Bylaws

Adopted March 8, 2019; approved by the NPC 11/17/2019

Bylaws of the Baton Rouge LA Local Chapter of Democratic Socialists of America

Table of Contents

PREAMBLE

The Baton Rouge LA Local Chapter of Democratic Socialists of America seeks to democratize our society and economy through organized collective action. We reject the status quo. We reject an economic order based solely on private profit, alienated labor, gross inequalities of wealth and power, and discrimination based on race, gender, age, ability, or sexual orientation. We reject brutality and violence of all kinds. We believe in a transition to a humane social order based on democratic control of resources, production, and economic planning; equitable distribution; gender and racial equality, and non-oppressive relationships.

We believe we have the resources and technology to end hunger, save the planet, and better our children’s futures. We are committed to a freedom of speech that includes the freedom to dissent, to a freedom to organize independent trade unions, support groups, political parties, and any collective that might help protect us from the dangers of a militarized police force, rich corporations and monopolies, and other forces that may seek to exploit and control the people. We are committed to a freedom of religion that acknowledges the rights of those for whom spiritual concerns are central. We seek to empower our members and our communities.

We are socialists because we believe in democracy. We believethe power of the people to maintain control over our lives is the key to fulfilling our human potential; whereas the right of a small wealthy elite to own the majority of our vital resources is the path to subjugation and social turmoil. We are socialists because we believe the eventual automation of labor will result in a dystopian nightmare under capitalism, whereas it could mean more time for people to learn and advance under socialism. We seek to build a new democratic and vibrant left movement in the South, as a part of the national movement that has the ability to make democratic socialism in the United States a reality.

ARTICLE 1: NAME

The name of this organization will be Baton Rouge Democratic Socialists of America, also known as BRDSA, and referred to throughout this document as “the Chapter.” Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) is a not-for-profit corporation.

ARTICLE 2: BASIC ORGANIZATION AND CONVENTION

Section 1: General Membership.

The General Membership of the Chapter, defined in Article Three, Section 1, meeting in Convention, Special Meeting or General Meeting, shall be the highest legislative body of the organization; providing that Special Meetings shall have the authority to deal with only those matters for which they may be called.

Section 2: General Meetings.

The Chapter will hold meetings monthly if possible (with a minimum of 6 annually) to conduct the business of the Chapter. These will be called General Meetings. An annual schedule of these meetings will be shared among members in good standing.

Section 3: Annual Convention.

The Chapter shall meet in Convention annually during the first six months of the year, with at least thirty days’ notice given to all members. Notice may be sent by electronic means, but individuals who have not provided an email address must be sent a paper copy or contacted by phone or text, provided the member has provided a physical address or phone number. Members shall meet to elect officers, to debate, and to decide primarily, but not exclusively, Chapter issues, the political orientation of the organization, and program direction.

Section 4: Special Meetings.

By call of the Officers Council or by petition of ten percent of members, a Special Meeting shall be called, with notice given to all members at least ten days prior to the meeting. The call to the Special Meeting shall specify the matters to be discussed therein and no other matter may be brought to the floor.

Section 5: Public or Informational Meetings.

The Chapter Council may call additional Chapter-wide Public or Informational Meetings for a variety of reasons, but at which official business will not be conducted and policies will not be motioned or passed. For the purposes of these bylaws, Chapter-wide Informational Meetings should not be considered General Meetings.

Section 6: Rules.

All resolutions and reports presented to the Chapter’s membership at the Convention will allow for a question and answer period. All rules covering the conduct of a General, Convention or Special Meetings shall be developed by the Chapter Council and, at the outset of said meeting, may be amended, but must be ratified by a two-thirds majority vote.

Section 7: Electoral Endorsements.

The General Membership in Convention, Special, or General Meeting are the only bodies authorized to make electoral endorsements on behalf of the Chapter. Unless otherwise authorized, members or committees of the Chapter are forbidden to campaign as representatives of BRDSA for candidates that the Chapter has not officially endorsed.

