{news} CTGP bylaws

[David Bedell]

For everyone's reference, below is a copy of our state bylaws, as published
on our website.  If anyone thinks these are not up to date, please post
details and the corrected text.  I know there have been a few attempts to
amend the bylaws, but I don't think these amendments have passed yet.

When citing the bylaws, it would be helpful to quote the exact language in
the section, rather than depend on memory.

David Bedell


http://www.ctgreens.org/bylaws.shtml

Bylaws

Green Party of Connecticut Bylaws
Adopted by the State Central Committee - January, 1999

Preface:

The purpose of the subject Bylaws to be established for the Green Party of
Connecticut, henceforth referred to as "the Party", is to identify and
define the organization's subordinate elements and officials, to state the
responsibilities and rights of each and indicate their interrelationships,
and to specify basic organizational procedures.

Procedures for submittal of recommendations for amendment of the Bylaws are
included in the following Bylaws proposal.

A. Organizational Structure

The Party comprises individual members, Chapters, the State Central
Committee, Executive Committee, and such committees as the State Central
Committee may establish.

Officials shall include two Party Co-Chairpersons, a Treasurer, and a
Secretary. The nature, responsibilities, and rights of each are as follows
(The Bylaws were amended in 2000 to add a third Co-Chair):

I. Membership Classes:

1. Individual Membership (Modified by statewide vote in 2001):
Anyone registered to vote as a Green is a Green Party member.
In addition, anyone who can satisfy (and verify) at least 2 of the following
criteria will be considered a Green Party member:

   1. have attended 2 meetings of the Green Party (either state meetings or
meetings of an officially recognized chapter) within the past 12 months;
   2. are on the state's official mailing list; and/or have submitted a
written (or email) request for membership or informational materials from
the Party;
   3. have performed at least 2 volunteer activities with the Green Party
(or with a coalition partner) of the Green Party within the past 12 months.

Party members shall receive the State Newsletter, announcements of State
Party general meetings, and shall be entitled to vote when attending State
Party general meetings. When an Active Member of a Chapter, the member shall
be entitled to vote at all general meetings of the Chapter. No member,
however, shall be entitled to vote in more than one Chapter. Membership in a
Chapter may require compliance with requirements of the Chapter in addition
to those for Party membership.

2. Regional Chapter Membership Any group of five or more individual members,
resident in a cohesive geographical or political area, may form a Regional
chapter provided that the group appoints an official who will inform the
Party on a continuing basis of Chapter membership, meeting place and
schedule, minutes of meetings and other significant Chapter activities, and
shall in a timely manner transmit to the Chapter members significant
communications from the State Party and shall commit to compliance with all
other requirements established by the Party for the conduct of Chapters. The
chapter shall also provide regular representation at Party Conventions and
State Central Committee Meetings, and timely response (positive or negative)
to Party requests for action and information.

3. At Large Chapter Membership Any group of five or more individual members
residing beyond reasonable reach of any established Regional chapter may
form a General Chapter, provided that it meets the requirements stipulated
for a Regional chapter, and establishes and maintains a full communication
capability among members and with the Party.

II. Party Structure and Functions:

1. State Central Committee: The State Central Committee shall be composed of
Party officers and Chapter representatives. Committee Chairpersons shall
participate in an advisory capacity. Each Chapter shall have one representat
ive for each five members. The State Central Committee shall be responsible
for formulation of Statements of Purpose and Principles and basic plans for
organization, programs, financing, and strategy.

The State Central Committee shall be responsible acting on petitions for
formation and acceptance of new Chapters and for determining and directing
all action required for implementation of established Purposes and Plans. In
so doing, the State Central Committee may establish subordinate committees,
expend Party funds, take or direct all action required for the execution of
established Purposes and plans, and coordinate all joint Chapter activities.

So far as possible, the State Central Committee shall delegate detail
discussion and action to appropriate Committees, limiting its personnel time
and resources to question of basic policy and plans.

The State Central Committee shall maintain Minutes of all its meetings,
stating the subject of all significant matters discussed, program action
status, basic reasons for decisions, votes on any motion, and the causes of
any significant dissent. Copies of such Minutes shall forwarded to each
Chapter within two weeks of each meeting.

