Amended and Ratified by the General Membership 10/9/2017

Amended by the General Membership: 12/4/2017, 6/18/2018, 4/2/2019, 6/24/2019, 6/26/2020, 1/9/2021, 6/26/21, 6/25/22, 6/24/23, and 9/23/23

Preamble

All working people, simply because they work, are responsible for the reproduction and persistence of our societies, economies, and cultures.

However, working people are not guaranteed access to the direction and planning of society, be it on matters of public investment, environmental destruction, or imperialist wars.

Therefore, all workers, through all forms of labor, irrespective of nationality, have a class interest in expanding their democratic rights in society.

But, workers and capitalists are in an irreconcilable struggle over political-economic enfranchisement.

Democratic Socialists aim to transform this situation by expanding working-class influence in Southeast Louisiana and society as a whole through the support and creation of genuine working-class institutions that foster values of equality, justice, and peace.

Through these methods, we aim to reorganize society where all people have natural, political, and economic rights, for the purpose of uniting humanity under principles of peace, love, solidarity and prosperity, in harmony with the ecosystems upon which we depend.

Article 1: Name

The name of this organization shall be the New Orleans Democratic Socialists of America, also known as New Orleans DSA or DSA 504, and referred to throughout this document as the Local or Chapter.

Article 2: Basic Organization and Conventions

Section 1: General Membership. The General Membership of the Local, 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 Local will hold meetings on a regular basis to conduct the business of the Local. These will be considered General Meetings. An annual schedule of these meetings will be publicized to members in good standing.

Section 3: Conventions. The Local shall meet in Convention annually during the first six months of the year, with at least thirty days’ notice given to all members. The Convention shall meet to elect officers and to debate and decide primarily, but not exclusively, Local issues, the political orientation of the organization, and program direction.

Section 4: Special Meetings. By call of forty percent of the Local Council or 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: Informational Meetings. The Local Council may call additional Local-wide Informational Meetings for a variety of reasons but at which official business will not be conducted and policies will not be set. For the purposes of these bylaws, Local-wide Informational Meetings should not be considered General Meetings.

Section 6: Rules. All resolutions and reports presented to the Local’s membership at the Convention will allow for a question and answer period. All rules covering the conduct of a Convention or Special Meeting shall be developed by the Local Council and at the outset of said meeting, may be amended, but must be ratified by a 2/3rds majority vote.

Section 7: Electoral Endorsements. The General Membership in Convention or Special Meeting or via online vote is the only body authorized with making electoral endorsements on behalf of the Local. Unless otherwise authorized, members or committees of New Orleans DSA are forbidden from campaigning as representatives of DSA for candidates or ballot measures that have not been officially endorsed by the Local, a Regional Organization to which the Local belongs, or National DSA.

Section 7(a): Runoff Procedure. Should members decide that the political calculus, stakes, conditions, or other considerations shift once an election goes to a runoff, a special runoff endorsement process can be initiated no later than two weeks before the runoff election date at the written request of at least 10% of membership for a given endorsement. The Local Council is then obligated to vote on the question of endorsement. The Local Council can only authorize the endorsement by a supermajority of at least two-thirds of the Local Council.

Section 8: Quorums. Unless specified otherwise in these bylaws, a quorum of ten percent of the membership in good standing shall be required for valid meetings of the Convention, Special Meeting, or General Meeting. A quorum of twenty-five percent of the membership in good standing plus one member shall be required for Electoral Endorsement votes. Asynchronous votes related to any election or decision of the chapter shall contribute to meeting the threshold of quorum if 20% of the general membership casts a vote, including a combination of in-person and asynchronous votes. Asynchronous voting will take place over a defined period of time; if it is not specified in any proposal, it will automatically be defined as 72 hours.

Section 9: Revenue and Funds. The chapter will collect and disburse funds, as authorized by the General Membership and, between General Meetings, the Local Council. The Local Council, through a Finance Committee, is responsible for setting financial control policies for the organization, as approved by the General Membership.

Article 3: Membership

Section 1: Definition. The Membership of New Orleans DSA shall be composed of all DSA members residing within the jurisdiction of the Local. Members in good standing will include all DSA members who have paid dues within the last year or who have paid lifetime dues, as verified by the National Office, and are not currently suspended or terminated from the Local. All Local members in good standing shall have full and equal rights of membership.

Section 2: Voting and Office. All Members in good standing comprise the Membership and shall be eligible to:

Vote in all elections and matters brought before the Membership;
Be elected or appointed to office in the Local;
Be appointed as delegates from the Local to any Regional, State, or National DSA convenings.