Section 8: Quorum.

Unless specified otherwise in these bylaws, a quorum of ten percent or 5 members, whichever is larger, of the membership shall be required for valid meetings of the Convention, Special Meetings, or General Meetings to occur. Should a meeting fail to meet quorum in two consecutive occasions, the Officers Council shall be permitted to modify this formulation, subject to a majority vote of the members present at the next planned Regular Meeting.

Section 9: Revenue and Funds.

Section 9(a).

The revenue of this Chapter shall be derived from a portion of national dues shared by national DSA, sale of supplies, interest on deposits, grants, and donations. It is the duty of every officer, agent, employee, and representative of this Chapter to hold its money and property solely for the benefit of the Chapter and the duty of its members to manage, invest, and expend the same in accordance with these Bylaws and any resolutions of the governing bodies adopted thereunder, to refrain from dealing with this Chapter as an adverse party in any matter connected with duties and from holding or acquiring any financial or personal interest that conflicts with the interest of this Chapter, and to account to this organization for any profit received under direction on its behalf.

Since the Highest Decision-Making Body is vested in the Officers Council between General Meetings, the Chapter Council and the Chapter Treasurer in addition to the General Meeting shall manage, invest and expend the funds and property of this Chapter in accordance with all applicable provisions of these Bylaws and any resolution adopted by the Chapter and General Meeting not inconsistent therewith.

Section 9(b).

Except as otherwise provided in Chapter Bylaws, the revenue of the Chapter will be divided into a General Fund, a Rapid Solidarity Fund, and other committee-based funds, at the discretion of the General Meeting or of the Chapter Council between General Meetings.

Section 9(c).

The General Fund shall be maintained and disbursed in accordance with the authority vested in Article Two (2) Section One (1), and in accordance with the provisions in Article Twelve (12) of these Bylaws. Purpose of disbursements shall conform to the general welfare and operation of the Chapter.

Section 9(d).

Chapter Council and committee funds shall be maintained and disbursed in accordance with the authority vested in Article Five (5) and in accordance with the provisions in Article Twelve (12) of these Bylaws. Purpose of disbursements shall conform to the general welfare and operation of said Chapter Council or committee.

Section 9(e).

A uniform system of bookkeeping and records shall be established by the Chapter Council and all officers, committees, and councils will conform to said uniform system of bookkeeping and records in submitting a correspondence with the Chapter Council.

Section 9(f).

All monies collected by the Treasurer must be received in the form of money order, bank draft, check, direct deposit, or wire transfer made payable to Baton Rouge LA Democratic Socialists of America, except when petty cash is collected at events, which must be logged in the uniform system of bookkeeping and records established by the Chapter Council. All monies must be deposited in a credit union in the name of Baton Rouge LA Democratic Socialists of America, and only authorized officers may have access to bank transactions.

ARTICLE 3: MEMBERSHIP

Section 1: Definition.

The Membership of Baton Rouge LA DSA shall be composed of all DSA members residing within the jurisdiction of the Chapter. Members in good standing will include all DSA members as verified by the National Office, and are not currently suspended or terminated from the Chapter. All Chapter members in good standing shall have full and equal rights of membership. In these bylaws, the term “General Membership” refers to these chapter members.

Section 2: Voting and Office.

All Members in good standing comprise the Membership and shall be eligible to (1.) vote in all elections and matters brought before the Membership; (2.) be elected or appointed to office in the Chapter, and (3.) be elected or appointed as delegates by the Officers to any Regional, State, or National DSA convention. (Elections for the National Convention delegation will be held on the schedule announced by the national organization.)

Section 3: Proxy Voting.

Members in good standing who cannot vote in person due to unavoidable conflicts must notify the Officers in advance of the vote, and name the proxy voter. A member who is present at an election meeting may only hold up to two proxies.

Section 4: Member Discipline, Suspension, and Expulsion.

