Special Rule of Order Regarding Electronic Meetings

of the State Central Committee

Section 1: Credentialing

1. As soon as is practicable prior to the meeting, DPO Staff will send a list of Delegates to be Credentialed to the County Party, CD, or Caucus Chair.
2. No later than 3 business days prior to the meeting, the County Party,CD, or Caucus Chair or their designee must notify the DPO of any changes to the delegation. Failure to respond will result in the DPO issuing credentials to the elected delegates that were noticed to the County Party,CD, or Caucus Chair.

1. It is the responsibility of the Chair of each County Party, CD and Caucus to ensure the list of delegates to be credentialed for the meeting is correct.

3. The list of who is to be credentialed as a member of the State Central Committee will be sent out to the Credentials Committee electronically.

1. Any concerns about this list that may be raised by members of the Credentials Committee should be submitted to the Credentials Chair and will be routed to the appropriate County, Caucus, or CD.

4. By one (1) business day prior to the meeting, the DPO Staff will send out login credentials to all State Central Committee Members. Voting Credentials will only be given out to people on the list named above.

1. Alternates and Associate Members will not receive voting credentials, will not be able to participate in debate or discussion, and may not be upgraded to a voting delegate position once credentials have been issued.
2. Alternates and Associates will be able to observe and listen in to the call.
3. Once Credentials have been issued, no changes may be made to delegation lists. Any motion to issue or revoke credentials made from the floor during the electronic meeting will not be in order.

5. During the call, the Credentials Chair or Vice Chair will provide direct supervision to the DPO Staff member who is staffing the conferencing system.

Section 2: Business Appropriate for Electronic Meetings

1. Per the DPO Bylaws, Electronic Meetings of the SCC are to be held in emergency situations only.
2. Any regular business that is not urgent may be deferred from the agenda of an Electronic/Telephonic meeting to a future in-person meeting by the chair.
3. New business must be submitted to the chair at least 72 hours before the call and may be deferred to a future meeting.

Section 3: The Conduct of the Call

1. Members will be credentialed by verification of identity after calling in.
2. The list of credentialed members will be made available to all members as the first order of business of the meeting, and will be included in the minutes of the meeting.
3. To maintain decorum on telephone meetings,  members will be muted, except when speaking or making a motion which is in order when another has the floor.
4. The Chair will recognize members to speak by electronic “raised hands” or other appropriate method in the order raised, to the best of the Chair’s ability.  
5. Unless an alternate solution is approved by the SCC for documenting votes cast by delegates, voting conducted during electronic meetings will be roll call votes, unless the vote is by unanimous consent.

1. Roll call votes will be conducted by asking members to press buttons using the “hands raised” feature on their phone, and the person staffing the meeting will read the name of each delegate and how they cast their vote. Votes cast in abstention will be confirmed by voice to ensure that a technological error did not occur when votes are cast.
2. After the credentials report is accepted, the first order of business will be a non-debatable motion to approve a way to conduct votes that is efficient and effective considering the technology used to facilitate the call (e.g. raised hands, push button, etc.).

6. Disruptions to the regular order of business by means such as making repeated dilatory motions, arguing with the chair, grandstanding, and interrupting when another has the floor are disrespectful to all SCC members, off-putting to new members, and embarrassing to guests. The chair may impose the following consequences in response to disruptive behavior during electronic SCC meetings:

1. At the time a member engages in verbal disruption of the meeting, the chair will immediately advise the member that their disruption is out of order, and ask them to terminate their disruption.  Should the member continue the disruption, the chair may immediately direct staff to mute the member’s microphone
2. After the first instance of disruptive behavior, the member will receive a cue or warning from the chair.
3. After the second instance of disruptive behavior, the member will lose their privilege to speak in the meeting the chair may direct staff to mute the member’s microphone.
4. After any instance of disruptive behavior during the counting of a vote, the disruptive member will lose their privilege to speak for the remainder of the meeting.
5. Members who have lost their privilege to speak during the meeting can still cast votes on motions.
6. Any motion to challenge the ruling of the chair or appeal consequences imposed to address disruptive behavior will not be in order.

7. The language of all motions will be displayed whenever possible, so members and alternates in the meeting can view the words.
8. At the beginning of each meeting the Chair will instruct members and alternates present at the meeting on methods of raising hands, casting votes, and how to be recognized for discussion.
9. The Special Rules of Order Regarding the conduct of State Central Committee Meetings should be adhered to where they do not conflict with these rules.