P A C I F I C
U N I O N
C O N F E R E N C E
C O N S T I T U E N C Y
M O T I O N S
Motion #1 – To Be Presented to Delegates at Earliest Opportunity During Session WHEREAS, the Bylaws of the Pacific Union Conference currently state in relevant part in Article V, Section 2 that the Union “shall hold a Regular Constituency Session the calendar year following a Regular Constituency Session of the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists…”, that a constituency meeting at any other time is a Special Constituency Session (see Article V, Section 3, A.), and that elections of officers and other designated Union officials may only occur at Regular Session and not at Special Session (see Article V, Section 3 E.); WHEREAS, due to the global COVID-19 pandemic, the Regular Constituency Session of the General Conference of Seventhday Adventists has already been delayed at least twice and will occur no earlier than the summer of 2022, which under current Union Bylaws would delay the Union’s Regular Session to at least 2023; WHEREAS, in the opinion of the Union Executive Committee, the Union President’s Council, and the executive officers of the Union, it is expected Union delegates would prefer to meet as originally planned in 2021 to carry out its scheduled business, hold elections, maintain a 5-year interval for Regular Sessions, and avoid potentially significant costs for cancellation of financial obligations already incurred for a 2021 session; WHEREAS, the following amendments will allow a Special Session to occur in place of the originally scheduled Regular Session in 2021 and allow all Union business normally conducted at the Regular Session to take place at the Special Session, including elections, thereby satisfying the goals stated above; IT IS MOVED that the following amendments to the Union Bylaws be adopted, taking effect immediately upon an affirmative vote by the Union delegates in session, and expiring immediately following adjournment of the Special Session called for August 15 and 16, 2021: Article V, Section 3, E., is amended as follows: “A Special Constituency Session may include any agenda item that could be included on the agenda of a Regular Constituency Session except the election or removal of the officers, the Executive Committee, or the Ethnic Minority Coordinators.” Article V, Section 4, is amended as follows: The President, Executive Secretary, Treasurer, Vice President, the Asian Pacific, African American and Hispanic Coordinators and the Union Executive Committee members shall be elected by the delegates at a Regular or Special Union Constituency Session. They shall hold office until the next Regular or Special Union Constituency Session, unless they resign or are removed from office by the Union Executive Committee. The appointment of Departmental Directors, Associate Departmental Directors, Associate Secretaries, Under-Treasurers, or Associate Treasurers, shall be made by the Union Executive Committee. Article VIII, Section 2, A., is amended as follows: The Union Executive Committee is the board of directors of the Union, and the members of the Executive Committee are the directors. The Union Executive Committee shall be elected at a Regular or Special Constituency Session and shall consist of not more than forty-eight (48) members. The Union President, Executive Secretary, Treasurer, and Vice President; local conference presidents; Pacific Union College President; La Sierra University President; Pacific Press Publishing Association President; Adventist Health President; Union Asian Pacific, African American and Hispanic Coordinators, and the Union Director of Education shall be members ex officio of the Committee. Motion #2 – To Be Presented During Bylaws Amendment Portion of Agenda IT IS MOVED that the following amendments to the Union Bylaws and Articles of Incorporation be adopted; that the Union Executive Secretary be authorized to update the Bylaws Table of Contents, Table of Contents page numbers, and any spacing or formatting changes required upon adoption of the amendments; and that the Union Executive Committee and Union executive officers are authorized to prepare and file appropriate paperwork with the California Secretary of State to effectuate the proposed changes to the Articles of Incorporation: Article IV, Section 6: Each duly appointed delegate shall be entitled to one (1) vote on each motion, and shall have voting rights only at the specific Union Constituency Session (or extension thereof) at which he or she has been specifically designated as a delegate. Voting for executive Oofficers and Ethnic Coordinators Vice Presidents for Specialized Ministries shall be by secret ballot. When requested by a majority of delegates present and voting, other votes may also be by secret ballot; otherwise, the mode of voting shall be at the discretion of the chair.
July 2021 65
