Welcome to training for the 2024
MA World Service Conference!
Thank you for being of service!
Raising Both Hands!
= Stop =
Say Serenity Prayer
The 12 Concepts for Service for Marijuana Anonymous
The 12 Concepts for Service for Marijuana Anonymous (cont.)
8. Effective leadership qualities are essential for Trustees, who are entrusted with the responsibility of making final decisions regarding general world service business and finances.
9. The Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws of Marijuana Anonymous World Services are legal documents that empower the trustees to manage and conduct world service business; the conference charter is not a legal document but relies on the force of the traditions and power of the group conscience.
10. The integrity of our service structure depends on continued unity of Marijuana Anonymous groups, districts, and World Services through effective communication.
11. Marijuana Anonymous’ funds and resources should be managed responsibly to ensure their most efficient use in carrying out the primary purpose of Marijuana Anonymous.
12. The Marijuana Anonymous service structure should be one of selfless service and not of power or government, ensuring that the spiritual principles of the 12 Steps, 12 Traditions, and the warranties of Article 12 of the Conference Charter are always maintained.
Approved by the World Service Conference of Marijuana Anonymous, May 1996
Changing screen name and raising your hand!
Use the Reactions button in the
Zoom Toolbar to Raise Hand ✋
Add gender pronouns as you wish.
Rename based on your role:
Delegates –
Observer –
Trustee –
Volunteer –
D04: Lyle D.
D21: Carol Mc.
O: Mary J.
T: Bob S.
V: Bill W.
Please make sure to have the proper screen name each time you join Conference sessions
Objectives for Training and Orientation
Questions?
We’ll pause frequently to answer
Our goal is to prepare
you to be of service!
MA Matters!
The MA World Service Conference is the forum at which group conscience throughout MA is expressed, and decisions are made that affect MA as a whole.
The Conference is our opportunity to come together as members in service to the entire Fellowship to address, discuss, and vote on matters
guided by the Fellowship’s group conscience.
This sharing provides the unity that binds all members to our common purpose.
“The integrity of our Service Structure depends on continued unity of
Marijuana Anonymous Groups, Districts, and World Services
through effective communication.”
-10th Concept for Service
MA Matters!
“Each group should be autonomous except in matters
affecting other groups or MA as a whole.”
-Tradition 4
CONFERENCE MATTERS THAT AFFECT OUR FELLOWSHIP
Article 12 of the Conference Charter
GENERAL WARRANTIES OF THE CONFERENCE:
In all its proceedings, the World Service Conference shall observe the spirit of the Traditions of MA, taking care that the Conference never becomes the seat of perilous wealth or power; that sufficient operating funds, plus an ample reserve, be its prudent financial principle; that none of the Conference members shall ever be placed in a position of unqualified authority over any of the others; that all important decisions be reached by discussion, vote and whenever possible, by substantial unanimity; that no Conference action ever be personally punitive nor an incitement to public controversy; that though the Conference may act for the service of MA, it shall never perform any acts of government; and that, like the Society of MA which it serves, the Conference itself will always remain democratic in thought and action.
Conference Support Roles
Assists the Chairperson, when requested, in making determinations on the application of the Standing Rules, Robert’s Rules, and matters involving the voting process.
The MA World Services Board President shall act as the Conference Chairperson. The Chair has the discretion to appoint any MA member as acting Chair.
PARLIAMENTARIAN
CHAIRPERSON
Conference Support Roles
Internet Trustee - Bill C.
Webmaster - Alana B.
Voting Members: Please inform the Meeting Manager in a private chat message if you plan to be away longer than a few minutes during sessions
TECHNICAL SUPPORT
MEETING MANAGER
How the Conference Functions
QUESTIONS?
The Conference Body
The Conference shall be open to all members of the Society of MA and Special Workers. The Conference Body shall be comprised of all registered Trustees,
A New Leaf Publication (ANLP) representatives, Delegates, Participating Observers, Special Workers and member volunteers.
