Minutes                                              

Libertarian Party of Florida, Inc.

Annual Business Meeting

April 9 and 10, 2016

West Palm Beach, Florida

Call to order

Meeting was called to order Saturday, April 9, 2016, at 9:46 am EST by the Chair, Char-Lez Braden

Appoint Sergeant at Arms

Warren Redlich was appointed Sergeant-At-Arms by the Chair, Char-Lez Braden

Convention Credentials Report/Roll Call

Delegates Registered: 125

Delegates Present: 85+1 Provisional (see Addendum A)

Determination of Quorum

Quorum was established

Welcome and Introduction of Guests

The Chair, Char-Lez Braden, welcomed the delegates and attendees and introduced speaker, Wes Benedict of the Libertarian Party

Approval of Agenda (voice vote)

Motion by the Chair to approved agenda passed without objection

First Call for Nominations from the Floor for EC positions (in order nominated)

        Nominations for Secretary

                Suzanne Gilmore

        Nominations for Treasurer

                James Morris

        Advisory Nominations for At-Large 1 Director

                Kevin O’Neill

                Alison Foxall

        Nominations for At-Large 2 Director

                Russ Wood

                Joseph Wendt

Officers Reports or Comments were provided

        A.        Secretary’s Report - Suzanne Gilmore

        B.        Treasurer’s Report - James Morris

        C.        Chair’s Report - Char-Lez Braden

Committee Reports

Chair’s motion to strike committee reports passed without objection

Break (15 minutes)

Motion to recess for break passed at 10:51 am EST

Meeting Reconvened at 11:17 am EST

Convention Credentials Report

Delegates Registered: 2 additional delegates were seated for a total of 127

Delegates Present: 85+1 Provisional

Determination of Quorum

Quorum was established

Rules Committee Motions

Motion by Dana Cummings to place Motions 2016-ABM-CON-1, -2, -3, and -4 in a consent agenda, seconded by Lynn House. Request to pull item 206-ABM-CON-4 by Omar Recuero.

Motion # 2016-ABM-CON-1

Title: Motion to Amend Constitution Article I, Sect. 2

Move to amend Constitution Article I, Section 2 to insert, "and LPF members" after organizations

Section 2. The object and purpose of the LPF is to engage in political action in the State

of Florida, to serve as an affiliate organization of the Libertarian Party in national politics,

and to serve as a nucleus for designated county affiliate organizations and LPF

members in matters of statewide political action.

Motion # 2016-ABM-CON-2

Title: Motion to Amend Constitution Striking Article II, Section 2, Adding New Article IV, moving current Article II, Section 2 to new Article IV, and Renumbering

Move to strike Article II, Section 2 and renumber, add a new Article IV titled AFFILIATES, move current Article II, Section 2 to the New Article IV and renumber

ARTICLE II Membership

Section 1. LPF membership is open to whoever signs the pledge: "I hereby certify that I do not believe in or advocate the initiation of force as a means of achieving political or social goals  and asks to be a member of the LPF.

Section 2. Affiliate organizations which choose to become affiliated parties of the LPF shall apply for official designation on a standard petition form for County Affiliates, as adopted by the Executive Committee and subject to the Bylaws and Standing Rules.  No change in the Bylaws or Standing Rules may have the effect of imposing a head tax on the membership.

Section 3. No change in the Bylaws or Standing Rules may have the effect of disenfranchising a member.

Section 4. No change in the Bylaws or Standing Rules shall deny the autonomy of an individual member or an affiliate party, except as provided in the Constitution.

Section 5.  Certain rights and privileges of membership, including delegate status, committee appointments and observation of committee meetings, holding party office, exercise of voting rights in the conduct of any Libertarian Party of Florida business, and the right to bring business before the Annual Business Meeting, shall be unavailable to members and officers of any other political party registered in the state of Florida. Members and officers of other political parties registered in the state of Florida may participate in discussion on items of business brought before the membership, subject to the discretion of the Chair or majority vote of the body.

Article IV AFFILIATES

Affiliate organizations which choose to become affiliated parties of the LPF shall apply

for official designation on a standard petition form for County Affiliates, as adopted by the

Executive Committee and subject to the Bylaws and Standing Rules.

Motion # 2016-ABM-CON-3

Title: Motion to Amend Constitution Article III, Sect. 4A

Move to amend Constitution Article III, Section 4A to delete "upon order of the Executive Committee"

(A) The Rules Committee will, be composed of the LPF Chair, LPF Secretary and three

(3) other members of the party not on the Executive Committee, appointed annually by

the Chair to serve a one-year term. The Rules Committee shall be responsible for

interpreting the Constitution based on current Florida Statutes and upon order of the

Executive Committee shall prepare and submit amendments to the Constitution and

Bylaws for a vote by the membership at the Annual Business Meeting.

