Amnesty International USA

[A] WHEREAS the membership resolutions process (“Resolutions Process”) provides a key avenue for members to influence AI’s organizational policies;

[B] WHEREAS a clearly articulated process is needed to assure consistency, fairness and accessibility; and

[C] WHEREAS there are no official rules governing much of AIUSA’s resolutions process, the Standing Rules for the AGM (last revised in 1996) are outdated, and no standing rules exist for the regional conferences;

[D] THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that AIUSA adopt the attached Standing Rules for the Resolutions Process.

[E] BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Standing Rules of the AGM and Terms of Reference for the National Resolutions Committee shall be amended to reflect the policies set forth in these Standing Rules for the Membership Resolutions Process.

STANDING RULES FOR THE AIUSA MEMBERSHIP RESOLUTIONS PROCESS

(adopted March 25, 2007)

1. Controlling Principles

A. It is the duty of all those individuals and bodies elected, appointed, established or recognized by these Standing Rules to make the procedures, processes and structure of AIUSA Resolutions Process as accessible, readily understood and friendly as possible.

B. The Standing Rules of the Resolutions Process of Amnesty International of the USA, Inc. (“AIUSA”) must be in accord with the Certificate of Incorporation and the bylaws of AIUSA (“Bylaws”).

2. National Resolutions Committee (“NRC”)

A. The AIUSA Board of Directors (“the Board”), at its summer meeting, shall appoint a National Resolutions Committee (“NRC”) to oversee and manage the Resolutions Process for the coming year:

1) Establish reasonable rules for the resolutions process, to be set forth annually in the Resolutions Guidelines and Submission Form and conveyed to the membership at least 90 days prior to the September 1st resolutions submission deadline (September 15th for students);

2) Assist and prepare the sponsors of all properly submitted Resolutions;

3) Prepare the Resolutions Packets; reword and combine resolutions, provided that the intent of the original resolutions is not altered and the approval of the sponsors is secured for Resolutions at Regional Conferences;

4) Provide the text of properly submitted and Binding Resolutions to members through print and online communications mechanisms, and provide online discussion of resolutions for members;

5) Communicate with regional and AGM staff to coordinate process logistics; to this end, regional representatives shall serve on any regional conference planning committees and/or groups, and the Chair of the NRC on the AGM planning committee;

6) Ensure the bylaws, standing rules, a summary of Robert’s Rules of parliamentary procedures are available to all members, and all properly submitted or Binding Resolutions are provided to all members at conferences;

7) Promote participation in and understanding of the Resolutions Process; provide overview of the resolutions process at the Opening Plenary of each Regional Conference and AGM;

8) Appoint, train and oversee the officers of the working parties and Resolutions Plenary;

9) Assign Resolutions to the appropriate working parties;

10) Assist the working party officers in preparing reports to the Voting Plenary, and ensure that copies of all resolutions passed by the working parties are available at the Voting Plenary; and

11) Forward to the general secretary of the Board all resolutions passed by the Regional Conferences and AGM, and reports of deliberations. AGM reports should include status of each resolution, whether binding or non-binding; and if non-binding, whether passed by a working party and the Resolutions Plenary, or presented solely to the Resolutions Plenary.

B. All resolutions passed in the Regional Conference Resolutions Plenary will be forwarded to the NRC, which shall prepare said resolutions for presentation at the following AGM, unless they are purely regional in their scope.

3. Resolutions

A. Any registered AIUSA member (individual member or member group) in good standing may sponsor a resolution, except that only individual members may sponsor resolutions to amend the Bylaws. Member groups sponsoring resolutions must designate on the Submission Form their authorized voting member or another individual member of AIUSA to serve as presenter at the Regional Conference.