Section 3: Proxy Voting. Members in good standing who cannot vote in an election due to unavoidable conflicts must notify the Local Council in advance of the vote, naming 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. Pursuant to the National DSA constitution, the Local Council shall have the power to suspend or expel members from the Local. A two- thirds vote is required to suspend or expel a member. The Local Council alone will have the power to suspend or expel a member from the Local. In all cases, prior to discipline, the Local Council should consider and abide by the principles of privacy, accountability, and restorative justice. Members can be suspended or expelled:

If they are found to have maliciously inflicted serious emotional or physical harm against another member;
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, feminist socialism, and equality;
If they consistently engage in undemocratic, disruptive behavior; or if they are found to be engaging in intentionally subversive activities or acting on behalf of or under the direction of another organization or body aiming to disrupt the Local’s activities, membership, or events.

Article 4: Election of Officers

Section 1: Nominations. All Officers of the Local Council shall be elected at the Local’s annual Convention, or via Special Election as described in Article 4, Section 5. Nominations to run for the Local Council must be submitted to the presiding Local Council at least 30 days in advance of the Convention. Any member may nominate another member in good standing for elected position in the Local who has attended at least 33% of the General Meetings of the Local in a non-founding year. No one may nominate themselves. All leadership positions of official chapter bodies (excepting Campaign Groups) holding Local Council seats, such as Committees and Administrative Groups, shall be elected in a general meeting and voted on by all members in good standing, in accordance with the rules specified in these Bylaws.

Section 2: Process. The elections process shall be fair, transparent, and democratic, occurring at the annual convention. The Local Council will be responsible for ensuring that elections are held, and may appoint an Elections Committee to oversee the process.The process of the election shall be ranked choice for every office actually contested.

Section 3: Notice of Elections. The Local Council shall give notice of any Local election in a dedicated email announcement no later than fifteen days prior to the election. 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: Special Election. A Special Election shall be required to be held within 45 days in the case of the vacancy of an At-Large Council Member position. In the case of any other Local Council officer vacancy prior to the end of that officer’s allotted term, the Local Council may opt, by majority vote of the Council, to call a Special Election to elect a replacement officer. All nominees to election via Special Election shall be submitted to the Local Council no later than fifteen days prior to the date of the Special Election. Special Elections shall be announced to the general membership in a dedicated email no later than fifteen days prior to date of the election, and the Special Election shall be conducted during a regularly scheduled General Meeting, in accordance with all other rules governing elections as specified in these Bylaws.

Article 5: Local Council

Section 1: Purpose. The New Orleans DSA Local Council serves as the democratically elected leadership of the Local and is the highest legislative and judicial body under the General Membership. The Local Council shall set, maintain, and carry out policies which advance the principles, policies, and strategies enumerated in these bylaws and by the General Membership.
The Local Council shall have responsibility for management of the overall direction of the Local as stipulated by general membership, and shall, collectively or through a representative appointed as needed by majority vote of the Local Council, act as the public spokespersons for the Local.
The Local Council shall manage the day-to- day affairs of the Local between General Meetings.

Section 2: Officers. The Local Council shall consist of two (2) co-chairs, one (1) membership chair, one (1) secretary, one (1) treasurer, two (2) at-large Local Council members, a steward representing each of the official committees, and a representative of each Administrative or currently-chartered Campaign Group.

Section 2(a). Co-Chairs: The Co-Chairs shall preside over all official meetings of the organization and the Local Council, and shall interpret the bylaws as well as the policies and priorities set by the Membership, subject to appeal by the Local Council. The Co-Chairs are responsible for scheduling all Local Council meetings and preparing all agendas thereof. The Co-Chairs are responsible for consistent communications with all committee leaders and facilitating collaboration and coordination between them. Additionally:

The Co-Chairs will also act as, or appoint, the official representatives of the Local to the National office and to other DSA Locals. This does not apply during official business at DSA Conventions at the state, regional, and national level when Local Delegates may act independently on behalf of the Local’s membership.
The Co-Chairs serve as executive officers of the Local. The Co-Chairs are ultimately responsible for financial management of the Local.
At least one Co-Chair must not identify as white, cisgender, and male; both Co- chairs must also identify as working-class.

Section 2(b). Membership Chair: The Membership Chair is responsible for assisting the Co-Chairs with all their duties. If both Co-Chairs are unable to perform their duties, the Membership Chair shall perform all duties and assume all responsibilities of the Co-Chairs until such a time as one or both Co-Chairs are able to resume their posts. In the event that the two Co-Chairs disagree on a course of action, the Membership Chair may be called upon to break the tie. The Membership Chair shall be required to audit the financial records of the local and the Treasurer biannually. Additionally, the Membership Chair is responsible for maintaining the Local’s official membership roster and verifying if a member is in good standing, and shall establish coincidentally with the announcement of the annual Convention the members in good standing who are eligible to vote.