The voting Members of the Conference (“Members”) are the Marijuana Anonymous World Services’ (“MA World Services”) Trustees, duly-elected District Delegates, and the ANLP Chairperson or another ANLP Officer. Each MA District may elect two Delegates. Each Member has only one vote, no matter how many positions they may hold.
Others (including observers) are not voting Members.
Members must be sober. Sobriety is defined as abstinence from marijuana
and all mind-altering substances, including alcohol.
VOTING MEMBERS
Participating Observer
Delegates Overview
Per our Bylaws and Service Manual, it is suggested that a Delegate have:
WHAT IS A DELEGATE?
DELEGATE QUALIFICATIONS
Delegate Conference Responsibilities
Write a Delegate District Report and submit reports ideally by May 20th
Alternate Delegates Duties During the Conference
When a Delegate is elected to the Board of Trustees during the Conference, �they are no longer District Delegate once the Conference concludes.
The Alternate would step into the official role of Delegate �for the remainder of the one-year term.
Delegate Duties Throughout the Year
DISTRICT SERVICE LEVEL
Delegates Duties Throughout the Year
WORLD SERVICES LEVEL
2023 - 2024 MA World Services Board
A New Leaf Publications Administrator: Janice O.
Accountant (CPA): Kate M.
Asst. Accountant and App Developer: Alia H.
HR Consultant: Autumn C.
Nonprofit Advisor / Publishing Consultant: Steven B
Special Worker Employees and Consultants
Literature: Keith K.
Newcomer Support: Rich C.
Outreach Liaison: Anthony V.
Outreach Policies: Lance P.
Policies & Procedures: Heather C.
Public Information: Mahli B.
Former ANLP Chair: Amy F.
President: Jules M.
Secretary/Correspondence: Nina S.
Treasurer: Tess M.
ANLP Chair: Adriana V.
Conferences & Conventions: Ellie J.
Hospitals & Institutions: David L.
Internet: Bill C.
Acting Treasurer Liaison: Kathy L.
Webmaster: Alana B.
Former ANLP Admins: Mariska P. and Beth F.
Former Webmaster: Lyle D.
The Third Legacy Procedure is used to elect Trustees
The MA World Services Bylaws mandate that we have an odd number of Trustees (between 7 and 21). The number of Trustees elected for the upcoming term will be determined during the Conference. This year, there are three Trustees in the middle of a two-year term.
Qualification: Two years of sobriety from marijuana and all mind-altering chemicals including alcohol is required. At least one year of Delegate experience is recommended.
During the Third Legacy Procedure the Conference Body does not elect the specific role of each Board Member, we simply determine who will be a Trustee.
Once the Third Legacy Procedure is complete, the outgoing and incoming Trustees meet to self-organize specific roles as appropriate.
The Board organization process is based upon the current needs of the Fellowship, as well as the interests and strengths of the Trustees.
General Responsibilities of all Trustees
View specific Trustee Job Descriptions: Marijuana-Anonymous.org/Service/World-Service/Trustees
Alternate Trustees
The number of Alternate Directors to be designated as “official” Alternate Directors,
for logistics purposes, such as receiving email accounts and attending the monthly Board of Trustees meetings, shall be determined by that year’s Conference Body.
The remaining Alternates will be designated as being on the “Alternate Waitlist.”
The Alternate Waitlist shall be created in the reverse order that the Third Legacy Procedure candidates were removed or eliminated during voting.
e.g., the last candidate removed before all available Positions on the Board of Trustees were filled, would be the “First Alternate-in-Waiting”, and so on. Such that the final names on the “Alternate Waitlist” would be candidates who were eligible but chose to strike their names.�
“Alternates-in-Waiting” will only be called upon as official Alternate Directors in the event one or more of the official Alternates are asked to serve
as Trustee due to a vacancy on the Board of Trustees.
