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Proposal Details

Proposal ID	445
Proposal	GPUS Bylaws Amendment: Name, Purpose, Applicability
Presenter	Steering Committee
Floor Manager	Mike Feinstein
Phase	Closed - Failed
Discussion	03-29-2010 - 04-11-2010
Voting	04-12-2010 - 04-18-2010
Presens Quorum	Two Thirds of Active Accredited States/Caucuses
Consens Quorum	Two Thirds of Yes and No Votes

Background

As part of the preparation for the strategic planning session currently proposed to be scheduled for the 2010 GPUS Annual National Meeting (ANM), the Steering Committee (SC) appointed a group of SC members and GPUS staff to make recommendations to the SC. This proposal is one such recommendation, specifically to amend the Purpose Article of GPUS Bylaws (Article I) so that it accurately reflects current GPUS practice, and to do so in time to serve as an accurate foundation/starting point for strategic discussion at the 2010 ANM.

The current Purpose Article of the GPUS Bylaws is 14 years old and does not accurately describe or reflect current GPUS practice. The existing GPUS Purpose text is actually the same text as that approved as part of the founding bylaws of the Association of State Green Parties in November 1996:

ARTICLE I. PURPOSE

1. Assist in the development of State Green Parties

2. Create a legally structured national Green Party Federation

To bring existing GPUS bylaws into congruence with present GPUS practice, this proposal would update the Purpose Article in the following ways:

- Instead of language talking about creating a legally structured national Green Party Federation (which made sense in the ASGP days before there was a national party), the purpose today would be to maintain the legally structured national Green Party Federation, including its FEC National Committee status (which was achieved in November 2001);

- Instead of language supporting only the development of state Green Parties, the purpose today would include supporting the development of state Green Parties and caucuses, as since this language was written, caucuses have been accredited and play an important role in the GPUS;

- Whereas the existing Purpose Article is silent on these areas, the purpose today would also include the existing GPUS practices of approving a national platform, conducting a presidential nomination process and conducting relations with Green Parties internationally.

Finally this proposal provides needed procedural clarity regarding the hierarchy of the party's governing documents (i.e. the Bylaws are the highest such document and take precedence, followed then by the Rules and Procedures), as well as clarity about when to use abbreviations for the name Green Party of the United States in the party's governing documents.

Proposal

That the existing ARTICLE I. PURPOSE of the GPUS Bylaws be replaced with the following text

ARTICLE I. NAME, PURPOSE AND APPLICABILITY

Section 1-1 Name

1-1.1 The name of this organization is the Green Party of the United States.

1-1.2 The name 'Green Party of the United States' shall be spelled out the first time of its use in the party's governing documents and thereafter be referred to as GPUS or the Party.

Section 1.2 Purpose

The purpose of the GPUS is to

1-2.1 Maintain a legally structured national Green Party federation of state Green Parties, with National Committee status recognition by the Federal Elections Commission.

1-2.2 Support the development of accredited state parties and caucuses.

1-2.3 Approve a national Party platform.

1-2.4 Conduct a national Presidential nomination process.

1-2.5 Conduct relations with Green Parties internationally.

Section 1.3 Applicability

1-3.1 The Bylaws shall be the highest governing document of the GPUS and shall describe the Party's basic structure, jurisdictions of power and duties and responsibilities of its constituent parts. The Party's other governing documents shall implement the structure described in the Bylaws. If there is an ambiguity between the jurisdiction of the Bylaws and the Party's other governing documents, the Bylaws shall take precedence.

1-3.2 The other governing documents of the Party shall be the Rules and Procedures, Fiscal Policy and Rules of the Presidential Nominating Convention. Each shall describe the Party's processes for that area of scope. Where there is an ambiguity between the jurisdiction of the Rules and Procedures and the Fiscal Policy, the Rules and Procedures shall take precedence.

1-3.3 The governing documents may only be amended by a 2/3 vote of the National Committee. State parties and caucuses may propose amendments to the governing documents, as may committees who have such specific authorization in their Mission Statements.

Resources

Bylaw change would become effective upon passage.

References

GPUS Bylaws, ARTICLE I. PURPOSE http://www.gp.org/documents/bylaws.shtml#article1

Original Bylaws of the Association of State Green Parties http://greenpages.wordpress.com/2008/10/26/the-association-of-state-green-parties

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