Section 2(c). Secretary: The Secretary is responsible for taking minutes of all General Membership and Local Council meetings, and shall be responsible for publishing these minutes, as well as resolutions, reports, and other official records of the Local. The Secretary may appoint, but must oversee, a temporary proxy minutes-taker for any meeting. That proxy may not vote on behalf of the Secretary. Additionally:

The Secretary shall transfer official records in good condition to their successor.
The Secretary will assume the responsibilities of one of the Co-Chairs, if both Co- Chairs and the Membership Chair are unable to do so.

Section 2(d). Treasurer: The Treasurer will be responsible for administration of funds, budget, and financial organization of the Local, including overseeing fundraising activities for the Local. The Treasurer will provide:

A report to the Local Council on the financial status of the organization at each Local Council meeting, according to the agreed uniform system of bookkeeping;
A report to the General Meetings on the financial status of the organization at each General Meeting, in accordance with the financial controls and policies developed by the Finance Committee;
And maintain transparent and open financial reports available to the entire membership upon request by an officer of the Local Council.

Section 2(e). Committee Stewards: Each committee steward will be responsible for communicating and incorporating the work performed in committees in Local Council activities. Each committee is exclusively responsible for delegating their own chair, or co-chair.

Section 2(f). At-Large Local Council Members: At least one At-Large Council Member must not identify as white, cisgender, and male. Each at-large Council Member will be responsible for serving as a point of contact and project facilitator for the membership as a whole, including:

Assisting in membership mobilization and engagement, and
Assisting in the coordination of projects involving multiple committees or caucuses. Each at-large Council Member will be additionally expected to report on any projects, concerns and needs resulting from this work.

Section 3: Vacancies. In the event of a vacancy on the Local Council, the Local Council may as decided by majority vote of the Council, either appoint a replacement to serve until the following election, or call a Special Election, as described in Article 4, Section 5. This vote is excepted in the case of vacancies of At-Large Council Members, who in the case of vacancy shall always be replaced via Special Election.

Section 4: Terms and Term Limits. Officers shall be elected at the annual convention and their terms shall last until the completion of the following annual convention, approximately one year later. No member may hold the same office for more than two consecutive terms, with the following exceptions:

Treasurer Trustees. A trustee shall be elected at the annual convention and their term shall last until the completion of the second annual convention of their term, approximately two years. The Trustees shall be alternately elected, with only one trustee elected per annual convention. Committee Stewards. Committee Stewards are elected pursuant to Article 6. Stewards sitting on the Local Council shall not be subject to any prescribed term limit, unless otherwise determined by the committees themselves. No member may serve as steward simultaneously for more than one committee.

At-Large Council Members. At-Large Council Members are elected pursuant to Article 6, excepting cases of vacancy as described in Article 5, or immediate vacancies as a result of the creation of the At-Large Council Member office. In these cases, At-Large Council Members shall be elected by Special Election, as described in Article 4, Section 5. At-Large Council Members shall serve a maximum of a single, one-year term; no member shall serve consecutive terms as an At-Large Council Member. For the purposes of term limits, terms served as a result of Special Election shall constitute a full term. No member may serve as an At-Large Council Member simultaneously with any of the enumerated offices of the local council, or as steward of any official committee of the chapter.

Section 5: Oversight. To ensure that the policies and strategies of the General Membership can be realized by the Local, the Local Council will oversee all Committees and other official formations of the Local, and help all parties within the Local to operate in concert. To this end, the Local Council is authorized to act, only by a 2/3rds or more majority, to form, disband, and/or consolidate Committees, as well as call a special election in the case of vacant Committee stewardship. See Article 6 for more information on Committees.

Section 6: Rights and Duties.

The Local Council shall produce and distribute to membership monthly written reports of chapter activities, including records of all votes taken by the Local Council and voting record of each LC member, excepting those which would violate the confidentiality of an ongoing grievance process.

The Local Council shall maintain an up-to-date archive of all recorded minutes, agendas, rules and procedures adopted for meetings of the Local Council, and ensure this archive is easily accessible to all members.

The Local Council shall maintain an up-to-date archive of all Bylaws Amendments and Political Resolutions passed by the Local, and ensure this archive is easily accessible to all members

No member holding voting rights on the Local Council shall be prevented from adding items for discussion or vote to a Local Council meeting agenda.