Third Legacy Test Ballot - voting Members only
Practice voting now:
Use the Reactions button in the Zoom Toolbar to Raise Hand ✋
After you complete voting, lower your hand.
QUESTIONS?
Let our Business Begin!
As stated before, the Chairperson facilitates the entire Conference, utilizing the Standing Rules, including the voting process.
The Chair makes determinations on issues of procedural fairness, and consults with the parliamentarian as needed.
The Chair strives to adhere to the Schedule, �at minimum, always ensuring breaks are taken as indicated.
Parliamentary Procedure - Standing Rules
The MA World Service Conference utilizes the Standing Rules, to conduct business in an orderly way that is fair to all meeting members. MA uses a modified version of Robert’s Rules of Order, Newly Revised. The Standing Rules govern the proceedings for the Conference. At the start of each Conference the Standing Rules are voted on, and approved by the Conference Body, usually as part of the Consent Agenda. These rules remain in effect until the beginning of the next Conference.
This will be the first voting matter at the Conference. Please familiarize yourself with this year’s proposed MA Conference Standing Rules.
Today we will introduce you to the following:
Standing Rule 5
A quorum is the minimum number of voting Members required �to be present to conduct business which requires voting.
The quorum is established at the beginning of the Conference by taking a count of voting Members. Two-thirds of this initial count shall determine the quorum.
When the Conference Agenda includes inducting a new District, then that business shall take place following the adoption of the Standing Rules and the Consent Agenda. If a new District is inducted, the quorum shall be recounted to include their Delegate(s) as voting Members.
Thereafter the quorum count shall not change during the remainder of the Conference.
A count of voting Members shall be taken immediately following each scheduled break in the agenda to ensure a quorum is present. If the number of votes returned on any motion matches quorum exactly, the results of that vote must be unanimous to pass.
Count of Voting Members
Quorum
Standing Rule 7
The Consent Agenda contains the routine, procedural, informational, and self-explanatory items that are considered non-controversial (by the Agenda Committee) and typically found in an agenda (such as the Conference schedule, Standing Rules, approval of previous years’ minutes, and the ratification of a Convention host).
The Consent Agenda is used to expedite voting for items on which there is often unanimous consent so that debate and explanation is unnecessary. If any individual wants debate, or discussion, there is no unanimous consent and the item is removed.
Items not removed will be adopted by unanimous consent without debate.
Removed items shall be taken up immediately after the Consent Agenda is passed, and will be discussed using the regular Standing Rules.
Consent Agenda
Standing Rule 8
Motions are formal proposals for action, put forth at the Conference by a Standing Committee or any Conference attendee. Any motion or amendment thereto shall be presented in written form, using the procedures set forth in the Service Manual.
Any motion moved by an individual must be seconded (or “endorsed”) for discussion by another attendee. A motion is seconded when any member of the Conference Body states, “This is (name), I second the motion.” If no one seconds the proposed motion, there will be no further consideration. Motions presented by a Standing Committee inherently are proposed by more than one individual, as they are already endorsed by the entire Committee, and as such do not require to be seconded.
Motions
Standing Rule 8 (continued)
Before the Chair “States the Question”, by repeating the motion as currently written, the motion maker and the person who seconded the motion have the right to modify the motion at will, which includes accepting “Friendly” Amendments suggested by other members of the Conference Body. The motion maker may also choose to withdraw it entirely, but no longer has the ability to do so once the Chair has stated the question.
Immediately following Friendly Amendments, the Chair reads the motion in its current state (states the question) that is before the Conference Body for its consideration and action. Motions that have been Moved, Seconded, and Stated by the Chair now belong to the Conference Body as an Active Motion on the floor. The motion maker, the original motion author(s), the person who seconded the motion, and the Conference Body can no longer make changes without a formal motion to amend. There may be only one main motion active, or “on the floor,” at a time.
Motions Continued
Standing Rule 9
Amendments are subsidiary motions that modify the wording, and often the meaning, of the main motion. Amendments should say exactly where in the main motion the change is to be made, and precisely what words to use.
