Bylaws Proposal: Structure and Filing of Bylaws
(draft 4, 3/12/2001)

Contact: Ricardo Newbery, newbery@greens.org, 619.286.5807

The following is a proposed bylaw amendment from the Bylaws Committee. This amendment would replace the current Article 3 and Paragraph 7-1.4.  The purpose of this amendment is primarily to more clearly state the requirement to maintain and file county bylaws with the state party and secondarily to clean up the description of the party structure. 

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Article 3. Structure

Section 3-1. State Organization

3-1.1	General Assembly
The General Assembly, consisting of delegates from each active county organization recognized by the GPCA, is the primary decision-making body of the GPCA.

Section 3-2. County Organizations

3-2.1	Definition and Delegation of Authority
Green Party county organizations recognized by the General Assembly are the official organizations of the GPCA at the county level.

3-2.2	County Organization and Recognition
To be recognized by the General Assembly and to seat General Assembly delegates, a county organization must adopt organizational bylaws consistent with the ten key values, the GPCA bylaws, and California law, and must file a current copy of these bylaws with the GPCA Bylaws Committee (see also Paragraph 4-1.22 for recognition of a new county organization). These bylaws must:

a)	Describe the organizational structure including the relationship between any local Green organizations and the County Council;
b)	Define the membership of the organization;
c)	Describe the decision-making process;
d)	Describe the process for filling county council vacancies;
e)	Describe the process for selecting General Assembly delegates;
f)	Establish the office of treasurer.

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7-1.4	Selection of Regional Members
Regional members shall be selected by regional caucus of delegates at General Assembly meetings, unless the active counties of a region select another process. Any such alternative process must be consistent with the ten key values, GPCA bylaws, and California law; and approved by all the County Councils of the active counties of a region; and filed with the Coordinating Committee and the Bylaws Committee. Regions with two seats are encouraged to fill at least one seat with a woman for gender balance.

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