Any member holding voting rights on the Local Council shall maintain the right to extend discussion time on any item during meetings of the Local Council, unless overruled by a vote of two-thirds of the Local Council.

The Local Council is responsible for presenting a State of the Local Address each year at the annual Convention.

Section 7: Conflict Resolution. The Local Council is responsible for fairly adjudicating disagreements between members or groups of members within the Local. This shall include developing and overseeing an accountable and fair mechanism of conflict resolution.

Section 8: Voting. All elected and appointed members of the Local Council have full and equal voting rights for Local Council decisions.

Section 9: Termination of Officers. The Local Council or the General Membership may petition to remove an Officer from the Local Council in the event that the member is unable or unwilling to perform their duties. A petition to recall one or more Officers, signed by 51% of the Local Council or no less than thirty (30) percent or fifty (50) members of the General Membership, whichever lower, should be presented to the Local Council for validation so they may give notice of not less than 15 days to the General Membership. The General Membership will then be required to vote on this question at their next meeting. Removal of a Local Council member requires a fifty-one percent majority vote by the General Membership with a minimum 20% quorum. If that meeting fails to reach quorum, the Local Council may vote for termination by a three quarters vote. Grounds for termination include but are not limited to:

Missing more than two Local Council meetings without an acceptable excuse; or
Gross incompetence, witting mismanagement of funds, consistently acting or encouraging action in contravention of the best interests of the organization.

The Local Council must notify the Officer in writing of the termination and they may request to appeal the decision at the next general membership meeting. Reinstatement of a terminated Officer requires a two- thirds vote at a general membership meeting.

Section 10: Treasurer Trustees. Two trustees shall preside over the local’s finances, in cooperation with the Treasurer. Trustees shall oversee Treasurer activities, and report any irregularities directly to the Local Council. Trustees shall be responsible for co-authoring the annual financial report to the annual convention along with the Treasurer.

Section 11: National Political Caucuses. Current Local Council officers, Committee Stewards, and candidates seeking office must disclose their participation in a national political caucus to the General Membership. Candidates for office that participate in a national political caucus shall have that information appear alongside their name on any election ballot, and additionally must make a good-faith effort to explain to the General Membership what the goals of their caucus are, and how those goals relate to the candidate’s vision for the Chapter.

Caucus Alignment. Any member who seeks an appointed or elected role within the chapter or on a body established or funded by National DSA must disclose their affiliation with a national caucus as a prerequisite to their candidacy. This affiliation may be noted in chapter communications about the candidates.

Section (x)a: Affiliation with any national caucus shall not exempt any member from pursuing a role or office.

Section 12: Local Council Quorums.

Section 12(a). Local Council Meetings. At Local Council Meetings, a majority of vote holding members of the Local, present in person or represented by proxy, shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business.
Section 12(b). Decisions Outside of Local Council Meetings. For all decisions discussed outside of Local Council meetings, a two thirds majority of vote holding members of the Local, shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business.

Section 13: Advisory Council

The Advisory Council serves as a purely consultative body, to aid the Local Council in their duties, and serves at the disposal of the Chapter at large.

Membership to the Advisory Council shall be open to all former officers of the Chapter. Participation is voluntary; the Local Council shall extend invitations to all eligible members annually, or as necessary as a result of officer changes. Decisions on membership eligibility for the Council shall be at the discretion of the Local Council.
The Local Council may, by vote, call a formal meeting of the Advisory Council for consultation on an issue. Outside of these meetings, a standing Council group chat or other electronic means, as determined by the Local Council, shall be maintained for consultative purposes.
The Advisory Council shall have no independent decision-making power, and any votes or recommendations of the Council are non-binding.

Article 6: Internal Organization

Section 1: Committees

Formation. Committees shall be formed by the General Meeting, Special Meeting, or the Convention to address a specific operational need. Any proposed Committee will produce a Written Statement of Purpose, which will prescribe the Committee’s activities, and must be signed by at least ten (10) New Orleans DSA members.
Function, Responsibilities, and Bylaws. Each Committee shall be responsible for its own activities. To this end, each Committee shall produce Bylaws and hold an election before the General Membership for committee steward within three (3) months after official status was granted to the Committee. The annual schedule of General Meetings will include a schedule of election dates for committees to use. This schedule will include no more than three (3) non special elections per year and no consecutive General Meeting dates The Local Council must approve committee bylaws by a simple majority vote. Local Council shall provide sample standard bylaws for Committees, to be approved in the manner outlined above. In order to schedule an election a Committee must produce a copy of Committee bylaws. Each Committee is responsible for:

Carrying out the program of the Committee as prescribed by the Written Statement of Purpose.
Committee leadership is also responsible for regularly reporting their activities to the General Meeting.
Committees shall work with the Treasurer to fundraise for committee needs and establish oversight of any committee funds.
Committees shall not institute any dues system or recurring collection of funds outside that of the Local.

