. 1 | Law Review Committee Attendance Act
View Legislation Here
View Legislation Here
- This Resolution was brought forth after a lack of attendance in the Law Review Committee and introduces new powers given to the Speaker, allowing punishments for people who purposefully do not attend the meetings.
Closing Statements
The Law Review Committee wishes to express deep gratitude to our departing members for their dedication, hard work, and foresight in championing these legislative efforts. The impact of their work will be felt for the years to come, greatly shaping the legal landscape for the better.
Moving forward, we can see that the newly elected committee members are committed to building upon these achievements and addressing new challenges that lie ahead. The Law Review Committee remains steadfast in its mission to promote legal scholarship, foster critical discourse, and drive positive change not only in the legal community but also in the entire community of San Andreas.
Moving forward, we can see that the newly elected committee members are committed to building upon these achievements and addressing new challenges that lie ahead. The Law Review Committee remains steadfast in its mission to promote legal scholarship, foster critical discourse, and drive positive change not only in the legal community but also in the entire community of San Andreas.
Contact Information
OJ Wood, Esq.
Director | Public Relations Bureau
San Andreas State Government
Community Feedback Highlights – AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2023
The Public Relations branch of the government has been busy collecting feedback, thoughts, and concerns of citizens across the state, for some time now, and we thought it would be a good idea to share with you some of the more regular feedback that comes through and what we are doing to help address it.
The San Andreas State Government takes the opinions, wants, and needs of the public very seriously, and in the wake of the Law Review Committee elections, we wanted to open a dialogue to help increase communication efforts and public outreach.
In an effort to protect the privacy of our respondents, their names and contact details will be withheld, but this feedback will otherwise be as unedited and transparent as possible.
Concerns from Road Crews
The Public Relations team looked into these matters and found that they were one of the highest paid freelance jobs, and once told, the road workers accepted this fact. In relation to the attacks, the road workers were told about their rights to self-defence, as well as told about the confines in which they can use it, which most found helpful in helping them understand their defences.
Vehicles being broken into and stolen then became a focal point for the Public Relations team as it was suggested by the Road workers that some cameras around their HQ would help since they found attempting to park elsewhere lead to high costs in transport. The Public Relations team worked with Downtown Cab Company to help plan a deal that sees fares from Legion Square to Road worker HQ being reduced by 50% to help with transportation costs, so they can leave their vehicles off-site. The team is also working to help install improved security around the HQ itself to ensure that all bases are covered.
Requested Changes to Tollbooth Pay Structure
A respondent asked if it would be possible to pay tollbooth operators even for GOV/LSC/DCC/etc cars, since while their fees are waived, the labour involved should still earn some amount of income.
Unfortunately, while the toll company is an independent government contractor, we have received a commitment from government to look into this to see if the there was any potential wiggle room.
The more we can provide honest pay for honest work, the less frequently people will feel the need to turn to ulterior methods to make money.
Concerns About a Perceived Housing Monopoly
A number of concerned citizens expressed frustration about the affordability and perceived "monopoly" on the housing market by a few wealthy individuals.
Many properties end up bought by landlords who then charge high rental fees, thereby reducing the availability of purchasable homes and, by consequence, artificially inflating the prices. For most of us, buying that first property is something we all work hard towards. Being a large milestone in our lives, it requires hard work and dedication to achieve.
The Public Relations Bureau found that there are multiple avenues to assist in finding a place to stay before you've saved up enough for your first property. From self-start ideas like purchasing an RV, to a more assisted approach like one of the city's Rental or Rent-To-Own companies, some of which offer more reasonable rates than others.
There are also Government-run auctions that take place on a regular basis to ensure that vacant or unused spaces are available to all. These auctions can sometimes represent incredible savings for the savvy buyer.
Perceptions of Bullying Behaviour by Law Enforcement
The LSPD/LSSD are, like SAGOV, expected to comport themselves to the highest degree of integrity. The following feedback from the community does not reflect our opinions or position regarding law enforcement:
A Mr. RW states that SD & PD have been targeting gangs & treating them unprofessionally. He recognizes that being a felon or former felon would naturally raise suspicions, but cites concerns that police will shout obscenities at them or engage in stalking behaviour, which, if true, would not be appropriate behaviour from law enforcement. According to RW, their organization is trying to become more legitimate and by extension more public, and wishes to pursue a more positive relationship with the police, but claims they are behaving in a manner that makes this extremely difficult.
