SECTION IV THE NATIONAL COUNCIL
Arthur N. (Arthur Norman) Holcombe translation
ARTICLE 60
A National Council will be organized to represent the German States in national legislation and administration.
ARTICLE 61
In the National Council each State has at least one vote. In the case of the larger States one vote is accorded for every million inhabitants. Any excess equal at least to the population of the smallest State is reckoned as equivalent to a full million. No State shall be accredited with more than two-fifths of all votes.
[German-Austria after its union with the German Commonwealth will receive the right of participation in the National Council with the number of votes corresponding to its population. Until that time the representatives of German-Austria have a deliberate voice.] [84]
The number of votes is determined anew by the National Council after every general census.
Article 62
In committees formed by the National Council from its own members no State will have more than one vote.
Article 63
The States will be represented in the National Council by members of their Cabinets. Half of the Prussian votes, however, will be at the disposal of the Prussian provincial administrations in accordance with a State law.
The States have the right to send as many representatives to the National Council as they have votes.
ARTICLE 64
The National Cabinet must summon the National Council on demand by one-third of its members.
ARTICLE 65
The chairmanship of the National Council and of its committees is filled by a member of the National Cabinet. The members of the National Cabinet have the right and on request [of the National Council] the duty to take part in the proceedings of the National Council and its committees. They must at their request be heard at any time during its deliberations.
ARTICLE 66
The National Cabinet, as well as every member of the National Council, is entitled to make proposals in the National Council.
The National Council regulates its order of business through rules of procedure.
The plenary sittings of the National Council are public. In accordance with the rules of procedure the public may be excluded during the discussion of particular subjects.
Decisions are taken by a majority of those present.
ARTICLE 67
The National Council shall be kept informed by the National Departments of the conduct of national business. At deliberations on important subjects the appropriate committees of the National Council shall be summoned by the National Departments.