Dissolution. The General Meeting shall dismiss any Committee by a two-thirds majority vote.

Section 2: Administrative Groups

Formation Administrative Groups shall be formed by a simple majority vote of a General Meeting, Special Meeting, or Chapter Convention to address a specific operational or logistical need of importance in the day-to-day operations of the Local.

Any proposed Administrative Group will produce a Charter, prescribing the activities and general organization of the Administrative Group, naming two coordinators, and prescribing for the democratic election of future coordinators. This Charter must be signed by at least ten (10) New Orleans DSA members.
Function and Responsibilities

Each Administrative Group shall be responsible for its own activities, as prescribed in the Administrative Group Charter, and shall abide by the Rules of Order as outlined in Article 11 of these bylaws
Each Administrative Group shall hold a single (1) vote on the Local Council, where it will be represented by a coordinator.
The coordinators, or a designated Administrative Group representative(s) appointed by vote of the Administrative Group, shall regularly report the Group’s activities to the General Meeting.
Budgets for each Administrative Group shall be considered alongside the annual Local budgeting process; Administrative Groups shall not institute any dues system or recurring collection of funds outside that of the Local.
Dissolution the General Meeting shall dismiss any Administrative Group by simple majority vote.

Section 3: Campaign Groups

Formation Campaign Groups shall be formed by a simple majority vote of a General Meeting, Special Meeting, or Chapter Convention, or by a two-thirds vote of the Local Council, to enact a specific campaign or project, of a limited and defined duration.

Any proposed Campaign Group will produce a Charter, prescribing the activities and general organization of the Campaign Group, outlining a provisional budget for the Campaign in concert with the treasurer, and naming two Campaign coordinators. This Charter must be signed by at least ten (10) New Orleans DSA members.

Campaign Groups Charters will be authorized for six (6) months, unless a different period is otherwise specified in the Campaign Group Charter, and will be considered dissolved following that period. Campaign Groups Charters may be renewed by a simple majority vote of a General Meeting, Special Meeting, or Chapter Convention.
Function and Responsibilities

Each Campaign Group shall be responsible for its own activities, as prescribed in the Campaign Group Charter, and shall abide by the Rules of Order as outlined in Article 11 of these bylaws
Each Campaign Group shall hold a single (1) vote on the Local Council, where it will be represented by a coordinator. The coordinators, or a designated Campaign Group representative(s) appointed by vote of the Campaign Group, shall regularly report the Group’s activities to the General Meeting.
Campaign Groups shall not institute any dues system or recurring collection of funds outside that of the Local.

Dissolution The General Meeting can dismiss any Campaign Committee by a two-thirds majority vote before the expiration of a Campaign Committee Charter.

Section 4: Task or Working Groups

Formation Task or Working Groups shall be formed by a simple majority vote of a General Meeting, Special Meeting, Chapter Convention, or the Local Council, to coordinate work on a specific task or area of work relevant to the Local.

Any proposed Task or Working Group will produce a Charter, prescribing the activities and general organization of the Task or Working Group, as well as listing an affiliation with a Committee, Administrative Group, Campaign Group, the Local Council, or the General Membership as a whole. This Charter must be signed by at least five (5) New Orleans DSA members.
Function and Responsibilities

Each Task or Working Group shall be responsible for its own activities, as prescribed in the Task or Working Group Charter, and shall abide by the Rules of Order as outlined in Article 11 of these bylaws
Each Task or Working Group shall also be responsible for regularly reporting their activities to the affiliate indicated in the Task or Working Group Charter.
Task or Working Groups shall not institute any dues system or recurring collection of funds outside that of the Local; Task or Working Groups may request funding from the Local via the standard methods for discretionary requests outlined by the Local.

Dissolution the General Meeting shall dismiss any Task or Working Group by simple majority vote; the Local Council may dismiss any Task or Working Group by a two-thirds vote.

Section 1: Formation. Committees shall be formed by the General Meeting, Special Meeting, or the Convention to address a specific operational need. Any proposed Committee will produce a Written Statement of Purpose, which will prescribe the Committee’s activities, and must be signed by at least ten (10) New Orleans DSA members.