Attendance by at least on representative of two thirds or more of all
Chapters shall be required for formal consideration of any significant
motion or proposal, and a majority vote of the representatives present shall
be required for approval. [Changed from "three quarters or more of all
Chapters" by bylaws revision process culminating in an SCC vote at the June
2004 SCC meeting]

2. Officers:

a) Party Co-Chairpersons Party Co-Chairpersons (one female, one male) shall
conduct meetings of the Executive Committee, shall conduct or appoint a
facilitator for State Central Committee and Executive Committee meetings,
and shall in person or through a designee approved by the State Central
Committee represent the Party at meetings or in discussions with individuals
and groups outside the Party.

b) Treasurer The Treasurer shall receive all dues, contributions, and other
income; shall establish a bank account into which all receipts shall be
promptly deposited; shall promptly make payment for all duly authorized
obligations, and shall establish a procedure for such authorization; may
recommend to the State Central Committee investment of any funds that exceed
short-term commitments and requirements; and maintain financial records in
accordance with sound accounting practice and publish monthly and statements
of initial and final assets, income, and expenditures.

c) Secretary The Secretary shall take minutes as required by the State
Central Committee, establish a record of all individual members, and of
Chapter Correspondents and members. She/he shall maintain a record of all
correspondence and information transmitted through any printed or printable
medium to or from the Party, including material between Chapters or Chapters
and Party, shall forward outgoing material to its addressee and incoming or
internal material to the appropriate action party or group, and shall
establish, maintain, and periodically publish a list of information and data
that may be of value to members and groups within the Party. Filing or
storage of material shall be the responsibility of the originator or action
recipient.

e) Chairpersons, General Chairpersons shall be responsible for the
fulfillment of the task(s) for which the committee is established. They
shall plan and schedule meetings, moderate or appoint suitable moderators,
assure the maintenance of proper minutes, recruit qualified committee
members, and submit status and progress reports to the State Central
Committee as required by the State Central Committee. and shall inform and
advise the State Central Committee regarding subjects for which their
Committee is responsible.

f) Election/Appointment of Officials In the initial organization of the
Party under the Bylaws enacted by the State Central Committee, the
Co-Chairpersons shall be elected by a majority vote of the State Central
Committee, and shall hold office for one year or until the following State
Party convention, whichever occurs first. At and following that Convention,
Party Co-Chairpersons shall be elected by an absolute majority vote of the
members, as established if necessary by successive preferential voting.
Other offices shall be filled by volunteers approved by the State Central
Committee, and/or by appointment of individuals proposed by responsible
members and approved by the State Central Committee. All offices shall be
for a term of one year from the time of election or appointment.

g) Executive Committee An Executive Committee of four, the Co-Chairpersons,
the Treasurer, and the Secretary, shall be responsible for establishing the
agenda for State Central Committee Meetings, duly considering
recommendations and requests by State Central Committee and chapters, and
for informing State Central Committee members and Chapters of the agenda a
week in advance of each meeting. It shall monitor the activities of Party
committees and Chapters, assuring a full understanding of Party standards
and objectives; and shall recommend to the State Central Committee any
non-routine action that the State Central Committee should consider.

III. Bylaws - Amendments and Revisions

Any Chapter may, provided two thirds of its full membership concur, propose
to the State Central Committee amendments or changes to the Party Bylaws.
The State Central Committee shall refer the proposal to all active Chapters
for review and recommendations. Each Chapter may, by a two thirds majority
of its full membership, recommend rejection, State Central Committee
approval, or submittal of the proposal to the next following Party
Convention for consideration of the full membership. If two thirds of the
Chapters recommend approval, the State Central Committee may enact the
change or refer it for Convention action. If Convention action is called
for, members in good standing but unable to attend the Convention shall each
be entitled to vote by absentee ballot.

IV Ethical Standards All members shall comport themselves in ways that
reflect the Party's Purpose and Principles at all times, and shall make
particular note of actions such as the following unacceptable modes of
conduct:

1. Making commitments or position statements that conflict with Party or
Chapter policies, principles, or ethical codes. 2. The advocacy or practice
of racial, sexual, ethnic, or religious discrimination 3. Betrayal of trust
in matters affecting Party or Public welfare. 4. Indulgence in or use of any
form of violence. 5. Irresponsible advocacy such as that based upon
misrepresentation or gross ignorance of pertinent facts.

