TITLE: [[Provide a short, descriptive title for the proposal.]]

Proposed Update GRP Bylaws -  Section 4 Replacement

SPONSORS: [[List the sponsors of the proposal. Proposals must be sponsored by two StateCom members or a local chapter.]]

Lois Gagnon, Gus Steeves 

Procedures Committee voted  6 in favor:1 against:1 abstained

VETTING COMMITTEES: [[List the working committees that the sponsor feels are relevant to and will contact for the vetting of this proposal.]]

Procedures

Membership

FLOOR MANAGER: [[List the name and contact information for one person who will manage the process for this proposal. This person will be the single point of contact for receiving comments on the proposal and providing decisions such as whether to accept a friendly amendment. They must be in attendance at the StateCom meeting when the proposal is under consideration. ]]

Gus Steeves

SHEPHERD: List one person who will serve as “shepherd” to monitor the implementation of the proposal after it is adopted.

Cheryl Rose

SUMMARY: [[Provide a short (< 40 word) summary of the purpose and implications of the proposal. ]]

The proposed Section 4 defines membership uniquely as ‘registered J - Green-Rainbow party’.

A separate section will be written for removal from appointed or elected positions.

BACKGROUND: [[Provide the basic background on the proposal. What will it accomplish? Why is it written with these particular provisions? Is it critical that it be adopted? ]]

The current Section 4 is titled Membership Rights, Responsibilities, Removal. It defines ‘membership’ too broadly rather than how membership in a political party is commonly defined. The current definition of ‘membership’ includes those 

• registered Rainbow Coalition (F designation) or GPUSA (G designation) in Massachusetts through November 30, 2003; 
•  and those who pay dues to the Green-Rainbow Party, or receive a fee waiver if they are active participants in the Green-Rainbow Party and are unable to pay due to economic constraints.

It is critical that we fix this section of the GRP bylaws. We could be threatened if we allow G, F registrants or those paying dues to participate as members in the business of the GRP, e.g. forming and leading chapters, committees, and voting on bylaws and policy. 

In addition, the current definition has a Removal section. It’s not possible for the GRP to control voters’ party registration. We need a separate section for removal from elected and appointed positions but not ‘membership’ per se.

The Green-Rainbow party needs to have thousands more registered-J voters in order to attain ‘political party’ status. Requiring voters to register J in order to have the privileges of ‘membership’ is one simple way to incentivize more voters to register J. And it will make it easier for those registered J to participate in party functions

Finally, the definition of membership in a political party is commonly understood as registering for that party

TEXT OF PROPOSAL: [[ Provide the exact text that will be implemented if StateCom adopts the proposal. If funds are being appropriated, specify that here. Note that text that appears elsewhere in the proposal will NOT be officially adopted when StateCom votes on the proposal. ]]

This proposal is to replace the current Section 4 of the GRP bylaws,  Membership Rights, Responsibilities, Removal with:

SECTON 4: Membership

4.1 Massachusetts residents who are registered as Green-Rainbow Party (J designation) voters are Green-Rainbow Party members; 

4.2. Members can participate in the decision-making process of the Green-Rainbow Party in the following manner: 

• Help form and participate in Green-Rainbow Party chapters; 
• Participate in GRP working committees and caucuses;
• Be elected or appointed as a representative to the GRP State Committee; 
• Be elected as a representative to the GRP Administrative Committee; 
• Participate in GRP and GPUS Conventions under the bylaws that govern them;
• Vote at or be elected as a delegate to the GPUS National Committee, other GPUS bodies and/or the Presidential Nominating Convention; 
• Run for office as a Green-Rainbow Party candidate.

and to write a separate bylaw section to address the process of removal of members from elected or appointed positions.

IMPLEMENTATION: [[List the persons or committees that must act to implement the proposal. What do they have to do and what are their deadlines for action? This helps StateCom assess whether the party has the staff and volunteer resources to implement the proposal. It also alerts those persons who will be asked to act if the proposal is adopted. ]]

Procedures, GRP Secretary

FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS: [[ Describe the impacts on GRP budgeting that are expected from this proposal. Estimate total expenses or income expected from adoption of the proposal. If this proposal will be funded through an item that it already in the GRP budget, so note. Note that any appropriation required by this proposal must be included in the TEXT OF PROPOSAL section. ]]

$0

REFERENCES AND ATTACHMENTS: [[ Provide references (with hyperlinks if possible) that assist StateCom in understanding and evaluating the proposal. Attach any additional explanatory information here as numbered attachment sections. ]]

GRP Bylaws

Secretary of the Commonwealth - Directory of Political Parties

Merriam Webster definition of enroll (being a member of )