This compendium contains all of the Resolutions, Constitution/Bylaws Changes, and Platform amendments submitted before the April 28, 2023 proposals deadline. Some submissions may have been edited to reflect standardized formatting.
The release of this initial compendium opens up the Amendment process. Amendments require 300 signatures from members in good standing and are due June 28, 2023.
Amendments can be submitted using the Amendment Submission Form. If you would like to list your proposed Amendment on the Amendment Hub to gather signatures, fill out this request form.
Introduction
For this year’s Convention, the National Political Committee – DSA’s highest leadership, elected at each Convention – voted to solicit “Consensus Resolutions” from eight of DSA’s national committees.
These eight topical Consensus Resolutions were written by the following committees: National Electoral Committee, National Labor Commission, Green New Deal Campaign Commission, Growth and Development Committee, Multiracial Organizing Committee, Housing Justice Commission, International Committee, and YDSA’s National Coordinating Committee.
The intention of this decision was to focus the Convention on organizing that many members believe is important and participate in, but about which members have political disagreements. These Consensus Resolutions will automatically appear on the Convention agenda.
This change to the format of Convention means that there will be less time to debate and vote on member-submitted proposals. Not every proposal that has received 300 signatures will appear on the final Convention agenda. Members have the right to motion to amend the agenda.
Because of time constraints, and in the interest of clarifying political debate, the Resolutions & Platform Subcommittee of this year’s Convention Committee may request that authors change the form of their proposals. We may ask authors who have written Resolutions that touch on the topics of the Consensus Resolutions to turn their Resolutions into simple amendments to the Consensus Resolutions. And we may ask authors whose proposals touch on the same topic to combine their proposals as much as possible.
This means that the names and text of proposals in this first compendium may not be exactly the same in the next compendium. However, the political substance of those proposals should still be present. The Resolutions & Platform Subcommittee will indicate when these changes have occurred and communicate with members about our thinking.
Solidarity,
Resolutions & Platform Subcommittee
Justin Charles, Griffin Mahon, Renée Paradis, Ronit Kory, Jeff Glass, Matt Haugen
Constitutional and Bylaws Changes
Democratize DSA 2023
Authors: Sam L., New York City & Renée P., East Bay
Article III. Members
Section 4.
Members may be expelled by either the National or Local organization. For a member to be expelled nationally, a two-thirds vote of the National Political Committee Steering Committee shall be necessary. Criteria for expulsion are prescribed in the Bylaws. Decisions on expulsion to expel a member by either the Local or National Organization may be appealed to the National Political Committee or National Convention.
Article VIII. National Political Committee
The members of the NPC shall be one three representatives of the Youth Section and 16 48 delegates elected at the national convention. Of the elected members, no more than eight twenty-five shall be men and at least five seventeen shall be racial or national minority members of DSA. In the event that these minority positions are not filled at the Convention, the position(s) shall be filled by the NPC, except that only minority members of DSA may be elected to fill such vacancies. In case of other such vacancies, except a vacancy of the Youth Section Representative, the NPC shall appoint a member of the organization in good standing to serve until the next Convention. No person shall serve simultaneously on the National Staff and the NPC.
Section 3.
The National Political Committee shall elect a Steering Committee (SC) and may remove members of the SC or elect a new SC for any reason. It shall be constituted as follows:
It shall be composed of the five thirteen people who shall be elected by the NPC from among its at-large members, and the including at least one Youth Section representative to the NPC. It shall include no more than three seven men and at least three people one person of color. The National Director and the Youth Section Organizer shall be ex officio members, without vote, of the SC.
The SC shall be responsible for decision-making between meetings of the NPC and for the supervision of all offices and staff of the organization. It shall be responsible for planning meetings and agendas for the NPC and for coordinating the work of the committees of the NPC.
A quorum of the SC shall be half of its voting members. It shall meet at least bimonthly, in person or by conference call.
In person meetings of the SC shall be open to all members of the organization. However, the SC may hold executive sessions if 60% of its members vote to do so in order to discuss personnel and related financial matter
Section 4.
The at-large members of the NPC shall act as liaisons to the Commissions and the Regional, State and Local organizations as prescribed by the Bylaws. The NPC shall have responsibility for staff, finances, publications, and education.
A quorum of the NPC shall be more than half of its members. The NPC shall assume office immediately upon its election to serve a two-year term or until its successors are elected.
Meetings of the NPC shall be open to all members of the organization. However, the NPC may hold executive sessions if 60% of its members vote to do so in order to discuss personnel and related financial matters.
An NPC member may be removed for malfeasance or nonfeasance by a two-thirds vote of the NPC, with nonfeasance defined to include unexcused absences from two or more consecutive meetings.
Section 8.
The NPC SC shall be responsible for hiring and discharging staff as necessary
Article IX. Staff
Section 1.
The NPC SC shall hire no more than two National Directors, who shall be responsible for the functioning of the National Office(s) and staff, shall report on staff activities to the National Convention and shall have specific duties as prescribed by the NPC. An announcement of any open directorship shall be published. Application shall be made to a Personnel Committee of the NPC. This committee shall make
Section 3.
The NPC SC shall be able to discharge any staff person for nonfeasance or malfeasance of office with proper notice as provided for in any contract
National Committee Consensus Resolutions
Consensus Resolution #1
Authors:
Proposal text
Member-Submitted Resolutions
Resolution #1
Authors:
Proposal text