Section 2: Function, Responsibilities, and Bylaws. Each Committee shall be responsible for its own activities. To this end, each Committee shall produce Bylaws and appoint a committee steward within three (3) months after official status was granted to the Committee. The Local Council must approve committee bylaws by a simple majority vote. Each Committee is responsible for:

Carrying out the program of the Committee as prescribed by the Written Statement of Purpose.
Committee leadership is also responsible for regularly reporting their activities to the General Meeting.
Committees shall work with the Treasurer to fundraise for committee needs and establish oversight of any committee funds.
Committees shall not institute any dues system or recurring collection of funds outside that of the Local.

Section 3: Dissolution. The General Meeting shall dismiss any Committee by a two-thirds majority vote.

Article 7: Caucuses

Section 1: Definition and Purpose. Caucuses are independent, unofficial formations of members within the Local. The Local encourages the formation of Caucuses to promote a vibrant democratic culture within the organization. With or without consent from or recognition by any official Local leadership or the Local itself, members may self-organize into temporary or permanent caucuses according to shared interests, affinities, and/or political goals. Caucuses may promote policies and actions for the Local to take on, and may challenge Local leadership and/or official Local policies.

Section 2: Official Recognition. A Caucus will be formally recognized by the Local in one or more official media if no less than five members in good standing sign a mission statement that includes the name and purpose of the Caucus. The Local Secretary will be responsible for ensuring proper recognition.

Article 8: Delegates

Section 1: Election. Delegates to National, Regional, and State bodies shall be elected by the General Membership at the General Meeting most immediately preceding the Convention or other gathering at which delegates are needed. The delegate election process will conform to DSA National bylaws and the National Convention calendar.

Article 9: Financial Management

Section 1: Financial Oversight. The Local Council shall establish a Finance Committee to develop, enforce, and maintain financial controls of the organization’s funds. The Finance Committee shall include both elected officers and members in good standing, and shall report to the Local Council and the General Membership its oversight activities at least quarterly. The Finance Committee will be chaired by the Treasurer and will include one or both Co-Chairs, both Treasurer Trustees, and at least three members in good standing who do not hold an elected office. The Local Council retains the oversight of the Finance Committee’s rules of order. All policies generated by the Committee must be approved by the General Membership.

Section 2: Local Dues. Pursuant to Article II, Section 5 of the National DSA Constitution, the Local may institute, change, or abolish voluntary Local Dues by a majority vote of the Local Council at a Local Council meeting.

Section 3: Local Council spending and National Conventions. The Local Council may only approve expenses above $1000 without an approval vote from General Membership if those costs are necessitated by Chapter participation in National Conventions. Specifically, the Local Council may unilaterally approve any costs for delegate travel, lodging, and registration fees by a simple majority vote.

Article 10: 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 2, Section 3.

Section 2. Any member of New Orleans DSA may propose Amendments.

Section 3. The Local Council shall also put forward to the next General Meeting Amendments proposed and endorsed by no fewer than twenty members or 10% of membership, whichever is lower.

Article 11: Rules of Order

Section 1: Majority Vote. Unless specified otherwise in these bylaws, decisions are made by a simple majority vote (“50% plus one”).

Section 2: Rules for Meetings. The Local Council and other official bodies may operate by Robert’s Rules of Order, 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 specific meeting.

Section 3: General Principles. The New Orleans Local 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.

DSA Meeting Code of Conduct

[drafted by Ana Avendaño and reviewed by NHGO Paula Brantner, grievance program consultants; presented for consideration at NPC meeting, April 11-12, 2020, amended for New Orleans DSA and ratified by the General Membership on 1/9/2021.]

1. Purpose

A primary goal of DSA is to be welcoming and inclusive to our members and others who share DSA’s core values of liberty, equality, solidarity, as well as our commitment to restructuring gender and cultural relationships to be equitable and not oppressive within the context of building a diverse working class movement. As such, we are committed to providing a welcoming and inclusive environment for all.

This code of conduct outlines DSA’s expectations for all those who participate in DSA meetings, conferences, and other public-facing events, as well as the consequences for unacceptable behavior. That includes DSA members, allies, vendors, donors, supporters, and others.

We invite all DSA members and allies to help us create welcoming and positive experiences for everyone.

