Minutes of the June 2015 General Assembly, San Jose, June 27-28, 2015

Saturday, June 27
 
Breakfast, registration
 
Opening, new delegate orientation, quorum count, announcement of Standing Committee vacancies
 
Quorum (regions): Central Valley, East Bay, Los Angeles, Monterey Bay, North Bay, San Diego, Silicon Valley
 
Quorum reached with seven regions out of 11 present, as per GPCA bylaws 7-5.3(a).
 
Quorum (delegates): 16 delegates present: Doug Barnet, Marla Bernstein, Ruscal Cayangyang, Sanda Everette, Mike Feinstein, Michael Goldbeck , Tim Laidman, Frank Lambert, Greg Jan, Hebard Olsen,  Shane Que Hee, Ajay Rai, Mark Roest, Michael Rubin, Alex Shantz, Glynda Velasco 
 

Agenda approval

Proposal (Shantz, on behalf of Coordinating Committee): Amend draft agenda sent to counties on May 6th for Saturday,  June 27 as per the timing below

Amendment (Feinstein): Change from Discussion to Decision: GPCA 2016 Election Strategy - US Senate race (Campaigns and Candidates Working Group)

Added to draft agenda by consensus
 
Proposal (Shantz): Approval of entire agenda as amended 
 
Approved by consensus
 
Approved by consensus
 

Proposal: Approval of changes to draft GPCA Elections Code (Coordinating Committee)

Proposal (Feinstein): Approve changes in the GPCA's language from the 2012 version and endorse AB477
 
Approved by consensus
 
Barnett made a statement on behalf of his candidacy 
 
Approved by consensus
 

Proposal: Budget FY2015-2016 - Draft budget in .xls format and .pdf format format; Income Narrative, Expense Narrative; Annual Reports and Workplans of Standing Committees and Working Groups (Budget Committee) .

Proposal (Laidman): Approval of FY2015-2016 GPCA budget 
 
Amendment (Feinstein), accepted by Laidman: Add a resolution to dedicate funds donated for that purpose, as per GPCA Fiscal Policy 8-4, to purchase email addresses for GPCA members in the GPCA's Nation Builder data base
 
Proposal (Laidman):  Approval of FY2015-2016 GPCA budget as amended
 
Approved by consensus
 

Proposal: Strategic Plan (Coordinating Committee)

Proposal (Feinstein): Approval of Strategic Plan
 
Amendendment (Feinstein): That the GPCA's application for the 2017 Annual National Meeting contain the primary dates in the San Francisco Bay Area at a location to be determined, but that the preceding weekend there be a minimum of a one day event in Southern California, to include camapaign school and a meeting of the Green Party National Latino Caucus (featuring Southern California Latino/a Greens.)
 
Proposal (Feinstein) Approval of Strategic Plan as amended
 
Approved by consensus (with one stand aside: Rubin - believes General Assemblies should allow for agenda items from the floor not submitted or sponsored by GPCA committees or working groups; and that the existing format are too internally focused)
 

Proposal: Approval Next General Assembly Meeting Date and Place (Coordinating Committee)

Proposal (Feinstein): That it is the desire of the General Assembly that the January 2016 General Assembly be held in San Diego and that this be communicated to the County Council there, that the vote should be made via the Standing General Assembly on the January agenda item to recommend names to the California Secretary of State for inclusion on the GPCA presidential primary election ballot and that the GPCA IT Committee is directed to ensure livestreaming of the presidential candidate forum and to faciliate participation by Greens not in attendance.
 
Approved by consensus
 

Announcement of Standing Committee vacancies

Item deferred to Sunday morning owing to time concerns
 

Presentation: Coordinating Committee female and male candidates for FY2015-2017 make statements

Item not heard owing to time concerns
 

Presentation: GPUS Delegation delegate and alternate candidates for FY2015-2017 make statements

Item not heard owing to time concerns​
 

Breakout sessions for committees and working groups (CCWG, Platform, Finance/Fundraising, GROW, Women's Caucus)

Item not heard owing to time concerns​
 
Meeting concluded to enable attendees to attend the US Social Forum
 

Sunday, June 28

Breakfast, registration
 
Breakout sessions for committees and working groups (CCWG, Green Issues, Media, IT)
 
A combined session was held reviewing overall committee and working group performance and announcing Standing Committee vacancies
 
Quorum count
 
Quorum (regions): Central Valley, East Bay, Los Angeles, Monterey Bay, North Bay, San Diego, Silicon Valley
Quorum (delegates): 16 delegates present - Marla Bernstein (1), Tim Laidman (2), Michael Rubin (3), Greg Jan (4), Doub Barnet (5), Mark Roest (6), Sanda Everette (7), Hebard Olsen (8), Frank Lambert (9), Alex Shantz (10), Glynda Velasco (11), Ruscal (12), Ajay Rai (13), Michael Goldbeck (14), Mike Feinstein (15), Shane Que Hee
 
No new co-coordinators to confirm
 

Presentation: New server and enhanced IT capabilities (Information Technology Committee) 

Laidman and Ray made presentations

Presentation: GPCA Field Organizers Report and Q&A (Grassroots Organizing Working Group)

Cayangyang and WHO ELSE? made presentations

Proposal: International Trade Agreements (Platform Committee)

Proposal (Que Hee): Approve International Trade Agreements as proposed:

Amendment (Feinstein): Re-negotiate international trade treaties and agreements TO WHICH that the U.S. is signatory to respect and  protect human rights and cultures, the environment, sustainability, economies, and the rights of all stakeholders.