V. Political Candidacy

1. Requirements:

Basic requirements for nomination or endorsement of any person for candidacy
to public office by the Party or any element of the Party are that the
candidate:

a. is a member of a Local or Regional Green Chapter or an At Large member.

b. is registered to vote (enrolled), or has officially applied to be
registered, as a Green Party member in his/her town of residence.

c. is committed to the 10 Key Values.

2. Nomination Authority

a. Town and City

Sole responsibility of the Green Town Committee in towns with such Town
Committees. In towns lacking a Green Town Committee, sole responsibility
belongs to the Chapters, provided that the Chapter has at least one member
in the town or city in question.

TOWN COMMITTEES: The establishment of Town Committees and procedures for
admitting members to Town Committees shall be the responsibility of the
enrolled Green Party members in each Town. The composition of the Town
Committees shall be such as to represent, as far as possible, all elements
within the Green Party in the area covered by the Committee. Initially, when
such a Committee has been established within a Town, all enrolled Green
Party members in that Town will be de facto members of the Town Committee.

b. State Legislature. Responsibility as in section a., save that if a
legislative district includes parts within the jurisdiction of two or more
Town Committees or Chapters, those groups must agree upon any action taken.

c. Statewide offices. The joint responsibility of the State Party and the
Chapters.

d. Federal Offices. Joint responsibility of the State Party and the Chapters
except in the case of members of the U.S. House of Representatives, where
the authority for such nominations shall be vested in the Chapter(s) in
whose area(s) the Congressional District falls.

3. Procedure

For offices where the nomination authority is jointly vested in the State
Party and the Chapters, the following procedure will apply.

The Council shall establish an Endorsement Review Committee for reporting on
candidate nominations and endorsements. Any proposal for the nomination or
endorsement of a candidate for an office that falls under the joint
authority of the State Party and the Chapters shall be submitted to the
council and shall include the following:

a) Name of Candidate b) office candidate is seeking c) Pertinent background
information d) Candidate stand on issues

The Council shall transmit the proposal to the Review Committee for
preparation of a report and shall direct the Council Representatives to
inform their chapters of the proposal and to provide their Chapter with the
name and phone number of a Review Committee contact person.

At least two weeks prior to voting on the proposed nomination, all Green
Party members eligible to vote for the office in question, will be notified
by the Review Committee through their Council Representatives of a time and
place where the proposed candidate will be present and prepared to answer
all questions regarding his/her view on pertinent issues.

Subsequent to the above, the Review Committee will submit their report on
the candidates to the Council and to the Chapters. The Council shall place
the nomination or endorsement proposal on the Agenda of the next regular
meeting following the report of the Review Committee and, at that meeting,
vote on the proposal, approval requiring a two thirds majority of the
Representatives present.

For offices which fall within the jurisdiction of a single Town Committee or
Chapter, or two or more Town Committees or Chapters acting jointly, the
following procedure will apply.

1. All persons wishing to run for office on the Green Party ticket should
submit their name and the position sought to their Town Committee, or Local
or Regional Chapter by the deadline established for such submissions.
Nominations may also be made by persons other than those seeking to be
candidates.

2. All members of the Local or Regional Chapter, At Large Members and
Registered Green Voters shall have the opportunity to question the candidate
and determine her/his views on pertinent issues at a time and place
determined by the body with nominating authority.

3. All candidates will be chosen by consensus, or, if consensus fails, by
2/3 majority vote of the membership voting by secret ballot. In the case of
no clear majority, Instant Runoff voting will be used to select a candidate.
"None of the Above" will always be included as a ballot choice in the
candidate selection process.

Candidates will be chosen during the course of a regularly scheduled Chapter
meeting or during a Special Meeting called for that purpose, provided that
all members eligible to participate in the selection process have been
notified of the meeting and its purpose at least 14 days prior to the
meeting date.

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Note 1. When endorsement by the Party Nominating Committee is to be
required, the Committee shall inform the candidate and all Chapters of its
pending review of the request for endorsement at least two weeks before such
review is initiated, and shall schedule its review at a time that will
permit all validly interested parties to contribute to the review.