Division Four. THE REICHSRAT
Article 60
For the representation of the German Lands in the legislation and administration of the Empire a Reichsrat shall be formed.
Article 61
In the Reichsrat every Land shall have at least one vote. In the case of the larger Lands there shall be one vote for every million inhabitants. An excess amounting to at least the population of the smallest Land is to be considered equal to a full million. No Land may be represented by more than two-fifths of all the votes.
German-Austria shall receive, after its union with the German Empire, the right to participate in the Reichsrat with votes proportionate to its population. Until then the representatives of German-Austria shall have an advisory voice.
The number of votes shall be fixed anew by the Reichsrat after every general census.
Article 62
In the Committees appointed from its members by the Reichsrat no Land shall have more than one vote.
Article 63
The Lands shall be represented in the Reichsrat by members of their Governments. However, one-half of the Prussian members shall be appointed by the Prussian Provincial administrations in accordance with a Land statute.
The Lands are entitled to send as many representatives to the Reichsrat as they have votes.
Article 64
The Imperial Government must summon the Reichsrat upon demand by a third of the Reichsrat’s members.
Article 65
A member of the Imperial Government shall preside over the meetings of the Reichsrat and its Committees. The members of the Imperial Government have the right and, upon demand, the duty to take part in the proceedings of the Reichsrat and its Committees. They must, upon demand, be heard at any time during the deliberations.
Article 66
The Imperial Government and every member of the Reichsrat are authorized to offer resolutions or make motions in the Reichsrat.
The Reichsrat regulates its proceedings by Standing Rules.
The plenary sessions of the Reichsrat shall be public. In accordance with the Standing Rules, the publicity can be excluded for certain matters under discussion.
In voting, a simple majority of those voting is decisive.
Article 67
The Reichsrat is to be kept well informed by the Imperial Ministerial Departments about the conduct of Imperial matters. In deliberations about important subjects the competent Committees of the Reichsrat are to be called in by the Imperial Departments.
