Proposed NAP bylaw amendment re district assignments

Post date: Jul 9, 2018 5:41:52 AM

EAP President Weldon Merritt emailed eNAP and other EAP units this on 07-04-2018 in relevant parts:

[T]he NAP Board of Directors has assigned EAP to District Six, in which a plurality of EAP primary members reside. As reported to me, the NAP Board concluded that the current wording of Article IV, Section 2 of the NAP Bylaws requires that EAP be assigned to some district, despite our expressed wish to remain unassigned.

Attached are three proposed amendments to the NAP Bylaws that we want to propose for consideration at the 2019 NAP convention. If adopted, these amendments would allow EAP to return to unaffiliated status. The NAP Bylaws allow proposed amendments to be submitted by two associations or their boards of directors, or by three units. Rather than trying to find another association willing to join in proposing the amendments, the EAP Board of Directors has decided to ask our affiliated units to propose the amendments.

On behalf of the EAP Board of Directors, I request that each of your units consider a motion to propose the attached amendments, and let me know when the unit has done so. Once at least three units have agreed to propose the amendments, I will add the unit names to the "Proposed by" lines, and submit the amendments to the NAP Bylaws Committee. The deadline for submission is February 1, so there still is plenty of time....

Finally, it is important that the units not attempt to "perfect" the language of the proposed amendments. Since all proposers must agree on the language to be submitted, any changes by one unit would need to be submitted for consideration by the other units, which could unduly delay the submission. There will, of course, be a chance to further perfect the amendments during their consideration at the convention.

PROPOSED AMENDMENTS TO NAP BYLAWS

FOR SUBMISSION TO NAP BYLAWS COMMITTEE

AMENDMENT 1—ELECTRONIC ASSOCIATION DISTRICT ASSIGNMENT: Amend Article IV, Divisions, Section 2, Districts, by striking the last two sentences of the beginning paragraph and inserting “After consultation with the membership extension and retention committee and affected associations, the NAP Board of Directors shall assign associations outside North America to a district. Electronic associations need not be assigned to a district unless the NAP Board of Directors establishes an electronic district,” with the proviso that upon a request sent to NAP Headquarters by any electronic association assigned to a district as of the date of adoption of this amendment, the district assignment of such association shall be dissolved.

PROVISO: Upon a request sent to NAP Headquarters by any electronic association assigned to a district as of the date of adoption of this amendment, the district assignment of such association shall be dissolved.

AMENDMENT 2—ELECTRONIC UNIT ASSOCIATION AFFILIATION: Amend Article IV, Divisions, Section 5, Units, Subsection B, Electronic Units, Paragraph 2, by striking all text following the first appearance of “association affiliation,” and inserting “After the initial designation, an electronic unit may petition the NAP Board of Directors to change its affiliation to a different association, ” with the proviso that any electronic unit that is unaffiliated as of the date of adoption of this amendment shall inform NAP Headquarters, within thirty days after the close of the convention, of the association with which it wishes to be affiliated. If the unit fails to do make such notification, the NAP Board of Directors shall determine the unit’s association affiliation.

PROVISO: Any electronic unit that is unaffiliated as of the date of adoption of this amendment shall inform NAP Headquarters, within thirty days after the close of the convention, of the association with which it wishes to be affiliated. If the unit fails to do make such notification, the NAP Board of Directors shall determine the unit’s association affiliation.

AMENDMENT 3—VOTING RIGHTS AT DISTRICT CONFERENCES: Amend Article IV, Divisions, Section 8, Membership in Districts, Associations, and Units, Subsection B, Criteria, Paragraph 1b, by striking “an unchartered state or province in the district and who is not a primary member of any association,” and inserting “the district and who is not a primary member of an association assigned to another district.”

See attached PDF for full proposal with 3-column presentations of amendments and rationales.

- Paul McClintock, PRP, eNAP President