Policy Formation

Members can initiate policy

 

1. Individual members and councils can initiate or recommend policies to the North Dakota Stockmen's Association (NDSA).

2. Policy recommendations are reviewed by NDSA officers and staff and assigned to the appropriate committee for consideration.

3. All policy recommendations must be considered by the committee that receives them.

4. If policy receives a favorable vote from the committee considering the policy, it is then referred to the Resolutions Committee.

5. The Resolutions Committee is responsible for reviewing and acting on all resolutions.

6. The Resolutions Committee has the responsibility to approve, table, defeat or amend and approve each policy recommendation submitted. The Resolutions Committee is to ensure that approved resolutions are neither duplicatory nor contradictory with each other and are clear and coherent. In general, amendments or modifications made to resolutions by the Resolutions Committee shall be for the above purposes and not to drastically alter the intent of the resolution. When the Resolutions Committee finds that a resolution refers entirely to internal policy of the NDSA, it shall convert such resolution to a policy recommendation to the board of directors. Such policy recommendations shall be submitted to the convention but shall not be printed as resolutions. The chairman or a delegated member of the Resolutions Committee shall be prepared, upon request, to explain to the convention why any specific resolution was defeated of tabled by the Resolutions Committee.

7. The Resolutions Committee must report all policy recommendations it receives to the convention floor. Passed recommendations will be presented; failed recommendations will be printed but not presented for vote.

8. A resolution that is defeated in committee or is not passed by the Resolutions Committee may be brought back for a vote by the membership. Ten members must concur to bring a defeated resolution back for a vote.

9. A resolution may be amended by the membership if the amendment does not change the intent. Then the amended resolution must be approved by a simple majority.

10. No policy recommendations will be considered directly from the floor unless it has properly been presented in a committee first.

11. The Resolutions Committee will not accept any policy recommendations unless they are in proper resolution form.

12. NDSA policy stays on the books for three years, unless revised or dropped sooner. After three years, it must be renewed by the membership or it is automatically dropped.

13. The board of directors can establish interim policy. This policy must be submitted to the appropriate committee at the next annual meeting for consideration through regular policy procedures.

14. Only the board of directors has the authority (which it can delegate) to spend association funds. Therefore, any directive or recommendation requiring fund expenditure must be subject to board approval.
 
 
 
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