Disposition: Consent agenda passed without objection

Motion by Dana Cummings to postpone 2016-ABM-CON-4 until meeting reconvenes.

Motion passed without objection

Second Call for Nominations from the Floor for EC positions (in order nominated)

Secretary - none

Treasurer - none

At-Large 2 Director - none

Introduction of Candidates for EC Positions

        Secretary - Suzanne Gilmore

Treasurer - James Morris

At-Large 2 Director - Russ Wood, Joseph Wendt

Rules Committee Motions Continued

Motion by Dana Cummings to postpone 2016-ABM-CON-5 until meeting reconvenes. Seconded

Motion passed without objection

Motion by Dana Cummings to pass 2016-ABM-BY-1 was seconded.

Motion # 2016-ABM-BY-1

Title:  Motion to Amend By-Laws Article I

Move to amend By-Laws Article I to re-title as "County Affiliates"

ARTICLE I  Objects and Purposes  County Affiliates

Disposition: Passed without objection

Motion # 2016-ABM-BY-2

Title:  Motion to Amend By-Laws Article III, Section 2 B

Move to amend By-Laws Article II, Section 2 B by striking the entirety of the text and replacing with the following, by adding a new Section C and Section D, and renumbering, and by adding a new Section G as follows:

ARTICLE III Executive Committee

Section 1. The Officers and Directors-at-large. of the Executive Committee shall be elected at the Annual Business Meeting by the delegate assembly majority vote for a period of two (2) years.

Section 2  Executive Committee

Election of Executive Committee Officers. The Chair, Vice-Chair and odd numbered Directors-at-large shall be elected in odd numbered years. The Secretary, Treasurer, and even numbered Directors-at-large shall be elected in even numbered years and in 2001. Regional Representatives shall be elected at the Annual Business Meeting and shall serve for a period of one (1) year. These Executive Committee members shall take office upon the close of the Annual Business Meeting and serve thereafter until the final adjournment of the Annual Business Meeting at which their terms expire.

A.   No offices shall be combined.

B.   The Executive Committee shall fill vacancies by appointment.  The Executive Committee shall fill vacancies of Regional Representatives, Committee Chairs, and Committee members by appointment of the LPF Chair with confirmation of the appointment as indicated by a majority of the votes cast by the Executive Committee.

C.   All nominations to fill vacancies shall be submitted to the LPF chair.

D.  The Executive Committee shall fill vacancies of elected positions of LPF Chair, LPF Vice Chair, LPF Secretary, LPF Treasurer, and Directors at Large as indicated by a majority of the votes cast by the Executive Committee via roll call vote.

(1) Each nominee for a vacated position listed in this section shall

be offered the floor for introductions for no less than (2) two

Minutes.

(2) Any candidate may choose to yield half of the maximum

allotted time to another candidate.

(3) By proxy introductions of candidates shall be limited to (1) one

minute.

E. The LPF Executive Committee should be notified by a resigning member of the Executive Committee within seven (7) days of their resignation. If the member does not submit a resignation, their unexcused absence from three monthly Executive Committee meetings or six bi-weekly Executive Committee meetings shall be considered a resignation effective immediately.

F.  Any member elected or appointed to serve on the Executive Committee or other LPF committee shall be a member of the Libertarian Party of Florida, and shall, upon request, show proof of registration as a Libertarian voter in the State of Florida.

                G.  The Chair may appoint temporary officers and at-large directors to

meet State determined time limits for notifying them of the changes of

Executive Committee members. These temporarily filled positions shall be

confirmed at the next Executive Committee Meeting. At the request of two

members of the Executive Committee a properly noticed meeting shall be

called to elect qualified members to replace the temporary appointments

for the entire remaining term.

Motion by Bob Franke to change D.1 from less to more was seconded.

Motion passed without objection

Motion by Omar Recuero to strike D.3 in its entirety was seconded.

Motion failed.

Disposition: Main motion passed without objection.

Motion by Dana Cummings to pass Motion #2016-ABM-BY-3, was seconded by Lynn House.

Motion # 2016-ABM-BY-3

Title: Motion to Add By-Laws Article III, Section 4 G

Move to add to the By-Laws Article III, Section 4 G

G. SPECIAL MEETINGS - Special meetings of the Executive Committee may be called

by the Chair or 2/3 of the EC at any time, provided the purpose of the call, time, date and

contact information is given 24 hours in advance. Only items listed in the call for a

special meeting shall be acted upon at the special meeting.

Motion by Laurence Stone to insert at least before 24 hours, was seconded.

Motion passed.

Motion by James Jensen to replace every instance of the word “call” with “meeting” was seconded.

Motion passed.

Disposition: Motion passed without objection.

Motion by Dana Cummings to pass Motion #2016-ABM-BY-4 was seconded by Kenneth Willey.

