The major changes and updates between the old Bylaws and the proposed 2019 Bylaws are summarized below:
- Throughout the document, language, punctuation, and formatting has been amended and updated for clarity and standardization.
- Throughout the document, standardized terms, definitions, and acronyms have been adopted for clarity.
- Throughout the document, gender parity updates have been applied, in line with 2018 WSDCC gender parity updates.
- Throughout the document, content has been combined and/or eliminated to streamline information and remove redundancy.
- Adopted the WSDCC Code of Conduct (Article II, Sec. 3).
- In accordance with the RCW (and PDC reporting requirements), the statutory Vice Chair (“First Vice Chair”) has been defined as the Pierce County Vice Chair.
- while the previous Bylaws listed both King and Pierce Vice Chairs as statutory, the RCW allows only one statutory Vice Chair
- because the majority of the 31st Legislative District’s population resides in Pierce County, it was decided that the Pierce County Vice Chair should hold the statutory office.
- Standing committees have been renamed to reflect current practice and duties, and a Finance and Budget standing committee has been added (to be chaired by the Treasurer)
- Eligibility requirements and procedures for endorsements have been added and/or clarified for the following (Article VI, sections 6, 7, and 8), to ensure that members have enough time and information to make informed endorsement decisions:
- candidates requesting endorsement
- non-candidate campaigns requesting endorsement
- Resolutions
- Added endorsement procedures (Article VI, section 9) for the purpose of:
- ensuring members have adequate time to familiarize themselves with candidates before endorsement votes
- adding weight to our endorsement of Congressional candidates
- allowing for expanded voting access (in absentia) when feasible
