Rolling Budget Act of 2025

Rolling Budget Act of 2025

Authored by Matt Cheney

Preamble

Whereas a government budget bill will not only increase interest in the economy, but build trust with the public;

Whereas a rolling budget fits the culture of SimDemocracy;

Whereas efficient and responsive governance requires detailed spending plans that are flexible and easy;

Article 1: Definitions

§1. “Budget cycle” shall refer to a period of fourteen (14) calendar days during which budget authority is granted and funds are disbursed.

§2. “Rolling budget” shall refer to a continuous sequence of budget cycles that automatically renew expiring budget authority for the next cycle, subject to review and adjustment.

§3. “Interim funding resolution” shall refer to supplement legislation under this Act authorizing temporary budget authority for one (1) budget cycle.

Article 2: Establishment of Rolling Budget

§1. The fiscal year shall be divided into twenty six (26) consecutive budget cycles, each lasting fourteen (14) days.

§2. The first cycle begins when the 141st President of SimDemocracy is elected.

Article 3: Synchronization with Presidential Elections

§1. After a Presidential election, the incoming administration will have three (3) days to submit an interim funding resolution for their administration's term.

§2. If they take longer than the allotted three (3) days the previous budget will maintain budget authority for the term, unless an emergency budget amendment is passed.

Article 4: Interim Funding Resolutions

§1. The President shall, through the Speaker of the Senate, introduce an Interim Funding Resolution up to three (3) days after being sworn into office. If this is not done the previous Interim Funding Resolution is to be re-introduced by the Speaker.

§1.1. If the previous Interim Funding Resolution is re-introduced under §1., it may only be amended for 24 hours and shall automatically become subsidiary legislation after that.

<ref name="reform">Budget Reform Act 2025</ref>§1.2. The President or a senator can propose an emergency funding amendment to alter amounts allocated within the interim funding resolutions. Such amendments may be introduced as either a motion or proposal.

§2. The Interim Funding Resolution shall cover appropriations and funding directives for the upcoming cycle.

§3. The Senate must consider and debate on the Interim Funding Resolution before a vote.

§4. Failure to pass the Interim Funding Resolution within three (3) days of introduction constitutes a nonconcurrence, triggering an automatic renewal of the previous Interim Funding Resolution.

§5. Once a new Interim Funding Resolution is passed or automatically passed, the previous Interim Funding Resolution shall be considered repealed.

Article 5: Oversight and Reporting

§1. The whole Senate, if there is no such committee, shall hold a hearing on the Interim Funding Resolution once it is introduced and adjust the Interim Funding Resolution accordingly.<ref>Amended by the Formal Committee Sunsetting Act 2026 passed by the Senate on 2 May 2026 and signed by the President on 3 May 2026.</ref>

§2. If requested, agency heads must testify on their agencies spending and budget obligations.

§3. Within three (3) days of the passage of the Interim Funding Resolution the Treasury must release a summary of appropriations and authority granted by the budget.

§4. All legislation passed that funds the government in any way will be archived in the SimDemocracy Archives in its own section titled “Appropriations”.

Article 6: Implementation

§1. This act will take effect at the start of the 141st Presidential term.

Repealed<ref name="reform" />

§2. This bill shall sunset every three (3) months and must be successfully passed through the Senate again to remain law.

§3. The Senate Rules and Procedures Act is amended by –

§3.1. Replacing Article 2, § 2.5 with

 “§ 2.5 Votes on Interim Funding Resolutions under the Rolling Budget Act of 2025”

Article 7: Department Budget Surplus

<ref name="reform" />§1. Any excess budgetary funds appropriated, or funds gained, by a department that are not used by the end of a budget cycle must be sent back to the Government Reserve account.

<ref name="some">Some Changes Amendment</ref>§2. All departments must report the total of their budget surpluses at the end of the budget cycle they have to the Treasurer or Secretary of the Treasury. Furthermore, the secretary of the respective department, the treasurer, or the secretary of the treasury shall then send those surplus funds to the Government Reserve account.

§3. The President, Secretary of Treasury, Treasurer, relevant Secretary, or Department’s relevant executive officer may transfer the funds. Furthermore, any transfers to the Government Reserve must be recorded in the Treasury Records.

Amendments

<references />