Amendment (Feinstein): Change name from International Trade Agreements, to International Trade

Amendment (Feinstein): Move the plank from the Peace and Non-Violence section of the platform to the  Community-Based Economics section

All amendments accepted by Que Hee on behalf of Platform Committee

Proposal (Que Hee): Approve International Trade as amended:

Approved by consensus

Approved version here in GPCA platform

Proposal: Water Planning (Platform Committee)

Proposal (Que Hee): Approve Water Planning as proposed:

Amendment (Feinstein): Change name of plank from Water Planning to Water

Amendment (Feinstein): Support upgrade of EXISTING water infrastructure including levees, irrigation canals, and aqueducts.  

Amendment (Feinstein): Promote the capture, appropriate treatment WHERE if necessary, and recycling of storm water runoff.
Amendment (WHO SAID THIS): Minimize the use of water-consuming crop plant species like alfalfa primarily used for animals INTENTED FOR HUMAN CONSUMPTION.
 
Amendment (Feinstein):  DELETE - Use rinse water to wash the next load in washing machines.  Create a tax break for corporations and people who recycle water.
 
Amendment (Feinstein): DELETE - Water rationing guidelines versus water supply and snow pack reserves, and  the effect of climate change on water reserves require scientific consideration.
 
All amendments accepted by Que Hee on behalf of Platform Committee
 
Proposal (Que Hee): Approve Water as amended
 
Approved by consensus
 
 

At this point the Update on Legal Cases against Proposition 14/SB6, which was originally scheduled for 1:45, was heard before lunch because lunch was not ready and there was time on the agenda because the platform items were completed early.

Presentation: Update on Legal Cases against Proposition 14/SB6 (Coordinating Committee)  
 
Rubin presented update on legal case, with an appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court expected
 

Lunch, GPUS Delegation meeting, Optional caucus meetings 

Decision: GPCA 2016 Election Strategy - US Senate race (Campaigns and Candidates Working Group)

Proposal (Feinstein): That the following resolution be approved
 
The GPCA General Assembly declares as a goal for the GPCA in 2016 that there is an endorsed GPCA candidate for U.S. Senate, that the endorsement process be open to all California Greens who submit a completed questionnaire (per below), that the endorsement discussion/vote begin on October 5 and conclude on November 22, that notification of the process to apply for endorsement shall be emailed to all GPCA members for whom the party has on hand, and that the goals would include
 
- Coordination on gathering of the 10,000 needed nomination signatures, in-lieu of filing fees 
 
- Being reflective of the GPCA platform and the Ten Key Values
 
- Increasing Green voter registration
 
- Coordination on message with down ticket candidates 
 
- Inspiring more Greens to run for all levels of elected office
 
- Identify party members and other registered voters who will commit in advance to sign and/or circulate nomination papers for these candidates
 
Questionnaire:
 
1. Why are you running for U.S. Senate as a Green?
 
2. What are your key platform issues? What are the most important issues facing California and the nation? What solutions do you offer?
 
3. How will your campaign build the Green Party of California? What are your campaign goals?
 
4. What parts of the GPCA platform do you feel most closely aligned with? What parts do you disagree with, if any? Are there parts you would improve upon and how?
 
5. What in your background qualifies you to be a credible candidate? What assets would you bring to your campaign, in addition to those already existing within the Green Party?
 
6. What are some of the key organizations and/or constituencies that you plan to outreach to and what is your relationship (if any) to them?
 
7. Have you filed as a campaign committee with the California Fair Political Practices Commission and if so, what is your campaign ID#.  Do you have campaign bank account and treasurer? A campaign website?
 
8. Do believe that an independent party like the Greens can succeed in the US? How would you define such success? How can it happen?
 
9. How will you collaborate with other Greens running for other office, including on issues, messaging and organizing?
 
10. Why are you a Green?
 
Approved by consensus
 

Breakout sessions for committees and working groups (Bylaws, Finance/GROW/Clearinghouse joint session) 

Item not heard owing to time concerns​
 
Confirmation: Standing Committee and Working Group Co-Coordinators  (for any committees or working groups not confirmed in morning session)
 
No new co-coordinators to confirm
 
Meeting concluded to enable attendees to attend the US Social Forum