Bylaws Committee Survey

The bylaws committee will meet on Thursday, June 26, 2014 starting at 11:00 am (EDT) at the Libertarian National Convention in Columbus, OH (Nationwide A, 1st floor of the Hyatt Regency Columbus).

• Preliminary agenda for the 6/26/2014 meeting
• Report of the 2014 LP Bylaws and Rules Committee (as amended by style committee 5/10/2014)
• survey summary
• survey comments

Bylaws Committee Report

The 2014 LP Bylaws Committee met on Friday, February 28, 2014 in Alexandria, VA. It issued a preliminary report, which was subsequently slightly modified (introductory language to proposals only) by a style committee consisting of Alicia Mattson, Nick Sarwark, and Aaron Starr.

This report will form the basis of an email survey soliciting LP member input on bylaws proposals. The report may be modified at the next meeting of the bylaws committee, set to take place on Thursday, June 26, 2014 starting at 11:00 am (EDT) at the Libertarian National Convention in Columbus, OH.

Downloads:

• Minutes of the 2014 LP Bylaws and Rules Committee (2/28/2014, draft version)
• Report of the 2014 LP Bylaws and Rules Committee (draft version, superseded)
• Report of the 2014 LP Bylaws and Rules Committee (as amended by style committee 5/10/2014)

meeting agenda - February 28, 2014

The meeting agenda and a version of the bylaws that is searchable can be downloaded below:

• February 28, 2014 Bylaws Committee meeting agenda
• 2012 LP Bylaws and Convention Rules

Proposal #36: Additional jurisdiction for Judicial Committee

DRAFT This is a draft proposal which has not yet been voted on by the committee.

Proposed by Rich Tomasso.

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• Problem: We were exposed to a problem with an affiliate this year in which the members seemed to have no recourse for a non-functioning board, even one that was apparently in complete violation of their bylaws. At one point the only option seemed like disaffiliation, which seemed extreme.
• Solution: Allow the national Judicial Committee to serve as a similar resource to our affiliates, if necessary.
• Benefits: Helps avoid situations were a non-functioning affiliate leadership can sink an affiliate by inaction or malfeasance and there is nothing the members can do about it. Also gives affiliates without a judicial committee a means to solve problems in a similar manner.

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Bylaws of the Libertarian Party

Article 9: Judicial Committee

2. The subject matter jurisdiction of the Judicial Committee is limited to consideration of only those matters expressly identified as follows:
   1. suspension of affiliate parties (Article 6, Section 6),
   2. suspension of officers (Article 7, Section 8),
   3. suspension of National Committee members-at-large (Article 8, Section 5),
   4. voiding of National Committee decisions (Article 8, Section 13),
   5. challenges to platform planks (Rule 5, Section 7),
   6. challenges to Resolutions (Rule 6, Section 2), and
   7. suspension of Presidential and Vice-Presidential candidates (Article 14, Section 5)., and
   8. service as a committee of recourse by members of affiliates without a similar functional committee to handle disputes or breach of affiliate rules.

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Proposal #35: Decisions of the Judicial Committee binding

DRAFT This is a draft proposal which has not yet been voted on by the committee.

Proposed by Nick Sarwark.

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• Problem:
• Solution:
• Benefits:

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Bylaws of the Libertarian Party

Article 9: Judicial Committee

4. Decisions of the Judicial Committee shall be binding on the LNC and any subcommittees or organizations that are authorized to use LNC resources.

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Proposal #34: Suspending Regional Representatives

DRAFT This is a draft proposal which has not yet been voted on by the committee.

Proposed by Rich Tomasso.

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• Problem: Currently the only way to remove a regional representative from the LNC is for the state chairs within the region to make an affirmative vote to do so. No matter what the regional rep does, how disruptive they are, if they breach confidentiality or even fail to show up to meetings, the LNC can do nothing about it.
• Solution: Allow for a significant super-majority of the entire LNC to suspend a regional representative for cause. This would follow the same process as suspending an at-large representatives, including appeal. Remove contradiction in bylaws to also allow for removing a regional rep that does not attend LNC meetings.
• Benefits: This will provide a safety valve if the state chairs within the region cannot be contacted or affiliates become dormant and cannot act to direct the conduct of their regional representative, or if the remaining affiliates want to remove their rep but do not have a majority of active affiliates to conduct a vote. Libertarians believe our actions have consequences and officials should be held accountable for their actions. This proposal applies more consistent rules to all members of the LNC, no longer creating a special class with little to no consequences for their actions.

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Bylaws of the Libertarian Party

ARTICLE 8: NATIONAL COMMITTEE

8. A National Committee Regional Representative may be removed and replaced only by the act of the affiliate parties which constitute the subject region. The voting procedure for the removal and replacement of regional representatives shall be determined by the regions. In the absence of any such procedures, a majority vote of the state chairs shall prevail. The National Committee may, for cause, suspend any Regional Representative by a vote of 3/4 of the entire National Committee following the same procedure for suspending a member-at-large.

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Proposal #33: Adjust Structure of the LNC

DRAFT This is a draft proposal which has not yet been voted on by the committee.

Proposed by Rich Tomasso.

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• Problem: Currently the LNC includes a significant number of members with no portfolio, official responsibility or constituency. That seems a problem for a board of directors. There has also been a perception that the LNC is not as connected with the affiliates and general membership as it should be.
• Solution: Adjust the structure of the LNC by reducing the number of at-large representatives and increasing the number of regional representatives. Also remove some reduntant language from the bylaw.
• Benefits: This will make it easier to form Regions, which in a few cases has been a challenge, especially if the overall party membership declines. It should allow for a greater diversity of opinion on the LNC, and have more committee members in regular contact with affiliates to share news and ideas with the LNC. And we will have fewer LNC members with no official responsibility or portfolio.

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Bylaws of the Libertarian Party

ARTICLE 8: NATIONAL COMMITTEE

2. The National Committee shall be composed of the following members:
   1. the officers of the Party;
   2. five three members elected at-large by the delegates at a Regular Convention; and
   3. any additional Regional Representative members as specified below:
      Any affiliate party with 10% or more of the total national party sustaining membership within affiliate parties (as determined for delegate allocation) shall be entitled to one National Committee representative and one alternate for each 10% of national sustaining membership. One or more affiliate parties may, by mutual consent, band together to form "representative regions," and each such "region" with an aggregate national party sustaining membership of 10 8.25% or more shall be entitled to one National Committee representative and one alternate for each 10 8.25% of national party sustaining membership. "Representative regions" may be formed or dissolved once every two years during a period beginning 90 days before the beginning of and ending on the second day of the National Convention, and notice of new formations or dissolutions must be given in writing to the national Secretary prior to the close of the Convention at which they take place.

Convention Special Rules of Order of the Libertarian Party

RULE 8: ELECTION OF OFFICERS AND NATIONAL COMMITTEE

2. Nominations for the at-large members of the National Committee shall be from the floor. The election shall be conducted in the following manner:
   1. Each delegate may cast up to five three votes, but no more than one vote for any one candidate.
   2. Each delegation shall tabulate its total vote, and the delegation chair shall deliver a written total to the Secretary. When all delegations have submitted their votes, the Secretary shall declare the voting closed.
   3. At this point, an announcement of each delegation's vote total shall be made by delegation chairs in alphabetical order beginning with a randomly selected delegation.
   4. Those five three candidates receiving the highest vote totals shall be declared elected. If a tie vote affecting the outcome of the election occurs, another ballot for the remaining offices shall be held with each delegate allowed to cast as many votes as there are offices to fill.

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