Motion # 2016-ABM-BY-4

Title: Motion to Amend By-Laws Article IV, Section 3

Move to amend By-Laws Article IV, section 3 to add the word verifiably and to delete the words “or have signed a new voter registration or party change form to become a valid registered LPF voter to the LPF secretary"

Section 3. Delegates shall be members as prescribed in ARTICLE II of the Constitution

on the day of commencement of the annual business meeting and a delegate must be a

verifiably registered Libertarian Party of Florida voter in the state of Florida or have

signed a new voter registration or party change form to become a valid registered LPF

voter to the LPF secretary prior to the start of the annual business meeting. Delegate

status may be denied by a 2/3 majority vote of the Executive Committee if a potential

delegate has been found to have violated the non-aggression principle.

Disposition: Motion passed with 9 objections.

Motion by Dana Cummings to pass Motion  # 2016-ABM-BY-5

Motion # 2016-ABM-BY-5

Title:  Motion to Amend By-Laws Article IV, Section 3 C

Move to strike the entirety of By-Laws Article IV, Section 3 C. Credentials

C. Credentials: Each affiliate chair shall be responsible for submitting a list of delegates

from his/her county to the Secretary of the LPF at least 45 days prior to the start of the

general business meeting of the convention. Each Regional Representative of the LPF

shall be responsible for submitting a list of delegates from each unaffiliated county in

his/her region, to the Secretary of the LPF at least 45 days prior to the start of the

general business meeting of the convention

Disposition: Motion passed without objection.

Motion by Greg Bowen to recess for Lunch was seconded by Tony Sellers.

Motion passed without objection.  

Meeting Reconvened at 3:22 pm EST

Convention Credentials Report

Delegates Registered: 127

Delegates Present: 85+1 Provisional

Determination of Quorum

Quorum was established

Rules Committee Motions Continued

Motion by Dana Cummings to pass Motion # 2016-ABM-BY-6 was seconded.

Motion # 2016-ABM-BY-6

Title:  Motion to Amend By-Laws Article IV, Section 5

Move to strike By-Laws Article IV, Section 5 F in its entirety

F. The host affiliate shall serve as the Convention Committee and make all arrangements

for the physical needs of the convention. Party meetings may also be hosted by

affiliates.

Disposition: Motion passed without objection

Motion by Dana Cummings to pass Motion # 2016-ABM-SR-1 was seconded by Lynn House.

Motion # 2016-ABM-SR-1

Title:  Motion to Amend Standing Rules Article I, Section 4

Move to add to the Standing Rules Article I, Section 4

Section 4. "The Membership Committee shall act to coordinate volunteers.

Disposition: Motion paases with one Nay from James Jensen.

Preference Vote for Officers

Secretary

Suzanne Gilmore unopposed, passed without objection

Treasurer

James Morris unopposed, passed without objection

At-Large 2 Director (see Addendum B)

Russ Wood 65

Joseph Wendt 11

Abstain 2

NOTA 1

Not Present 45

Notification of Regional Rep Elections

Reg 1                James Campbell

Reg 2                Anna Marie Morris

Reg 3                Joshua Folsom

Reg 4                Ryan Ramsey

Reg 5                James Chipman

Reg 6                (None)

Reg 7                Robert Schlotman

Reg 8                Stacey Selleck

Reg 9                George Lebovitz

Reg 10        Darlene Underwood

Reg 11        Audrey Capozzi

Reg 12        Robert Enright

Reg 13        Karl Dickey

Reg 14          Steven Nekhaila

Meeting of the LPF EC to elect officers per preference

Motion: Chair seeks unanimous consent of executive committee members to elect the nominees for office presented en toto per the preference vote of the delegation.

Seconded by Russ Wood

        Disposition: Carried without objection

Presentation and confirmation of EC officers (FS 103.095)

Motion by Greg Bowen to adjourn Adjournment, seconded by James Morris.

Motion passed

Meeting adjourned 4:11 pm

Call to order

Meeting was called to order Sunday, April 10, 2016, at 10:39 am EST by the Chair, Char-Lez Braden

Convention Credentials Report/Roll Call

Delegates Registered: 89

Delegates Present: 58 (See addendum C)

Determination of Quorum

Quorum was established

Rules Committee Motions Continued

Motion by Dana Cummings to pass Motion #2016-ABM-CON-5

Motion # 2016-ABM-CON-5

Title: Motion to Amend Constitution, Article VI, Sect. 2

Move to amend Article VI, Section 2 of the Constitution to delete the current wording and replace as follows:

ARTICLE VI Adoption & Amendments

Section 2. Amendments to the Constitution may be made in the following manner one of

the following ways:

A. Amendments must be published among the Executive Committee, the County

Affiliates and all members in good standing, thirty (30) days prior to the Annual Business

Meeting and passed by two-thirds of the members present at that meeting.