To streamline the Conference process, “friendly” amendments are allowed after a main motion is seconded and before the Chair states the question. Friendly amendments are given by someone trying to improve the motion, and are “in the spirit of” the motion.
If the original motion maker and the person who seconded the motion do not agree to a friendly amendment being suggested, the person proposing the friendly amendment can later make an official motion to amend after the Chair states the question.
Official motions to amend are made after the Chair has stated the question and the main motion is on the floor. Amendments made and seconded are debated and voted upon (or accepted by unanimous consent) before the vote on the main motion occurs.
Amendments
Standing Rule 10
No Motion shall be debated until seconded, as required, and stated by the Chair.
Debate is the discussion on the merits of a pending question (motion) �to determine if the issue should be adopted or not.
Debate shall be managed by the Chair in an impartial manner. Members may participate in debate only when they are recognized by the Chair. A member may only interrupt another member who has the floor to make a Motion to Recess or Adjourn, a Request for Information, or to raise a Point of Order.
The member making a Motion, or one of the original authors of the motion, are entitled to speak first. Members who have not spoken on the issue shall be recognized ahead of those who have previously spoken.
Debate
Standing Rule 10 (Continued)
Debate on any main Motion, together with any amendments, shall be limited to one hour (60 minutes), unless otherwise ruled by the Chair or extended by a two-thirds vote. At the end of the sixty minutes, the Main Motion (and its subsidiary motions) shall be postponed, referred to a committee, or moved to a vote.
Debate shall begin with two (2) members in favor of and two (2) members opposed to the Motion. Each member may speak for two (2) minutes on each turn (three (3) minutes for those with English as a second language). Unless given permission by the Chair to continue, at the end of the given time limit the member will no longer have the floor.
A member may speak twice to a Motion, and twice to any subsidiary motion, on the same day. If debate on the Motion is continued to another day, the member's right to debate is renewed.
The Chair has the discretion to solicit information from the motion maker, or any authors of the motion, to clarify specific questions raised in the debate.
Debate Continued
Standing Rules 14 & 15
A voting Member may, at any point, get the Chair’s attention by calling out, “Request for Information.”
The Request for Information must be stated as a question and be vital such that not addressing the question would impede the Member’s ability to vote on the Motion.
The Chair may rule on a Request for Information out of order at their discretion. A Request for Information is not used for the requestor to give information to the Conference Body but rather to gain information that is needed in order to cast a vote.
If a member notices a breach of the rules of order that may do harm if ignored, the member gets the Chair’s attention by calling out, “Point of Order.” Without waiting for recognition, the member immediately addresses the rule violation. The Chair, then rules on the Point of Order, briefly giving reasons (if needed, with guidance from the Parliamentarian).
Request for Information
Point of Order
Glossary
If you want to… | You do… |
Present an idea for consideration or action | propose a Main Motion |
Suggest a change to the pending idea/motion | motion to Amend, or ‘Friendly Amendment’ |
Limit debate or end discussion and move to a vote | motion to Limit or Extend Debate, or Call the Question |
Delay a decision, or to work more on the idea | motion to Refer to Committee, Postpone to a Specific Time, or Postpone Indefinitely |
Gain information on a pending motion | Request for Information (Can be made at any time) |
Question the procedure or decision of the Chair | Point of Order (Can be made at any time) |
Change action already taken | motion to Reconsider, Rescind, or Amend Previously Adopted Motion |
Emergency or Urgent Matter | motion to Suspend the Rules or Lay on the Table |
Videos
Journey of an Agenda Item
Mock Motion Time!
Sample Motion with Unanimous Consent
Motion for District 421 to host the 2027 Convention
Motion Maker: I move that District 421 host the 2027 Convention.
Chair: Does anyone second the motion?
Seconder: This is (Name), I second the motion.
