Animal Rights Committee – Committee Rules

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(approved 3/27/2016)

Committee Rules of the Animal Rights Committee

Section 1 Membership

1.1 Committee membership shall consist of members appointed by state parties and caucuses
1.2 Each state party or caucus may appoint up to three committee members.
1.3 It is recommended that appointees have a background in animal rights issues and are supportive of the Committee Purpose, Mission Statement, and Rules.

Section 2 Co-chairs

2-1 Elections and Terms
2-1.1 Two co-chairs, preferably reflecting gender balance, shall be elected to staggered, two year terms. Elections shall be Single Transferable Voting with a fractional Droop threshold, using the method specified in GPUS Bylaws and Rules and Procedures for conducting Steering Committee elections. Members may nominate themselves.
2-1.2 Vacancies shall cause a vote for a replacement co-chair.
2-1.3 A recall election of a chair may be called, following the procedure for any committee proposal.

2-2 Responsibilities
2-2.1 Keeping the committee and its subcommittees and working groups on task
2-2.2 Maintaining a current roster of committee members on the committee web page
2-2.3 Overseeing the committee website and ensuring its accuracy
2-2.4 Administering the committee email list
2-2.5 Facilitating committee meetings and ensure meeting minutes are taken and published to the committee email list
2-2.6 Conducting committee votes
2-2.7 Communicating with Steering Committee and National Committee on behalf of the Committee
2-2.8 Consulting with members about how their joint responsibility is to be shared.

Section 3 Communications and Meetings

3.1 Email List and/or Group Discussion Page
3-1.1 The committee shall maintain an email list and/or group discussion page for committee discussion and formal decision-making. All committee members have the right to be subscribed to the email and/or discussion page.
3-1.2 The committee may meet in person at GPUS Annual National Meetings and may schedule teleconferences as needed to facilitate committee business. Notice of any such meeting shall be sent out to the email list at least two weeks in advance, shall include a proposed agenda, and shall send/post a reminder two days in advance, which should include any proposed changes to the agenda.

3.2 Guidelines for Participation
3-2.1 All committee members are welcome to participate in all committee meetings and business, whether conducted on-line, in-person or via teleconference or other such means.
3-2.2 Committee members are expected to participate in a civil, respectful, positive and constructive manner toward a goal of advancing objectives in the committee’s Mission Statement.
3.2.3 Committee members are encouraged to seek common ground and consensus where possible.

Section 4 Decision-Making

4-1 Proposals
4-1.1 All platform amendments and proposals to the National Committee require 2/3 majority and must be co-sponsored by at least two ARC members from at least two different state parties or caucuses.
4-1.2 All platform amendments and proposals to the National Committee require 2/3 majority and shall contain a background section that includes making clear which part of the Committee’s Mission Statement that proposal would seek to carry out.
4-1.3 All ARC positions require a simple majority and must be co-sponsored by at least two ARC members from at least two different state parties or caucuses.

4-2 Voting
Voting shall take place on the committee email list. However, the committee may choose to use a voting page similar to that used by the National Committee for decision-making, when such an option is made available by the Steering Committee.
4.2.1 Quorum
Quorum for all Committee decision making shall be a simple majority of all active Animal Rights Committee members, with at least five state parties represented. An active member of the ARC shall be defined as a duly-selected member who has been active within the last three months, taking part in discussion, decisions, or subgroup work within that period. The co-chairs shall be responsible for keeping a roster of active members, though they may ask other committee members to actually keep the list. One third of the active membership shall constitute a quorum for formal decision making. There shall be no quorum requirements for the committee to take on projects, designate people to work on projects, or other informal work that moves the committees operations and projects along.
4.2.2 Approval Threshold – Proposals Requiring 2/3 Majority
4.2.2(a) Resolutions and official position statements on animal rights issues, consistent with the GPUS Platform, for consideration by the National Committee.
4.2-2(b) Amendments to the GPUS Platform on animal rights issues, for consideration by the National Committee.
4.2-2(c) Endorsement of legislation of national significance, as well as endorsement of marches, demonstrations and similar actions of national significance, that support animal rights and are consistent with the GPUS Platform, for consideration by the National Committee.
4-2.2(d) Amendments to the Committee Rules of the Animal Rights Committee for approval by the National Committee as are necessary to fulfill the committee’s mission, duties and responsibilities.
4-2.2(e) Recall of a committee co-chair.
4-2.2(f) Establishment of Committee sub-committees as necessary to the fulfillment of the Committee’s mission.