Proposed Constitutional Amendment Article 5.6: NEC Meeting Note Distribution

Proposed Constitutional Amendment Article 5.6: NEC Meeting Note Distribution

Summary: This amendment would require the NEC to share meeting notes with the membership by adding the following(bold)sections to the Constitution.

Contact: This proposed amendment is being offered by Caitlin Kelly Henry (510)277-2025. You can give feedback here

Rationale

Members are often left in the dark as to NEC meeting agendas, notes, and priorities. However, meeting notes are already typed and emailed to the NEC list. Sharing meeting notes with the full membership would allow more members/committees/caucuses to follow NEC deliberation and decisionmaking. This would help members give more informed input to the NEC and National Office staff. It would also assist with accomplishing the April 2015 NEC mandate to fully enfranchise the Jailhouse Lawyer Membership.

Proposed Changes

Article 5.6 Duties of National Executive Committee

The National Executive Committee shall govern the organization. All National Executive Committee decisions are reviewable by the national convention. The National Executive Committee shall meet at least two times per year, including at least once at the national convention, and at such other times as the National Executive Committee deems necessary to conduct the business of the organization. Within 15 days of every NEC meeting, the Executive Vice Presidents must share the non-confidential portion of NEC meeting notes with the membership.

Implementation

At a minimum, the Executive Vice Presidents will email the non-confidential portion of NEC meeting notes to the existing NLG Announcements listserv. If there are resources, the EVPs are encouraged to mail notes to the Jailhouse Lawyer membership. This may require coordination with the Mass Incarceration Committee’s mail project. The EVPs may also post to other lists or websites, as the EVPs and NEC deem appropriate.

Statement of Impacted Parties

Executive Vice President, NEC, National Office Staff, and Mass Incarceration Committee members were contacted. None submitted a statement. The National Office Staff generally support. Beginning in October 2015 these proposals were emailed to over 50 committee/caucus/project leaders, as well as submitted to the NEC for consideration in the winter and spring 2016 NEC meetings.

Supporters

Natasha Lycia Ora Bannan, NLG President

Azadeh Shahshahani, Former NLG President

Karen Jo Koonan, Former NLG President

Caitlin Kelly Henry: Bay Area Police & Prisons Committee, Prisoner Advocacy Network, Mass Incarceration Committee, Past; Resolutions Committee, Safer Spaces, Bay Area Board

Anne Befu: Resolutions Committee member 2010-2014, TUPOCC co-chair 2006-2008; Queer Caucus co-chair 2005-2006

Carey Lamprecht: Bay Area Board, Mass Defense Steering Committee, Co-Chair Bay Area Mass Demonstrations Committee

Dan Gregor: Past: National Vice President, Resolutions Committee

Joelle Eliza Lingat, SNVP 2015-2017

Edmundo Saballos, DC Chapter Co-Chair

Jill M. Humphries, NLG-NYC Chapter, Mass Defense Steering Committee Member