2001-4

Proposal for the Study Action Project dedicated to reworking the methods of legislation currently in use by Lutheran Student Movement-USA.

I.  Purpose: 

A.  To reconstruct the Legislative methods of the Lutheran Student Movement-USA therefore resulting in Constitutional changes.

B. Provide Reference and Counsel/Elections and Credentials Committee (RC/EC) with limited power over legislation to ensure the efficiency of Lutheran Student Movement-USA

C.  Create resources that are readily available for those who wish to write legislation, including, but not limited to, outline forms, example pieces and online documentation of past legislation that enables searching.

II.  Reasons:

A. Current legislative guidelines as defined by the Article IV of the LSM-USA Constitution are undeveloped and leave wide loopholes.

B. Deadlines are unclear and allow the submission of revised legislation up until the minute the piece reaches the floor.

C. RC/EC committee should maintain the power to reject legislation that is not in the realm of Lutheran Student Movement-USA.  This power will be limited and reasons for rejection must be delivered to the author.  The author will have the right to appeal this decision under guidelines to be defined in Study Action.

D. Currently, resources for authors of legislation remain fairly limited and also leave room for many ambiguities. 

III.  Goals:

A. To adapt all ideas above into the legislative workings of LSM-USA.

B. To submit changes to Article IV, the Legislative section of the LSM-USA Constitution for the 2002-2003 National Gathering, including amendments for additional power given to the RC/EC committee.

C. To organize efforts to produce the necessary resources mentioned above in Section I, C.

Author

Jordan Krey

RC/EC Committee

LSM-USA