AC 2020 Rules & Legislation
Important update on 2020 legislation
A hallmark of the Annual Conference experience has been the opportunity to consider legislation on important matters facing the conference, our churches and the world. An important part of that experience has been the speeches, debates and exchanges that happen on the floor of plenary session.
- We will propose a rule to extend expiring standing resolutions for another year.
We encourage you to engage with the current standing resolutions of our annual conference, available here: Chapter 10 - Legislative Actions, Standing Resolutions.
Opening motions for consideration at AC
The organizational motion for the Annual Conference will be the following. Conference Secretary Laura Jaquith Bartlett will present the motion:
1. The bar of the conference shall be established as those on this zoom webinar, with the following exceptions:
a. Clergy members of other annual conferences, who are currently serving under appointment within the bounds of OR-ID under par. 346.1 of The Book of Discipline are allowed to be present with voice but no vote;
b. Ministers of other denominations currently serving under appointment within the bounds of OR-ID under par. 346.2 of The Book of Discipline are allowed to be present on the webinar with voice but no vote, except that those persons whose credentials have been certified as at least equal to those of United Methodist elders shall have voice and vote.
c. The Conference chancellor and parliamentarian, Paul Cosgrove, is allowed to be present with voice but no vote;
d. The bishop’s executive assistant, Rhondalei Gabuat, is allowed to be present without voice or vote;
e. Those providing technical support for the webinar and the voting, including GNTV staff and AC staff and volunteers, are allowed to be present on the webinar without voice or vote.
2. The agenda for this September 16, 2020, annual conference session is limited to the essential business, as listed in the published agenda developed by the Sessions Committee.
3. The 2020 Memorial Service and Ordination and Commissioning Service will both be rescheduled for the 2021 Annual Conference Session.
4. The pre-conference reports for 2020 are hereby accepted for changes and perfections as determined by annual conference actions.
5. Persons elected to conference or district positions for the 2016-2020 quadrennium will be continued in their positions until such time as the 2021 General Conference designates the beginning of a new quadrennium. Any vacancies may be filled in the usual manner, according to Conference Rule 13.010.3.
A second motion, pertaining to Rules changes, will be presented by Steve Mitchell, chair of the Conference Rules Committee:
(The following changes in our Conference Rules are proposed in order to allow us to meet virtually in this unusual situation. Some Rules would simply be suspended until next year, when we meet in a more normal fashion. Another Rule is being created to allow us to meet virtually, not only due to COVID-19, but in the event of some other situation that dictates a virtual meeting. We will consider all these Rules changes in one motion.)
- A new rule 2.000 be established: “Annual Conference sessions are to be held in person as called by the Bishop, with location determined by the Conference. However, Annual Conference sessions may be held virtually (electronically through media applications appropriate for conducting business) when conditions warrant that gathering in one physical location is not safe or possible, in accordance with Paragraphs 603.3 and 603.5 of the 2016 Book of Discipline.”
- Conference Rules 2.023 and 2.024 be suspended until 2021, to allow us to suspend our legislative process until next year.
- Conference Rule 4.070.3 be suspended until 2021, to allow Standing Resolutions scheduled to expire in 2020 to remain in our Journal until consideration by the 2021 Annual Conference Session.