A two-thirds vote of members in good standing is required to suspend or expel a member from the Local Chapter. In all cases, prior to discipline, the members and Officers should consider and abide by the principles of privacy, accountability, and restorative justice. In order for such a finding to be made, another DSA member must formally prefer written charges against the member in question to the Local Chapter Officers’ Council, which will set the date of a Local Chapter meeting for deliberations on the charges. The member in question must receive a copy of the written charges and notice of the meeting a minimum of two (2) weeks before that meeting takes place. An expelled member in good standing may appeal to the National Political Committee of DSA.

Members may be suspended or expelled (1.) if they are found to have maliciously inflicted serious emotional or physical harm against another member, (2.) if they are found to be in substantial disagreement with the principles or policies of the organization, including, but not limited to, engaging in behavior or speech that violates DSA’s commitment to anti-racism, feminism, and equality, or (3.) if they consistently engage in undemocratic, disruptive behavior, or if they are found to be engaging in intentionally subversive activities to the detriment of the chapter, or acting on behalf of or under the direction of another organization or body aiming to disrupt the Chapter’s activities, membership, or events.

Section 5: Privacy Concerns.

Care will be taken to protect the privacy of each member’s information and the safety of all potential new members will be considered when open invitations to social events or meetings occur. The Chapter will encourage members not to share names and contact information publicly.

ARTICLE 4: ELECTIONS OF OFFICERS

Section 1: Nominations.

All Officers of the Chapter shall be elected at the Annual Convention. Nominations to run for the position of Officer must be submitted to the Chapter at least 30 days in advance of the Convention. Any member may nominate for an elected position in the Chapter another member in good standing who has attended at least 33% of the General Meetings of the Chapter in the non-founding year and 25% in the founding year. No one may nominate themselves.

Section 2: Process.

The elections process shall be fair, transparent, and democratic, occurring at the Annual Convention. The General Membership will be responsible for ensuring that elections are held, and may appoint an Elections Committee to oversee the process.

Section 3: Notice of Elections.

The Officers shall give notice of any election in a dedicated email announcement no later than fifteen days prior to the election. Notice may be sent by electronic means, but individuals who have not provided an email address must be sent a paper copy or contacted by phone or text, provided the individual has given a physical address. This announcement shall include the time and place of the election, the candidates and/or questions before the membership in the election, and all pertinent instructions.

Section 4: Recall of Officers.

Pursuant to Article 2, Section 4, Officers’ Council Members, including those appointed by committees, may be recalled by a two-thirds vote of the Special Meeting as gathered. If removed by two-thirds vote, said member may not stand for or serve as a Committee Representative to the Officers’ Council or a Chapter’s Officer for one year.

Any officer of the Local Chapter of DSA may be recalled for malfeasance or failure to fulfill their duties or obligations as an officer. In order to recall or remove an officer, a member in good standing must formally refer a request to remove said officer to the Officers Council, which will set a date of a Local Chapter meeting for deliberations on the accused officer’s removal. The officer in question must receive written documentation of the specific reasons for the removal request and notice of the meeting a minimum of two weeks before the meeting takes place. The accused officer will be given a chance to speak in their own defense at this meeting.

Section 5: Voting

In an election for Officers Council positions, voting will be done in-person (except for proxy voting allowed in Article 3, Section 3) and anonymously, and will be open to all members in good standing. Quorum is necessary to validate the results of any election. The Candidates for a given position will be announced by a Voting Commissioner, and members will anonymously fill in their ballots. Once voting has finished, ballots will be turned in to the Voting Commissioner, who will randomize the ballots by hand, and then tally the results. Members may only be a Candidate for one position. If they are nominated for more than one position, the member will choose one position for which they will be a Candidate. For the positions of Co-Chairs, each ballot will contain three Candidates. None of the votes are weighted. The top three vote-getters will be elected to co-chair. If all three of the top vote getters are cis straight white men, then the third-highest vote getter will be excluded and the highest candidate that is not a cis straight white man will be elected. Each ballot will include one candidate for Treasurer and one candidate for Secretary. The highest vote-getter will be elected to each position. Any future positions on the Officers Council will be subject to the same rules as those that apply to the Treasurer and Secretary. The Voting Commissioner will be a member in good standing, who is selected by acclamation at the meeting prior to the election. The Voting Commissioner cannot be a candidate for any council position.