2. Expected Behavior

The following behaviors are expected and requested of all persons–including general members and elected leaders– who participate in DSA meetings, conferences, online spaces, and other events:

Refrain from demeaning, discriminatory, or harassing behavior and speech;
Participate in an authentic and active way. In doing so, you contribute to the health and longevity of DSA;
Exercise consideration in your speech and actions;
Share analysis and opinions rather than ad hominem attacks;
Comply with applicable Community Agreements;
Be mindful of your surroundings and of your fellow participants.
Alert a DSA chapter officer if you notice a dangerous situation, someone in distress, or violations of this Code of Conduct, even if they seem inconsequential;
Commit to proactively dealing with interpersonal tensions and supporting each other to do so. Work to address tensions directly and encourage others to do the same.
Navigate sexual and romantic relationships within the chapter with openness, honesty, frankness, gentleness, thoughtfulness, respect, and kindness; recognize that serial dating within the organization can be deeply harmful to the organizing space; be cognizant of how power manifests in organizing spaces and how that might influence romantic and personal relationships; commit to addressing these dynamics directly, openly, and with humility.
Engage in discussion honestly and openly without fear that genuine contribution and engagement with unfamiliar concepts or histories will invalidate your role in the chapter, but also commit to addressing areas of ideological, strategic, or political disagreement rather than more comfortably avoiding them. We commit to approaching each other with a collaborative spirit, and will not alienate comrades based on different lived experiences or education pertaining to theory or background.
We will prioritize strategic assessments over disputes about inflexible ideologies or dogmas.
Commit to respecting chapter-wide decisions and processes
Commit to assuming ‘good faith’ in other chapter members
Be receptive to feedback. Empathize with your comrades’ perceptions, while valuing your own.
Acknowledge and be held accountable for harm.
Prioritize marginalized people’s safety over privileged people’s comfort. This means we will not act on complaints regarding the following: a. “Reverse”-isms, b. Criticism for racist, sexist, cissexist, or otherwise oppressive behavior or assumptions. c. Reasonable communication of boundaries, such as “leave me alone,” “go away,” or “I’m not discussing this with you. d. Communicating in a tone someone does not find agreeable.
We will prioritize harmed parties in seeking steps toward repair and transformation from harmful behavior.
We will agree to be called-in when we do harm. We will strive to call-in our comrades for unacceptable behavior in ways that hold them accountable.
We will strive to resolve conflicts through deescalation and mediation, offering to help others act better in the future and facilitating their reconciliation with those aggrieved.
Trust your gut if you notice someone who might be an infiltrator, and let a DSA chapter officer know. **For some guidance as to what infiltrators historically do, please read this and this.

3. Unacceptable Behavior

The following behaviors are unacceptable within our community and may lead to the person being subject to our harassment policy or code of conduct and expulsion process:

Violence, threats of violence or violent language directed against another member;
Sexist, racist, homophobic, transphobic, ableist or otherwise discriminatory jokes and language;
Posting or displaying sexually explicit or violent material in our spaces, in which “spaces” are designated channels and “rooms” on digital platforms (e.g. Slack, Zoom) or physical spaces in which we discuss and/or conduct chapter business;
Posting or threatening to post other members’ or participants’ personally identifying information (“doxing”);
Personal insults, particularly those related to gender, sexual orientation, race, religion, or disability;
Inappropriate photography or recording. You should have members’ or participants’ consent before taking their photograph and/or recording their voice;
Inappropriate physical contact. You should have someone’s consent before touching them;
Unwelcome sexual attention. This includes: sexualized comments or jokes; inappropriate touching, groping, objectification, and unwelcome sexual advances;
Deliberate intimidation, stalking, invasions of privacy and space, or following (online or in person);Intentionally undermining, harming, or sabotaging organizing efforts,
Ignoring or directly contravening chapter policies or processes, including those related to conflict resolution,
Intentional and sustained disruptions of meetings and organizing spaces,
Misappropriation of funds or materials or access to communications or data of the chapter,
Disruption of community events, including meetings, talks and presentations; including by anyone who is in substantial disagreement with the principles or policies of the organization, as provided by the DSA Constitution.Advocating for, or encouraging, any of the above behavior;

4. Consequences of Unacceptable Behavior

Unacceptable behavior from any person who attends a DSA meeting, conference, or event will not be tolerated. Anyone asked to stop unacceptable behavior is expected to comply immediately.

Infiltrators will be removed from meetings, conferences, and all other events immediately. An infiltrator is defined as anyone who is in substantial, disrespectful and vocal disagreement with the principles or policies of the organization which lead to insurmountable differences in goals or tactics, as provided by the chapter bylaws.

If a person engages in unacceptable behavior, DSA leaders/organizers may take any immediate action they deem appropriate to immediately address the behavior, including expulsion from the meeting, conference, digital or in-person forums, or event, and without refund in the case of a paid event. Until the chapter can investigate whether the unacceptable behavior violated DSA’s harassment policy and/or any applicable code of conduct, the person may be prohibited from further participation in the organization.