We encourage all citizens to utilise the standard procedures for registering complaints or reporting incidents through the Internal Affairs of the respective departments, agencies, and businesses.
If an Internal Affairs decision has been rendered but is not adhered to, we advise collecting relevant evidence to initiate the appeals process available within the resolving department's Internal Affairs systems to prioritise these concerns through a resolution within the department’s established framework first.
Additionally, if you remain dissatisfied with the response or resolution from the department’s Internal Affairs, you have the option to raise the concern or appeal to the Board of Governors.
Please note that appeals are considered on a case-by-case basis, and each appeal is thoroughly investigated to ensure a fair and just evaluation of the concerns raised.
Promotions
We are thrilled to share exciting news from the San Andreas State Government! Over the past month, we have witnessed numerous individuals within our organization receive well-deserved promotions. With each step, they assume increased responsibilities, enabling them to make a more significant impact on the City of Los Santos.
Internship
Agent I ► Agent II
Government Senior Official ► Lead Government Official
Government Executive [Reinstatment]
Internship
- Ceecee Rhodes, Public Relations Bureau
- Herrman Wolff, Public Relations Bureau
- Gordon Graves, SAAA
Agent I ► Agent II
- Juan Santoya, Government Security Bureau
Government Senior Official ► Lead Government Official
- Jimmithy Jemima, Business Licensing Bureau
Government Executive [Reinstatment]
- Mark Haynes, SAAA
Recognition of Service
OJ Wood filled the position of Government Director after the departure of Solomon Cobb, having previously been an intern under his guidance. It is from here that Wood grew the Public Relations Bureau into a multifaceted team that deals with community outreach, media relations, and even state events.
In his time as the Director for Public Relations, Wood was essential in setting up a formalized community outreach program, including a revamped Community Letterbox, which led to numerous beneficial changes across the state. These changes included improvements surrounding the Road Workers Headquarters to have access to cheap food via vending machines, and establishing a dedicated and secure parking area for recreational vehicles.
The San Andreas State Government wishes OJ Wood the best in his future endeavors and is confident that whatever his next steps are, he will be sure to succeed in them.Emily Whitehorse, Chief Of Staff wrote:
Director OJ Wood was a hard-working member of the public relations team, having served as a member of the government high command team for nearly a full year continuously. I have had many memorable moments having worked with Mr. Wood, and while we may have had different ideas and ways of handling a situation, I think it's fair to say he always had a passion for the San Andreas State Government. His steadfast dedication to supporting and growing the San Andreas Public Relations Team shows even after his absence, with a strong core of individuals having produced every section in this very newsletter. Even outside of the newsletter, the PR team continues to plan and execute many spectacular events throughout the state and that would not have been possible without his leadership.
Mr. Wood, thank you so much for everything you did for me as Chief of Staff, and for supporting me through the good times and the hard times. No matter what you explore next, I am certain you will achieve great things.
Closing Statement
The end of September marks us well into autumn and signifies the end of Q3, which has been a time of internal improvement within the Government. Our Public Relations Bureau continues to grow as we welcome new members and embark on a journey to find a new Deputy Director; If you are interested or qualified for this position applications are open.
The growth we see should help us continue to improve our all-important community outreach work and will allow us to continue to host state-wide events, such as the triathlon we hosted.
Our other bureaus also saw changes to their policies that made government services more approachable, such as the new background policies for Business Licensing or changes in the criminal record requirements for the SAAA. These exciting changes give us a strong start into Q4 as we continue to pave the way to more improvements that should help citizens all across the state.
The growth we see should help us continue to improve our all-important community outreach work and will allow us to continue to host state-wide events, such as the triathlon we hosted.
Our other bureaus also saw changes to their policies that made government services more approachable, such as the new background policies for Business Licensing or changes in the criminal record requirements for the SAAA. These exciting changes give us a strong start into Q4 as we continue to pave the way to more improvements that should help citizens all across the state.
Contact Information
Erin Faustin, MD/PhD
Government Official| Public Relations Bureau
San Andreas State Government
Herrman Wolff
Intern | Public Relations Bureau
San Andreas State Government
Andrea Fallon, M.D., F.R.C.O.G., OB/GYN
Interim Director | Public Relations Bureau
Assistant To The Governor
San Andreas State Government