A. Amendments must be published on the official LPF web page and notice of that

publication must be given to the Executive Committee, the County Affiliates and all

members in good standing thirty (30) days prior to the Annual Business Meeting. Only

amendments that are properly published and given proper notice will be heard at the

annual meeting. This constitution is amended by a vote of 2/3 of the membership at any

regular or special meeting.

B. Upon establishment of affiliates in each county in Florida, a proposed Amendment

can be accepted by a three-fourths vote of the Executive Committee and ratified by

three-fourths of the county affiliates.

        Motion by Greg Bowen to add at least before 30 days was seconded.

        Amendment passed.

        Motion by Joshua Folsom to strike  at any regular or special meeting.

        Disposition: Motion to table was seconded and passed without objection.

Motion # 2016-ABM-CON-4

Title: Motion to Amend Constitution, Article III, Sect. 7

Move to amend Constitution Article III, by striking Section 7 Membership Committee and replacing with the following:

Section 7 The Membership Committee shall be appointed by the Executive Committee

and shall consist of at least five (5) members of the LPF with the majority NOT being

members of the Executive Committee. The Committee shall include the Membership

LPF Secretary for the party, and shall oversee the activities of the Membership

Secretary, giving assistance where needed. The principal duties of the Membership

Committee shall be responsibility for increasing the membership in the LPF and for

increasing the LP voter registration. The Membership Committee is also responsible for

recruiting members both for the Affiliate and for the LPF. The Membership Secretary

shall be responsible for maintaining party membership records and/or sending out dues

notices on a timely basis to those members whose dues are about to lapse.

        Section 7. The Membership Committee shall be appointed by the Chair and confirmed

by the Executive Committee. It shall consist of at least five (5) members of the LPF with

the majority NOT being members of the Executive Committee. The Committee must

include the LPF Secretary, who maintains the membership records, with assistance and

guidance from this committee. The principal duties of the Membership Committee shall

be responsibility for increasing the membership in the LPF and for increasing the LP

voter registration. The Membership Committee is also responsible for recruiting

members both for the Affiliate and for the LPF.

Disposition: Not taken up.

Motions from the Floor

​Title:​ National Candidate Inclusion

​Type:​ Standing Rule

​Text:​ ARTICLE XIII of the standing rules shall be amended to include:Section 3.No candidate seeking nation-wide office who meets minimal requirements set by the national Libertarian Party may be denied equal access to the state convention without a 2/3 majority vote by the Executive Committee.​Made By:​ Paul Stanton

Disposition: Motion move to Rules Committee Passed

​Title:​ Statement against racism and bigotry

​Type:​ Platform

​Text:​ Article I Section 4 of the Libertarian Party of Florida platform shall be amended to insert the following sentence at the beginning:We reject racism and bigotry as antithetical to a libertarian society.The full section would then read as follows:

4. We reject racism and bigotry as antithetical to a libertarian society.  We support Equality under the Law, and condemn any law that either rewards or punishes any individual based on race, ethnicity, religion, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation1, or any other group identification. Each person has the same inalienable rights. It is the States duty to protect those rights for each individual equally.​Made By:​ Paul Stanton

Motion to call question by Jason Hartgrave

Disposition: Motion Failed

​Title:​ Motion to Amend By Laws Article IV, Section 3

​Type:​ By Law

​Text:​ Move to amendment Part A

To Read:

Delegates shall be members as prescribed in ARTICLE II of the Constitution on the day of commencement of the annual business meeting and a delegate must be a verifably registered Libertarian Party of Florida voter in the state of Florida "60 days" prior to the start of the annual business meeting. Delegate status may be denied by a 2/3 majority vote of the Executive Committee if a potential delegate has been found to have violated the non-aggression principle.​Made By:​ Omar Recuero

Chair ruled motion was out of order with upon Rules Committee chair’s recommendation, because the motion included language in a prior motion that was passed.

Chair reversed and ruled the motion in order

Vote not to accept Chair’s rule to hear

Disposition: Passed that motion was out of order with 29 votes.

Motion to recess and seconded.

Motion passed without objection at 11:35 am EST

Meeting Reconvened at 11:55 am EST

Convention Credentials Report/Roll Call

Delegates Registered: 79

Delegates Present: 45 (See addendum D)

Request from the floor by Dana Cummings to read the list of LP elected delegates.

LP Delegates

Dick Creamer read preliminary draft of elected LP delegates. Subject to revision.

(See Addendum D)

Adjournment

Motion by Greg Bowen to adjourn, seconded.

Motion passed

Meeting adjourned 1:04 pm

Addendum A

2016 LPF State Convention Delegate Roll Call-Sat 04/08 Morning