By Diane Sheridan, LWVUS Board of Directors [1998]
Even members with extensive background in League program can find it bewildering to promote a program item for adoption. As the Program Planning Chair for Convention '98, part of my responsibility is to help members understand the program process.
WHAT CONVENTION ADOPTS REGARDING POSITIONS At each convention, members must readopt current positions in order to retain them. Current positions are found in Impact on Issues 1996-98. It is the positions in brief that are voted on at convention. Changes to the details of position can be made through restudy or concurrence on the floor of convention.
OPTIONS FOR REVISING A POSITION A current position can be revised in three ways:
CURRENT POSITION DURING A RESTUDY A restudy of a position is adopted at convention. Assuming the current position is readopted, it remains in effect until member agreement reveals a new position.
OPTIONS WHEN THE LEAGUE HAS NO POSITION An effort to reach a new position can be made as follows:
SCOPE AND FOCUS OF STUDY OR RESTUDY The scope and focus of a study or restudy are usually clarified by the motion to adopt and the ensuing debate and votes.
BACKGROUND MATERIAL FOR STUDY OR RESTUDY Both studies and restudies involve research and the provision of background materials that provide a balanced look at the facts and the issues. The National Voter typically provides every-member material. The Leader's Guide for the study contains additional references and guidance for the member agreement process.
MEMBER AGREEMENT PROCESSES In the League, studies and restudies assume there will be an effort to reach member agreement. (They never assume it will be reached, however.) In most cases, member agreement is reached by the decision-making process called consensus. Alternately, concurrence can be the decision-making process used at the end of a study or restudy. Consensus is a discussion-based process with open-ended questions. Concurrence is like a vote: members either concur with what is proposed, or they don't.
WHERE MEMBER AGREEMENT IS SOUGHT Member agreement usually is sought in discussion meetings held by local Leagues. Member agreement also can be sought by sending the consensus questions or concurrence statement directly to members (in The National Voter, for example) and asking them to register their opinion (on a tear-off response form, for example). Leagues then choose whether or not to hold discussion meetings.
CONSENSUS In a consensus process, the national board approves sending consensus questions to members across the nation to discuss in meetings. Local boards then approve what they found to be the consensus in that League and send that information to the LWVUS, where the board looks at the results nationwide and determines whether or not there is member agreement. The board adopts a position based on the member agreement, and the League is then able to act. In the case of a restudy, it is at this point that a new position would amend or replace an old one.
WHO DECIDES WHETHER TO USE CONCURRENCE PROCESS Consensus is the traditional League decision-making process unless concurrence is selected. Concurrence can be selected by convention delegates as the decision-making process to be used at the end of a study or restudy, as part of the motion or ensuing votes. Alternately, it can be selected by the board as the study unfolds
AMENDMENT OF PROPOSED POSITION STATEMENT (CONCURRENCE STATEMENT) Concurrence gives members the chance to agree or disagree with a proposed position statement. Most position statements proposed for concurrence at the end of a study have not been amendable because the concept is to concur or not concur to a specific proposal. If the proposal is changed along the way, people would be concurring on different statements and we would end up with too much variety to achieve member agreement. If the proposed position statement is part of the motion to adopt the study or restudy, it is amendable on the floor of convention. This is because those voting on the statement are present and aware of any amendments, so those voting are voting on the same thing.
SOURCES OF PROPOSED POSITION STATEMENTS The proposed position statement can come from various places. It can be part of the motion and adopted by convention delegates, it can be a "nationalized" version of an existing state position, it can be the product of a study committee, or it can be the product of the board. If the convention has not proposed the position statement, the board develops one from the same sources and approves sending it to members for concurrence.
WHEN CONCURRENCE IS APPROPRIATE Concurrence is an appropriate decision-making process when the subject is fairly simple, when it revises an existing position in ways that are fairly easy to understand, and so on. In essence, you are betting that most members will agree with the proposed position statement.
CONCURRENCE ON FLOOR OF CONVENTION In 1994, we adopted or amended several positions by concurrence on the floor of convention. Distress among some members about the lack of notification to all Leagues and the lack of unbiased study materials led to adoption of a motion at Convention '94 directing the board to adopt procedures for concurrence on the floor to address these concerns. The board did so, and the bylaws were amended accordingly at Convention '96. Refer to Article XII. Additional guidance also was provided in the April 1995 Post-Board Summary. The cost of giving Leagues notice and providing balanced background information is borne by the Leagues proposing the concurrence on the floor.
