[Passed: 10-0, Royal Assent: 2 October 2018]
An Act to provide to prescribe the texts of certain Oaths and Affirmations and for other purposes.
BE IT ENACTED by the King’s Most Excellent Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Lords and Burgesses in this present Parliament assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:
1. SHORT TITLE
This act may be cited for all purposes as “Oaths and Affirmations Act 2018”
2. ADMINISTRATION OF CERTAIN OATHS AND AFFIRMATIONS
A. All Judges in the Kingdom, including Magistrate Judges, shall be empowered to administer any oath of affirmation within the Kingdom of Scone.
B. The Lord Chancellor and Home Secretary shall be empowered to administer the Affirmation of Loyalty for new citizens within the Hound & Quarry. The Lord Chancellor, the Speaker of the House of Burgesses, a Deputy Speaker, or any individual otherwise deputized by the Lord Chancellor may administer the Affirmation of Loyalty for new citizens within Parliament.
C. New Privy Counselors shall give the Privy Council Affirmation in the presence of the Sovereign, Regent, or Lord President within the Privy Council.
D. The Sovereign shall administer his own coronation oath during his coronation ceremony.
E. The Clerk of the Crown in Chancery shall be empowered to administer oaths and affirmations during judicial proceedings at the direction of the presiding judge.
3. AFFIRMATION OF LOYALTY FOR NEW CITIZENS & FOR EACH NEW PARLIAMENT
A. A new citizen who has been approved by the Home Office for citizenship shall subscribe to the following affirmation within the Parliament group if Parliament is in session and within the Hound & Quarry if Parliament is not in session:
“I, (Insert full name), do solemnly affirm that I will be faithful and bear true allegiance to His Majesty King (NAME), his heirs and successors, according to law.”
B. The affirmation outlined in Section A above shall be made by all Members of Parliament during a new Parliament. It shall not be necessary for members to re-subscribe to the oath every session of Parliament, but only at the opening of a new Parliament. C. The affirmation in Section A above shall be subscribed by all Members of Parliament upon the succession of a new Sovereign. Members of Parliament may not participate in debate, votes, or any other business of Parliament until such an affirmation is made.
4. OATHS & AFFIRMATIONS TO BE ADMINISTERED DURING JUDICIAL PROCEEDINGS
Any person offering testimony in a judicial proceeding shall be required to subscribe to the following oath or affirmation to be administered by a judicial officer or the Clerk of the Crown in Chancery:
“Do you solemnly swear or affirm that your testimony before this Court shall be the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth?”
5. CORONATION OATH
A. At his coronation ceremony, the Sovereign shall subscribe to the following oath:
“I (NAME) do solemnly promise and swear to govern the Kingdom of Scone, the Glennish Empire, and all its colonies and possessions according to their respective laws and customs. I furthermore promise and swear to uphold and respect the law in all of my actions and judgments.”
B. The Sovereign may, at his discretion, add “…so help me God” at the conclusion of his oath.
6. PRIVY COUNCIL AFFIRMATION
A. All new Privy Councilors shall respond “I do so solemnly affirm” in response to the following affirmation:
“You do solemnly affirm that you will be a true and faithful Servant unto The King’s Majesty as one of His Majesty’s Privy Council. You will not know or understand of any manner of thing to be attempted, done or spoken against His Majesty’s Person, Honour, Crown, or Dignity Royal, but you will lett and withstand the same to the uttermost of your power, and either cause it to be revealed to His Majesty Himself, or to such of his Privy Council as shall advertise His Majesty of the same. You will in all things to be moved, treated and debated in Council, faithfully and truly declare your Mind and Opinion, according to your Heart and Conscience; and will keep secret all matters committed and revealed unto you, or that shall be treated of secretly in Council. And if any of the said Treaties or Counsels shall touch any of the Counsellors you will not reveal it unto him but will keep the same until such time as, by the consent of His Majesty or of the Council, Publication shall be made thereof. You will to your uttermost bear Faith and Allegiance to the King’s Majesty; and will assist and defend all civil and temporal Jurisdictions, Pre-eminences, and Authorities, granted to His Majesty and annexed to the Crown by Acts of Parliament, or otherwise, against all Foreign Princes, Persons, Prelates, States, or Potentates. And generally in all things you will do as a faithful and true Servant ought to do to His Majesty.”
B. The affirmation in Section A above shall be subscribed by all Privy Councilors upon the succession of a new Sovereign. Privy Councilors may not participate in debate, votes, or any other business of the Privy Council until such an affirmation is made.
7. VARIANTS AUTHORIZED FOR FEMALE SOVEREIGNS
In the event the Sovereign shall be female, all gender references to the Sovereign shall be modified to reflect this fact.
8. COMMENCEMENT
This legislation and all the provisions therein shall come into force upon receiving the Royal Assent.