Standing rules change at AC means end to late resolutions

Two-thirds vote can suspend that rule if needed

By Jessica Brodie

GREENVILLE—Changes to the Annual Conference’s standing rules have done away with the ability for late resolutions to be submitted on the conference floor, though this (or any) standing rule can be suspended with a two-thirds vote at Annual Conference.

On the first day of business at Annual Conference, the body made six changes to the standing rules (SR 30, 37, 46, 68, 70 and 71).

The last standing rule, SR 71, allows that any Annual Conference resolutions and appeals submitted after the March 15 deadline will be referred to the appropriate body for consideration at next year’s conference. Many times, late resolutions have caused confusion and a rush to vote without the body having time to adequately consider the consequences.

The Rev. Michael Hood, chair of the Committee on Standing Rules, said the change should be helpful overall.

“I think 1) it should help resolutions to be better thought-out and prepared; 2) it takes away the burden of providing 1,000 copies to the body (although if resolutions were submitted after the deadline and presented to the Annual Conference by suspending Standing Rules, they may still need to provide those copies); and 3) it gives the delegates more time to consider and prepare for voting on the resolutions,” Hood said.

The other standing rules changes are as follows: SR 30 adds the conference historian and archivist to the people who are nominated and elected quadrennially. SR 27 grants a longer length of time to notify people they have been elected to a board (30 days) and allows 15 days to notify the conference of the electee’s contact information, plus allows longer time to allow people to meet after close of Annual Conference (90 days). SR 46 adds the conference director of congregational development, chair of the Committee on Congregational Development and the chair of the Board of Pension and Health Benefits to the Ministry Advisory Team. SR 68 brings the rule on the Conference Committee on Nominations into better alignment with the current structure and practice of Connectional Ministries and better aligns the work of district nomination committees with the conference Board of Nominations. SR 70 allows that petitions to General Conference, if received after deadline of March 15, will be referred to the next year’s Annual Conference.