ARTICLE 5: OFFICERS AND OFFICERS’ COUNCIL

Section 1: Officers and Terms.

The Officers of the Chapter will be Co-Chairs, Secretary, and Treasurer. Officers will be elected at the Annual Convention and their terms will last until the completion of the following Annual Convention, approximately one year later. The officers may not all be of the same gender.

Section 2: Vacancies.

In the event of a vacancy in any Chapter office, the Chapter will appoint a replacement for the remainder of the term.

Section 3: Co-Chairs.

Section 3(a).

The Co-Chairs will be the chief executive officers of the Chapter. They will preside over Chapter and Officer meetings or will appoint a substitute to assume the powers and duties of the presiding officer as specified in Robert’s Rules of Order, Newly Revised. The Co-Chairs will be the official public spokespersons for the Chapter and will initiate such actions and policies as the Chapter’s general welfare may demand.

Section 3(b).

The Co-Chairs will be responsible also for coordinating the day-to-day operations and political work of the Chapter’s branches and committees.

Section 3(c).

The Co-Chairs will have signature authority regarding BRDSA’s bank/credit union account.

Section 3 (d).

The Co-Chairs will report to Chapter Meetings on the business of the Officers Meetings, at which time a copy of the minutes of those meetings will be available for inspection.

Section 3(e).

At least one Co-Chair must not identify as white, cisgender, and male; one Co-Chair must identify as working class.

Section 4: Secretary.

Section 4(a).

The Secretary will be responsible for answering all correspondence and queries of the Chapter, and for maintaining an up-to-date membership list for the Chapter. They will insure effective communication with national DSA. They will temporarily assume the responsibilities of the Co-Chair, if neither Co-Chair is able to do so.

Section 4(b).

The Secretary will be responsible also for the taking of minutes of all Chapter and Officers Meetings, and will have custody of these minutes, and the resolutions, reports, and other official records of the Chapter. They will keep attendance records of all meetings. They will transfer official records in good condition to their successor. Official records will include meeting minutes and member lists.

Section 4(c).

The Secretary will be responsible for ensuring proper recognition of formally recognized caucuses.

Section 5: Treasurer.

The Treasurer will be responsible for the funds and financial records of the Chapter. All funds collected by the Chapter will be turned over to the Treasurer, who will deposit them in a bank or credit union account under the name of the Chapter. In cooperation with the Secretary, the Treasurer will be responsible for ensuring that membership dues are paid and up-to-date. The Treasurer will prepare the annual Chapter budget and deliver the Chapter financial report to the General Meeting of the Chapter, as well as periodic progress reports as requested by the Officers of the Chapter.

Section 6: Additional Duties.

The Chapter Officers may assign additional temporary duties to an officer of the Chapter, so long as such assignments do not conflict with the designation of responsibilities outlined in these Bylaws.

Section 7: Officers’ Council

Section 8: Quorum.

A quorum of three (3) members of the Officers’ Council is required for the transaction of Officers’ Council business.

ARTICLE 6: CAUCUSES

Section 1: Definition and Purpose.

Caucuses are independent, unofficial formations of members within the Chapter. The Chapter encourages the formation of Caucuses to promote a vibrant democratic culture within the organization. With or without consent from or recognition by an official Chapter leadership or the Chapter itself, members may self-organize into temporary or permanent caucuses according to shared interest, affinities, and/or political goals. Caucuses may promote policies and actions for the Chapter to take on, and may challenge Chapter leadership and/or official Chapter policies.

Section 2: Official Recognition.

A Caucus will be formally recognized by the Chapter in one or more official media if no less than five (5) members in good standing sign a mission statement that includes the name and purpose of the Caucus.

ARTICLE 7. COMMITTEES

Section 1: Duration.

