1. Establishment of the Azalean National Guard
(a) The Azalean National Guard (hereafter referred to as "the National Guard") is hereby established as a reserve military force under the authority of the Parliament of the Azalean Isles.
(b) The National Guard shall operate in accordance with the laws and regulations set forth in this Act and any subsequent legislation pertaining to its function and governance.
2. Purpose and Mission of the National Guard
(a) The National Guard shall serve the following purposes:
(i) Defend the Azalean Isles against external threats and aggression.
(ii) Assist in disaster relief operations, including natural and man-made disasters.
(iii) Support civil authorities in maintaining public order during emergencies.
(iv) Participate in national development projects as directed by Parliament.
3. Governance and Leadership of the National Guard
(a) The National Guard shall be commanded by a General, appointed by Parliament upon the recommendation of the National Security Committeethe Minister of State.
(b) The General shall serve as the highest-ranking officer and primary executive authority of the National Guard, with the following responsibilities:
(i) Develop and implement strategic plans and policies for the National Guard.
(ii) Command and oversee all operations and activities of the National Guard.
(iii) Appoint and manage subordinate officers and personnel within the National Guard.
(iv) Ensure compliance with all applicable laws, regulations, and directives.
(v) Report regularly to the National Security CommitteeMinister of State on the status, activities, and needs of the National Guard.
(c) The General may be removed from their position by a two-thirds majority vote of the National Security Committeethe Minister of State in cases of misconduct, dereliction of duty, or other just causes.
4. Establishment of the National Security Committee
(a) To ensure the effective coordination and strategic direction of national defense efforts, a National Security Committee (hereafter referred to as "the Committee") is hereby established.
(b) The Committee shall serve as the supreme advisory body to Parliament and the Crown on all matters related to national security, defense, and emergency preparedness.
(c) The Committee shall be composed of three (3) members, including:
(i) Two experts in security and international affairs, appointed by the Prime Minister and approved by Parliament.
(ii) A representative from the intelligence community, appointed by the Crown.
(d) Members of the Committee shall serve indefinite terms and may only be removed by a supermajority vote of Parliament.
(e) The Committee shall elect a Chairperson from among its members to serve a term of two (2) months, renewable at the discretion of the Committee.
5. Powers and Responsibilities of the National Security Committee4. Additional Duties of the Ministry of State
(a) The CommitteeMinistry shall have the following duties and powers:
(i) Develop and recommend national security strategies and policies to Parliament.
(ii) Coordinate between the National Guard, intelligence agencies, and other security entities.
(iii) Oversee the implementation of security measures and emergency protocols.
(iv) Authorize and supervise classified operations deemed necessary for the protection of the Azalean Isles, including intelligence gathering and covert actions.
(v) Advise the Crown and Parliament on international relations, defense agreements, and diplomatic negotiations.
(vi) In times of crisis, recommend to Parliament the invocation of emergency powers, which may grant the CommitteeNational Guard temporary expanded authority to act swiftly in defense of the nation.
(b) To preserve the integrity of sensitive information, the proceedings and decisions of the Committeeon these issues may be classified, with disclosures made only to authorized personnel on a need-to-know basis.
(c) The Committee shall provide monthly high-level reports to Parliament on the state of national security as outlined in Section 9, excluding details that could compromise ongoing operations or intelligence sources.
(dc) The CommitteeMinistry shall have access to a discretionary fundmay use funds for classified operations, allocated from the national defense budget as outlined in Section 8.
6. Relationship Between the National Security Committee and the National Guard5. The Ministry of State's Management of the Guard
(a) The National Security Committee shall provide strategic oversight and guidance to the National Guard, ensuring alignment with national defense objectives.
(b) The General of the National Guard shall report directly to the Committee and shall implement the policies and strategies approved by the Committee.
(c) The Committee shall have the authority to deploy the National Guard in response to threats or emergencies, subject to parliamentary approval in non-urgent circumstances.
(d) In cases of imminent threat, the Committee may authorize immediate deployment of the National Guard, with a requirement to seek parliamentary approval within 72 hours and an immediate briefing to the Prime Minister.
(a) The Ministry of State shall oversee the National Guard, and may deploy them as needed in response to threats or emergencies, so long as a briefing is supplied to the Prime Minister.
(b) The National Guard may create divisions, titles, and internal systems as they require.
(c) Parliament may require an audit of the Ministry of State, and appoint an individual to conduct the audit, through a majority vote.
7. Special Operations Unit
(a) The National Guard shall include a Special Operations Unit, tasked with conducting sensitive missions as directed by the National Security Committee.
(b) The composition, activities, and operations of this unit shall be classified, with oversight provided exclusively by the Committee.
(c) The Special Operations Unit may be deployed for intelligence gathering, covert actions, or other classified missions essential to national security.
8. Funding and Resources
(a) The National Guard and the National Security Committee shall receive funding as determined by Parliament through the national defense budget.
(b) The Committee may request additional funds for specific operations or emergencies, which Parliament shall consider expediently.
(c) A portion of the defense budget shall be allocated to the Committee for discretionary use in classified operations, with annual audits conducted by a select parliamentary subcommittee.
9. Oversight and Accountability
(a) While the National Security Committee operates with a high degree of autonomy to protect national interests, it remains accountable to Parliament.
(b) The Committee shall submit monthly reports to Parliament on its activities, excluding classified details.
(c) Parliament may, by a two-thirds majority vote, request a full audit of the Committee’s operations, including classified activities, to be conducted by an independent body appointed by the Crown.
(d) In cases of suspected abuse of power, Parliament may, by a supermajority vote, dissolve the Committee and appoint new members.
10. Emergency Provisions
(a) In the event of a national emergency, as declared by the Crown upon the advice of the National Security Committee, the Committee may assume temporary control over the National Guard and other security forces to coordinate the response.
(b) Such emergency powers shall be subject to parliamentary review within seven (7) days, but the Committee may act immediately to address imminent threats.
(c) Emergency powers shall automatically expire after thirty (30) days unless extended by a parliamentary vote.