ISSUES FOR EMPHASIS An Issue for Emphasis is a public policy issue so important that the whole organization should emphasize it during the biennium that follows a national convention. Issues for Emphasis are adopted at convention to implement our mission, which includes influencing public policy through education and advocacy. Sometimes they are broad (Making Democracy Work). Sometimes they are more specific (Health Care). Sometimes they entail advocacy and education on a current position while other times they are aimed at developing a new position through study and member agreement
HOW ISSUES FOR EMPHASIS DIFFER FROM LWVUS LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES The board adopts legislative priorities after the November election of a new Congress and makes mid-course corrections in this congressional agenda during the rest of that session. Legislative priorities reflect political realities. Issues for Emphasis based on current positions always are considered when selecting legislative priorities, but they do not automatically make the list. Legislative priorities are those items on which the whole organization lobbies the federal level of government by methods including direct lobbying by staff, board and Lobby Corps; grassroots lobbying via Action Alerts and targeted calls to action; and public awareness campaigns via media coverage, speeches and advertising.
TIMING AND SEQUENCE OF PROGRAM ADOPTION AT CONVENTION The timing and sequence of the presentation of program-related items are determined by the bylaws, the Convention Rules and the Order of Business. The latter two are not finalized until the Proposed Program is approved to ensure that they address whatever kind of votes the proposal calls for. That will occur in spring 1998. The rules and the Order of Business address the two major types of program votes at convention:
Typically, existing positions are readopted before Issues for Emphasis so that we have positions from which to select ones to emphasize. A concurrence on the floor of convention (to revise a current position or adopt a new one) would be voted on at the point at which the existing positions for that area of program are debated and adopted. The four areas of program are Government, International Relations, Natural Resources and Social Policy.
A study or restudy would be voted on when Issues for Emphasis are debated and voted on. While a restudy relates to an existing position, it is treated like a study and clearly would be an Issue for Emphasis for the three levels of the League.
The vote on Issues for Emphasis comes after existing positions are adopted because positions should be in place before we decide which to emphasize. The Proposed Program is scheduled to be dealt with before not-recommended items to respect the fact that it is derived from the input of members across the country. Enthusiasts for not-recommended items sometimes change the Order of Business so their items are debated and voted on first.
COST OF STUDY, RESTUDY OR OTHER ISSUE FOR EMPHASIS Most of the cost of a study or restudy occurs in the League of Women Voters Education Fund and covers the research and development of balanced information to educate the public, not just League members. Costs include items such as staff time and publishing and distribution of materials. The materials and activities that relate to the member agreement process are paid for by the LWVUS. These include a Leader's Guide, committee, development of position, etc. A limited, focused restudy ending in concurrence is likely to cost less than studying a new issue from scratch. Issues for Emphasis can involve both education and advocacy. Education costs are similar to those just listed. Advocacy costs include not only lobbying staff but also the expenses of both internal and external communications. The LWVUS Budget Committee budgets for the Proposed Program. Both the Program Planning Chair and the Budget Chair will be prepared to share figures for the cost of studies, Issues for Emphasis, etc. as we get close to convention and can make better estimates
TIMETABLE
July 1, 1997 Leagues that wish may suggest Issues for Emphasis they would like other Leagues to consider when they hold program planning meetings. These will be listed in the Program Planning Leaders Guide
October 1997 Program Planning Leaders Guide mailed to Leagues
November 1997 - February 1998 Leagues hold program planning meetings; boards approve report. Those advocating a change in position or an Issue for Emphasis may, if they wish and at their expense, lobby Leagues before these meetings to discuss their items. In the program adoption year, Leagues may have one free copy of the list of Leagues and their addresses (or labels). At other times and for additional copies, there is a charge.
Early March 1998 Program planning report forms due to the LWVUS
Spring 1998 Based on this input, the LWVUS board sends the Proposed Program to members. Those whose items are not part of the Proposed Program may, if they wish and at their expense, lobby Leagues to support their not-recommended item at convention.
June 1998 Convention delegates adopt 1998-2000 program after debating and discussing Proposed Program as well as any not-recommended items granted consideration.
Barbara Wardenburg - barbward@pacbell.net
a member of the League of Women Voters of Los Altos/Mtn. View Area, CA
October 7, 2007