B. Regional Resolutions.

1) There are two (2) categories of resolutions at the Regional Conference: “properly-submitted” resolutions (“Resolutions”) meeting all submission requirements set forth herein and in the Resolution Guidelines and Submission Form and submitted by the September 1st deadline (September 15th for members of student groups), and “late” resolutions not properly submitted (meeting all requirements) by the established submission deadlines

a) Only properly-submitted Resolutions will have background prepared by the NRC, be placed in the Resolutions Packet for the Regional Conferences to which they are submitted, and be assigned to working parties by the NRC.

b) Late resolutions may be presented at the Regional Conference, subject to a determination by the NRC Regional Representative that the resolution is in order:

i. the sponsor/presenter is eligible to vote at the conference;

ii. the resolution does not propose an amendment to the Bylaws or these Standing Rules;

iii. the resolution is submitted to the NRC Regional Representative on paper and electronically, and the sponsor bears responsibility for providing copies of the resolution text for working party participants; and

iv. the resolution in question or other resolutions substantially like it have not already been assigned or defeated elsewhere at the same conference.

c) Late resolutions are intended to address urgent issues that arise after the submissions deadline.

2) Resolutions may be submitted to multiple regions.

3) All resolutions (whenever submitted) passed by the Resolutions Plenary of any Regional Conference shall be forwarded to the AGM, unless they are purely regional in scope.

C. AGM Resolutions

1) There are two categories of resolutions at the AGM: “Binding Resolutions” which are passed by and forwarded from one or more Regional Conference; and “Non-Binding Resolutions” which have not been passed by a Regional Conference.

a) Binding Resolutions will be assigned to working parties by the NRC prior to the AGM. If passed by the AGM, the resulting decisions shall be binding upon the board, unless overturned by a two-thirds vote of the Board, as provided in the Bylaws.

b) Non-Binding Resolutions may be presented by anyone eligible to vote at the AGM. If passed at the AGM, implementation of the resulting decisions will be at the discretion of the Board.

c) Non-Binding Resolutions will be assigned by the NRC to working parties upon determination by the NRC that they are in order:

i. the sponsor meets the requirements for Late Resolutions at Regional Conferences (above);

ii. the resolution or one substantively like it was not defeated at a Regional Conference in the same resolutions cycle

iii. the resolution is timely: addresses a human rights issue arising after the Regional Conferences, or AI policy or procedure issues on which volunteer input is necessary and appropriate, arising from the floor of the current conference

iv. the resolution is urgent: addresses an issue that cannot wait until the next resolutions cycle.

D. Late or Non-Binding Resolutions determined to be in order by the NRC may be presented at the Regional Conferences or AGM at three points:

1) If submitted in writing to the working party assigned by the NRC prior to the adoption of the agenda, such resolutions can be presented as amendments and added to the working party agenda by majority vote of the working party.

2) Late and Non-Binding Resolutions may be presented to any working party assigned by the NRC for consideration after the working party has taken action on all the resolutions on its agenda, and taken up by majority vote of the working party.

3) Late and Non-Binding Resolutions may be presented at the Resolutions Plenary after action has been taken on all the resolutions passed by the working parties, and may be taken up for consideration by majority vote of the Resolutions Plenary.

E. After action has been taken on all the resolutions passed by the working parties, resolutions which fail in a working party may be taken up for consideration by 2/3 majority vote of the resolutions plenary.

4. Voting

A. Members are entitled to vote under the Bylaws of AIUSA. Eligible voting members include dues paying members, individuals who have submitted a valid “dues waiver” and those holding valid Group Voting Authorization Forms (one designated voter per member group), in accordance with such criteria and time constraints as the Board shall reasonably establish.

B. In accordance with the Bylaws, only individual members may vote on Bylaws Amendments.

C. Voting in working parties and Resolutions Plenary sessions at all conferences shall be taken by a show of voting cards clearly labeled “Member” or “Group”. However, only under extraordinary circumstances or to accommodate physical impairment, the chair or chairs may direct a vote to be taken by other means.

5. Quorum

A. In accordance with the Bylaws of AIUSA, a quorum of individuals holding at least one valid voting card (40 at Regional Conferences; 100 at the AGM) must be present in order for business to be conducted at any Resolutions Plenary.