The Chapter will have Ad Hoc Committees or Working Groups, which will exist for a limited and explicit duration. Ad Hoc Committees may be established by a vote of members in good standing at a General Meeting of the Local Chapter.

Section 2: Duties.

Chairs of Ad Hoc Committees will keep the Officers’ Council and the General Meetings of the Local Chapter informed on the activities of the committee.

Section 3: Structure.

Any representative for a committee must be a member in good standing.

ARTICLE 8: VOLUNTARY DONATIONS

As mandated by the national Constitution and Bylaws, BRDSA may establish a pledge system of voluntary donations for its members on a monthly, quarterly, or other basis. The payment of a Local Chapter donation may not be a requirement for voting or for holding Local Chapter office.

ARTICLE 9. AMENDMENTS

Section 1.

The Bylaws may be amended by a two-thirds majority vote of members in good standing at an Annual Convention. They may also be amended if a Special Meeting is called according to the procedures outlined in Article II, Section 4.

Section 2.

Any member of the Chapter may propose Amendments, which must be submitted to the Officers at least one (1) month in advance of a General Meeting. The Chapter is required to provide the Chapter membership with two (2) weeks’ notice of the proposed amendments. Notice may be sent by electronic means, but individuals who have not provided an email address must be sent a paper copy or contacted by phone or text, provided that a physical address has been supplied by the individual.

ARTICLE 10. PROHIBITED ACTIVITY

The Chapter will not engage in activity prohibited by the IRS guidelines established for 501(c)(4) organizations or similar rules established by the state of Louisiana. Nor will the Chapter engage in any activity prohibited by resolutions adopted by DSA’s National Convention or DSA’s National Political Committee.

ARTICLE 11. ELECTIONS AND NOMINATIONS TO NATIONAL, STATE, OR REGIONAL CONVENTIONS OR MEETINGS

Section 1:

BRDSA delegates and alternates to the National Convention, as well as to any regional or state organizations, will be elected by BRDSA members in good standing. Elections for the National Convention delegation will be held on the schedule announced by the national organization. Elections to regional or state organizations will be held on the schedule announced by those organizations.

Section 2: Nominations Committee.

A three (3)-person Nominations Committee will be established at least one (1) month prior to every election by vote of a General Meeting. It will solicit and receive nominations for the positions to be elected.

Section 3: Method of Voting for Delegates to the National Convention.

Following Article V, Section 5 of national DSA’s Constitution delegates to the National Convention must be elected by secret ballot. Following Article VI, Section 3, of national DSA’s Bylaws, Local Chapters “may determine their own method of election of delegates to the Convention except that a petition from 10% of a Local’s membership or a motion supported by 15% of those present and voting at the Local meeting which determines the method of election will require the use of the Hare system in that Local’s election of delegates to the National Convention.”

Section 4. Uncontested Positions.

If a position is uncontested, the nominee may be elected by voice vote.

ARTICLE 12: RULES OF ORDER

Section 1: Majority Vote.

Unless otherwise specified in the Bylaws, all decisions are to be made by a simple majority (>50%).

Section 2: Rules for Meetings.

The Officers’ Council and other official bodies may operate by Robert’s Rules of Order, Newly Revised, or by Progressive Stack, or by a different set of rules. Members of a voting body may decide by a simple majority vote to adopt rules for their body or for the duration of any meeting.

Section 3: General Principles.

The Chapter values the voices of all members. Facilitators and leaders of all official and unofficial gatherings will seek to balance the participation and voices so that all members have their voice heard at meetings and in the general operation of the Membership.

Section 4: Action Out of Order.

Any action taken by an officer or member of the Local Chapter in contravention of these Bylaws is null and void.

Section 5: Harassment Policy.

The Local Chapter will follow the Harassment Policy of national DSA.

ARTICLE 13: DISTRIBUTION OF ASSETS

Upon dissolution of the organization, any residual assets shall become property of the national organization of Democratic Socialists of America.