Bylaws Interpretation Regarding Regarding Platform Approval at San Francisco General Assembly

 

Background: The following bylaws interpretation was approved by the September 10, 2012 Coordinating Committee meeting, that the CC approve the following findings, that would provide a justification for approving the platform plank as submitted to the May 2012 San Francisco General Assembly by Shane Que Hee, Platform Committee Co-Coordinator.

 

Whereas the draft agenda submitted to the San Francisco General Assembly by the Coordinating Committee had a discussion item scheduled on Sunday afternoon, May 13, for two platform planks submitted late by the Platform Committee; and

 

Whereas the during the San Francisco General Assembly agenda approval process, the Platform Committee co-coordinator requested that the discussion item be changed to a decision-item; and

 

Whereas the agenda approval process took over 1/2 hour and contained discussion at-length about how items other than the platform would be handled, such that the request about the platform agenda item was not returned to before a final agenda was approved by the General Assembly ; and

 

Whereas on Sunday afternoon, May 13 the Platform committee made a presentation on the Energy plank with the impression that the agenda had been amended to make it a decision-making item, and in that moment, no one was entirely sure whether the approved agenda was or was not amended to make the Energy plank a decision-making item, but some of those present thought that it had, so the group went ahead with the assent of the co-faciliators and all delegates present; and 

 

Whereas the amendments to the Energy plank were relatively minor and all were approved by consensus; 

 

Therefore the Coordinating Committee declares that upon this one time basis, the amendment to the Energy plank will be considered made by the General Assembly