B. It is the duty of the Chair to establish that a quorum is present before opening the Resolutions Plenary.

C. If a quorum is not present, the Resolutions Plenary may be delayed until a quorum is obtained, or the Resolutions Plenary may be adjourned.

D. If a Resolutions Plenary is adjourned without a quorum having been attained, no official business is conducted there (except a motion to adjourn or such other motions allowed under Robert’s Rules of Order); no resolutions are forwarded from such Regional Conference to the AGM, or from such an AGM to the Board. Business transacted prior to establishing the absence of a quorum shall be valid.

E. Sponsors of resolutions not considered in a Regional Resolutions Plenary because of lack of quorum may attempt to have their resolutions considered as Late Resolutions at other regional conferences or as Non-Binding Resolutions at the next AGM.

6. Working Parties and Resolutions Plenary Sessions

A. Staff shall provide ample accommodation for working parties (which shall be held the day before the Resolutions Plenary) and for the Resolutions Plenary at each conference.

B. Except as otherwise provided, Robert’s Rules of Order, Newly Revised, shall govern.

C. Members shall be free to choose which working parties or Resolutions Plenary they will attend.

D. While the working parties and Resolutions Plenary are not closed meetings, only eligible voters may propose amendments or propose/second motions.

E. Members not in attendance at a given working party or Resolutions Plenary may participate in the discussion by:

1) Submitting copies of a position paper to be circulated in the working party or Resolutions Plenary by another voting member in good standing;

2) Providing a statement no more than 300 words in length to be read aloud during the discussion by a voting member in good standing.

F. The NRC, in advance of each Regional Conferences and AGM, and in consultation with regional volunteer leaders and staff, shall appoint:

1) A Parliamentarian who shall be provided with copies of the AI Statutes, the Bylaws and Standing Rules of AIUSA, and Robert’s Rules of Order, Newly Revised;

2) The Chairs, Rapporteurs, and Runners of such working parties as are necessary, and of the Resolutions Plenary; and

3) Tellers and such assistants as are necessary to secure rapid and accurate counts of votes in the working parties and Resolutions Plenary; Runners and Chairs may serve as Tellers.

G. The voting members present in each working party or Resolutions Plenary shall approve the officers appointed to them or elect other officers, which election shall be the first order of business.

H. The working party shall approve or alter the order of the agenda established for the working party, which action shall immediately follow the election of officers. The working party may not remove from the agenda properly submitted or Binding Resolutions assigned to it by the Resolutions Committee, but may add Late or Non-Binding Resolutions submitted for their consideration.

I. The Resolutions Plenary shall approve or alter the order of the agenda established for the Resolutions Plenary, which action shall immediately follow the election of officers. The Resolutions Plenary may not remove from the agenda resolutions forwarded to it from the working parties or add new Late or Non-Binding Resolutions until after all other business has been conducted.

7. Board of Directors

A. All AGM decisions (resolutions passed by the AGM Resolutions Plenary) will be forwarded to the Board and placed on its agenda.

B. Binding decisions will be implemented in full and in a timely fashion, unless overridden or amended by two-thirds vote of the Board within one year of passage, as provided by the bylaws; AGM decisions not overturned or amended by the Board within one year of passage may only be overturned/amended through the Resolutions Process as provided by the By-laws.

C. Non-binding decisions will be advisory, and implemented at the Board’s discretion.

D. The general secretary of the Board or his or her designated representative(s) will:

1) Prepare a summary, updated as necessary, and include it in membership publications and communications, outlining the board’s disposition of all AGM decisions including Board amendments and the reasons for them, as well as the Board’s progress on implementation; and

2) Serve as the officer to whom members may write for a more extensive written report of the Board’s action on any given decision, which designation shall be included in the summary distributed to the membership.

E. By each AGM, the Board shall report to the membership on the implementation of the previous year's decisions, and the Board shall report to the membership at the AGM.

8. Amendments to these Standing Rules

A. Amendments to these Standing Rules may be submitted by any AIUSA member in good standing, in accordance with the rules for submission of resolutions established herein.

Amendments to these Standing Rules may not be submitted as Late or Non-Binding Resolutions.