The Local Council and the HGOs can take further action to address unacceptable behavior per the chapter bylaws. The LC and HGOs are committed to addressing members’ or leaders’ unacceptable behavior while creating a process for everyone to account for their actions, transform their behavior, and respond to accusations, as long as that process does not allow further harm to thrive. The LC and HGOs will work with community members who experience harm to contribute to shaping this restorative process, if they desire to do so.

Furthermore, the LC and HGOs are committed to ongoing development of all members, leaders, and allies to transform the political conditions that reinforce oppression, violence, and abuse.

5. Reporting Guidelines

If you are subject to or witness unacceptable behavior, or have any other concerns, please notify a meeting marshal, HGO, or DSA officer (including the elected chapter leadership and/or meeting or committee chair).

Solely as an option of critical need, depending on the nature of the conduct, DSA officers may help community members engage with local law enforcement or to otherwise help those experiencing unacceptable behavior feel safe. At in-person events, organizers will also provide escorts as desired by the person experiencing distress.

Chapter HGOs (harassment grievance officers) can assist with filing a grievance for a potential violation of DSA’s harassment policy, Resolution 33, and/or chapter codes of conduct. If an HGO is not present at the meeting, please contact a chapter officer or look on the chapter website to obtain the confidential email address to submit a grievance.

6. Scope

We expect all community participants (DSA staff, members, allies, vendors, donors, supporters and others) to abide by this Code of Conduct in all community venues–online and in-person–as well as in all one-on-one communications or meetings pertaining to DSA business. This Code of Conduct applies to all of our ‘spaces’ but not beyond, in which “spaces” include both digital platforms (e.g. Slack, Zoom) or physical spaces in which we discuss and/or conduct chapter business

This code of conduct and its related procedures also applies to unacceptable behavior occurring outside the scope of community activities when such behavior has the potential to adversely affect the safety and well-being of community members.

Jemez Principles for Democratic Organizing

The Jemez Principles for Democratic Organizing were originally drafted at the 1996 Working Group Meeting on Globalization and Trade. Also known as the Jemez meeting, it was hosted by the Southwest Network for Environmental and Economic Justice with the intention of hammering out common understandings between participants from different cultures, politics and organizations, initially with environmental justice organizing in mind specifically. The participants adopted the following “Jemez Principles” for democratic organizing, which have since guided a wide variety of organizations struggling for social, racial, and economic justice:

Be Inclusive
If we hope to achieve just societies that include all people in decision-making and assure that all people have an equitable share of the wealth and the work of this world, then we must work to build that kind of inclusiveness into our own movement in order to develop alternative policies and institutions to the treaties policies under neoliberalism. This requires more than tokenism, it cannot be achieved without diversity at the planning table, in staffing, and in coordination. It may delay achievement of other important goals, it will require discussion, hard work, patience, and advance planning. It may involve conflict, but through this conflict, we can learn better ways of working together. It’s about building alternative institutions, movement building, and not compromising out in order to be accepted into the anti-globalization club.
Emphasis on Bottom-Up Organizing
To succeed, it is important to reach out into new constituencies, and to reach within all levels of leadership and membership base of the organizations that are already involved in our networks. We must be continually building and strengthening a base which provides our credibility, our strategies, mobilizations, leadership development, and the energy for the work we must do daily.
Let People Speak for Themselves
We must be sure that relevant voices of people directly affected are heard. Ways must be provided for spokespersons to represent and be responsible to the affected constituencies. It is important for organizations to clarify their roles, and who they represent, and to assure accountability within our structures.
Work Together In Solidarity and Mutuality
Groups working on similar issues with compatible visions should consciously act in solidarity, mutuality and support each other’s work. In the long run, a more significant step is to incorporate the goals and values of other groups with your own work, in order to build strong relationships. For instance, in the long run, it is more important that labor unions and community economic development projects include the issue of environmental sustainability in their own strategies, rather than just lending support to the environmental organizations. So communications, strategies and resource sharing is critical, to help us see our connections and build on these.
Build Just Relationships Among Ourselves
We need to treat each other with justice and respect, both on an individual and an organizational level, in this country and across borders. Defining and developing “just relationships” will be a process that won’t happen overnight. It must include clarity about decision-making, sharing strategies, and resource distribution. There are clearly many skills necessary to succeed, and we need to determine the ways for those with different skills to coordinate and be accountable to one another.
Commitment to Self-Transformation
As we change societies, we must change from operating on the mode of individualism to community-centeredness. We must “walk our talk.” We must be the values that we say we’re struggling for and we must be justice, be peace, be community