Bexar County Democratic Party Temporary Rules Regarding Electronic Meetings (Approved by the County Executive Committee May 12, 2020)
Upon approval by the County Executive Committee, these rules will remain in effect for every committee of the Bexar County Democratic Party (BCDP) for the remainder of the period during which either the City of San Antonio or the County of Bexar remain under any emergency order or local recommendation from the City or County restricting assembly of groups, and thereafter for an additional 120 days, which period may be extended by action of the CEC.
The County Executive Committee shall not amend these rules, but instead shall approve or reject any or all of these rules, and may refer back to the Rules Committee any rejected rule in this document with a recommendation for revision.
It is the responsibility of participants to obtain the necessary resources (e-mail and phone) to take part in the electronic meeting.
Electronic meetings must be listed on the BCDP calendar. The link to the electronic meeting shall not be placed on the calendar, but the person who is listed as the point of contact for the meeting, or a designee, shall provide a link to each person who, at least thirty minutes prior to the beginning of the meeting, requests access to the meeting by phone call, text message, or e-mail to the point of contact. The point of contact or a designee shall also send by e-mail to each participant the agenda of the meeting and the minutes of the previous meeting before the meeting can be called to order. The agenda and minutes do not need to be shared by e-mail if they are available on a website and a link to them is provided. Streaming a meeting online shall satisfy the legal requirement to have CEC meetings open to the public. Draft agenda, minutes, and other documents may be shared by one or more emails. Nothing in this section shall forbid the assembly setting its own agenda at the beginning of the meeting or the actual reading of minutes which have not been previously distributed in writing.
At the beginning of a virtual meeting, the chair(s) will announce preferred methods of rising to be recognized. These may include using the “raise hand” and “chat” features of virtual meeting software.
A parliamentary challenge to a motion approved in an electronic meeting of a committee may be made either during that same meeting, or in the subsequent meeting of the same committee, but not thereafter.
Approval of minutes of an electronic meeting does not imply that motions approved in that meeting are no longer subject to challenge or reconsideration.
If the substance of a challenge to a motion approved in an electronic meeting is that electronic meetings are allegedly not allowed under party rules, the challenge shall be deemed a moot point and not subject to a vote.
During electronic meetings, the chair will choose a polling feature of the meeting software. Voice votes shall not be used. The chair may ask first for those voting against the motion to state their name and their vote, before asking those voting affirmatively to do the same, and may end the vote before everyone voting in the affirmative has cast their vote if it is clear that there are sufficient votes for the motion to pass. A roll-call vote shall be required if at least ten percent of the members present request a roll-call vote.
Disruptive acts that could ordinarily be punished by ejection from an in-person meeting may be remedied by electronic ejection from the on-line meeting. If they are so disruptive as to prevent taking a vote the chair may sever the offender’s connection summarily, and then ask for a vote to approve the action. The display of pornography is grounds for a participant to be ejected from an electronic meeting immediately without recourse.
Adopted by the State Democratic Executive Committee, April 15, 2020
Section 12.Authorizing Participation in Executive Committee Meetings Remotely During Times of Declared Emergencies
Each county executive committee or other executive committee (district, precinct, or otherwise) may enact rules and adopt procedures whereby meetings of that executive committee may at any time when a state or national emergency declaration is in effect for any voting precinct within the territory of such committee, participate (including voting) in the meeting(s) of such committee via telephone, video conferencing, email, or other digital or electronic means, and all precinct chairs participating in such committee meeting by such alternative means shall be counted and included in determining the presence of a quorum.
