These pages are devoted to the publication of proposals to amend, refine, and improve the Party Constitution, Bylaws, and Standing Rules. If you have any suggestions for these pages or for the committee, please contact Lowell Nelson, the Chair of the Constitution & Bylaws Committee, or any of the committee members.
How the Bylaws are Amended
Any member of the Central Committee (hereinafter called a sponsor) may submit a proposal to change the bylaws. Here are the steps that a bylaw change proposal may take on its path to approval:
| 1. |
The sponsor submits the proposal in writing to the chair of the Constitution and Bylaws Committee. |
| 2. |
The chair asks a member of the Constitution and Bylaws Committee to review the proposal for clarity and technical accuracy, to recommend any "friendly" changes to the sponsor, and to ensure that–if adopted–party rules would cohere appropriately. |
| 3. |
The chair assigns a tracking number to the proposal, posts it on the web site, creates a discussion for it on the web forum, schedules it for consideration at an upcoming Constitution and Bylaws Committee Meeting, and notifies members of the Central Committee about the proposal and the discussion forum via email. Web forum discussion about the proposal begins. |
| 4. |
The Constitution and Bylaws Committee considers the proposal. The committee may amend the proposal with the sponsor’s consent. The committee affixes its recommendations to the proposal. The proposal is then scheduled for consideration at an upcoming Executive Committee Meeting. Web forum discussion about the proposal continues. |
| 5. |
The Executive Committee considers the proposal. The committee may amend the proposal with the sponsor’s consent (which would recycle it to the Constitution and Bylaws Committee); or it may affix its recommendations to the proposal as presented. The proposal is then scheduled for consideration at an upcoming Central Committee Meeting. Web forum discussion about the proposal continues. |
| 6. |
The Central Committee considers the proposal. The committee may amend the proposal (provided that the amendment does not exceed the scope of the proposal), and/or take other appropriate action. A simple majority of the quorum present is required to approve the proposal. Web forum discussion about the proposal ends. |
| 7. |
The party secretary updates the bylaws if the proposal is approved. The chair of the Constitution and Bylaws Committee moves the proposal to a document archive. |
The sponsor is welcome at the committee meetings. The sponsor may not change the proposal after the Constitution and Bylaws Committee has affixed its recommendation to the proposal; but the sponsor may withdraw or recycle the proposal at any time before notification about it is sent to the Central Committee. Any proposal that is recycled to the Constitution and Bylaws Committee gets a version letter to distinguish it from its predecessor(s).
How the Constitution is Amended
Any member of the Party (hereinafter called a sponsor) may submit a proposal to change the constitution. Here are the steps that a constitution change proposal may take on its path to approval:
| 1. |
The sponsor submits the proposal in writing to any member of the Steering Committee, which may consider the proposal. |
| 2. |
The chair of the Constitution and Bylaws Committee asks a member of the Constitution and Bylaws Committee to review the proposal for clarity and technical accuracy, to recommend any "friendly" changes to the sponsor, and to ensure that–if adopted–party rules would cohere appropriately. |
| 3. |
The chair of the Constitution and Bylaws Committee assigns an ID to the proposal, posts it on the web site, creates a discussion for it on the web forum, schedules it for consideration at an upcoming Constitution and Bylaws Committee Meeting, and notifies members of the Central Committee about the proposal and the discussion forum via email. Web forum discussion about the proposal begins. |
| 4. |
The Constitution and Bylaws Committee considers the proposal. The committee may amend the proposal with the sponsor’s consent. The proposal is then scheduled for consideration at an upcoming Central Committee Meeting. Web forum discussion about the proposal continues. |
| 5. |
The Central Committee considers the proposal. The committee may approve, amend (provided that the amendment does not exceed the scope of the proposal), or reject the proposal. A two-thirds majority of the quorum present is required to approve the proposal. Web forum discussion about the proposal continues. |
| 6. |
The convention considers the proposal. A simple majority of the delegates present are required to ratify the proposal. Web forum discussion about the proposal ends. |
| 7. |
The party secretary updates the constitution if the proposal is approved. The chair of the Constitution and Bylaws Committee moves the proposal to a document archive. |
The sponsor is welcome at the committee meetings. The sponsor may not change the proposal after the Constitution and Bylaws Committee has processed it; but the sponsor may withdraw or recycle the proposal at any time before notification about it is sent to the Central Committee. Any proposal that is recycled to the Constitution and Bylaws Committee gets a version letter to distinguish it from its predecessor(s).