Chair: As the original motion maker would you like to elaborate on the motion
Motion Maker: Yes thanks. No other district has offered to host the Convention. I think it would be a really great opportunity for District 421 to come together in service. The Convention is so important to our fellowship and it would be really sad if we couldn’t have our annual gathering.
Chair: Is there any further discussion? Anyone arguing against this motion?
Since we don’t have anyone who is arguing against this motion, I’d like to call for unanimous consent. If any voting members disagree please raise your hand.
Since no one raised a hand, this motion passes with unanimous consent.
Mock Motion Time!
We need 5 volunteers!
Script: MA12.org/Conference/MockMotion
Use the Reactions button in the
Zoom Toolbar to Raise Hand ✋
Voting Members use these buttons to vote:
Yes No Abstain
QUESTIONS ABOUT THE AGENDA PACKET
OR CONFERENCE SCHEDULE?
Computer, Internet and Zoom Requirements
Desktop/Laptop Computers
(best)�
Tablet/Smartphone
(ok)
(bad!)
�
A second monitor or TV connected to your computer or laptop is helpful for larger viewing
Wired headset
(best)
Bluetooth headset
(good)
Built-in to device
(ok)
Wired headsets have optimal connectivity and help minimize background noise. Remember to remain muted when not speaking.
External USB wired
(best)
Built-in to device
(good)
Minimum 3 MBps upload/download
required
Wired internet cable (best)
Wi-Fi
(good)
Test your internet connection speed with Fast.com, click “show more info” to show your upload speed.
Download and Install Latest Zoom
Before the Conference run the Zoom Meeting Test to check:
If using mobile wireless connection should be �at least 5G or 4G/LTE.
Video meetings use a lot of data.
Ensure Zoom is up to date by downloading and installing the Zoom App. Or, use the ‘Check for Updates’ menu item.
Device Options
Speakers and Microphone
Web Camera
required
Fast Internet
Testing and Updates
Conference Etiquette
Raise your virtual hand under the Reactions button. Please lower your hand after speaking.
Please be patient and mindful of others, wait your turn – do not blurt out, interrupt, or cut people off.
These guidelines are very important to facilitate a smooth and productive Conference.
Please be mindful of remaining on mute unless actively speaking.
Raising Both Hands!
= Stop =
Say Serenity Prayer
Trustees and Delegates are the only voting Members.
Participating Observers do not vote. This is very important, it takes up time when a vote is compromised.
Notify the Meeting Manager when you step away for an unscheduled break. To support maintaining Quorum of voting Members and for tracking attendance of 3rd Legacy candidates.
Be mindful of your surroundings. Treat the Conference as you would any MA meeting. Work in a comfortable location with minimal noise and background activity. No smoking/vaping on camera.
Chat will be limited when conducting Conference business.
You will be able to message tech support within the chat for assistance.
Getting to Know You! mawsconference.org/Attendee-Form
Please take a few moments to complete the form �There are only four “required” fields:
Goals of this form
In the spirit of the Third Legacy procedure: �Any active campaigning will be removed �at the discretion of the �Conference Agenda Committee.
To avoid active campaigning, humbly share�only the basics of your service history.
It is a request, not a requirement, to complete this form to �participate in the Conference or the Third Legacy Procedure.
Appendix
TECH TIP SHEET
I want to... | Zoom Feature |
Get in line to speak.
| |
Taking a personal break.
| |
Send a question to hosts for technical support Chat is generally closed, but remains open for help | |
Show support.
| |
Conference Resources Page
MAWSconference.org/Resources
MA12.org/SM
MAWSConference.org/Resources/Standing-Rules
MAWSConference.org/Agenda
MAWSConference.org/Schedule
MA12.org/Conference/Slides
Helpful
Resources
Links
Additional Resources
For more information about being a Delegate, MA World Services, Trustees, the Third Legacy, the MA World Service Conference, Parliamentary Procedure, and more, see:
Thanks for your service
to our fellowship!
We look forward to seeing
you at the Conference!