Council on Legislation APRIL, 2016 OVERVIEW

Basic Facts Held every three years in Chicago Each district as one representative; in D5220 chosen by club representatives at a District Conference Deals with changes to RI Constitution, RI By-laws, and the Standard Club Constitution Training provided online and at Zone Institutes

Summary of 2016 Council Will deal with 116 Enactments and 50 Resolutions Enactments change one of the three documents immediately, changes would go into effect July 1, 2016; require a simple majority or 2/3 majority Resolutions request that the RI Board of Directors consider the action being proposed

Enactments and Resolutions Proposed by clubs, district and the RI Board All proposals are sent out to COL representatives in a binder Each proposal follows the following format: Brief Description How will documents be affected? Purpose and Effect Financial Impact

Proposals Dealing with Club Administration Written Board minutes Adding of Treasurer, Secretary-elect, and President-nominee to club boards Aligning club committees with the RI Club Leadership Plan rather than the Avenues of Service: Club administration, Membership, Public Relations, Rotary Foundation, and Service Projects Admission fees—eliminating or waiving fee for new member or family member

Avenues of Service/Object of Rotary 4 Enactments dealing with Avenues of Service, including one to eliminate Youth Service and one to change it back to New Generations Object of Rotary lists the key goals for Rotarians—development of acquaintance, high ethical standards, application of the ideal of service, and advancement of international understanding 7 Enactments call for changes, additions, rewording

Increased Flexibility for Club Meetings Dealing with attendance requirements, meeting dates/times, what counts for a meeting, and meeting frequency Major focus of RI Directors, expanding pilot programs that RI has conducted over the past three years, codifying what many US clubs are already doing; provides options of flexibility or keeping current rules Would make fundamental changes to what Rotary is and has been

Attendance Requirements—9 Enactments Eliminates almost all requirements and leaves it up to clubs or district Allows clubs to use online option for attendance Make-ups used any time during a Rotary year rather than 14-day window Adds birth of a child as reason for extended excused absence Makes 20 years of Rotary club membership a prerequisite to Rule of 85

Membership—18 Enactments RI Directors—allows clubs to determine criteria for membership or maintain existing classification system Replaces 6 criterion for members with a general statement on being a Rotarian (working or retired with concept of commitment to service) Several dealing with housewife/homemaker added in 2013 New type of member = associate for individuals 20-34, half dues and half meetings

RI Officers and Board Making RI President-Nominee a non-voting member of the RI Board Moving up the selection of the RI President-Nominee to possibly coincide with the RI Convention Increase RI Director term to three years (currently two years) Changing requirements to be RI Director and 8 dealing with selection of RI Director-Nominee, timeline and requirements

District Governor Selection Membership requirement increased from 7 to 9 years Clubs with less than 10 members cannot vote in a ballot-by-mail Increase number of clubs needed for a challenge from 5 to 10 clubs

Vice Governor New position added from 2013 Council on Legislation One enactment would eliminate the position Three others would change the selection process, including allowing the DGN or DGE to make the selection

RI Policies and Procedures Suspending or terminating clubs that sue RI/Rotary Foundation without exhausting all remedies within the constitution Puts current policy of needing 20 members to charter a club in the by-laws Number dealing with upper and lower limits of clubs in a district Allows districts to add a geographical name to its number (e.g., D5220 Central Valley, California)

Changing structure of various RI Committees 12 Enactments dealing with the Council on Legislation Greater use of improved electronic processes Dealing with legislation before COL and ongoing between COL sessions Meet every 4 years and move up date to August-October Reduction in number of representatives; one per two districts or nine per zone

Dues 2013 Council provided for a gradual annual increase of dues ($1 per year through ) RI Directors are proposing an increase of $1 per year to a total of $29.50 per six months in ; two other enactments provide for a $2.50 one-time increase or an increase tied to US Consumer Price Index Proposal to waive dues for two married people in the same club Establishes a minimum of 10 members for dues paying purposes (worldwide 1100 clubs with less than 10 members)

What’s Next Provide input to Dave Mantooth Council on Legislation April Report at 2016 District Conference April 29—May 1 Summary of key enactments sent out to all Rotarians in the district