Bylaws

ARTICLE I. Name.

The name of the Chapter will be the Kansas City Local Chapter of Democratic Socialists of America (DSA). DSA is a not-for-profit corporation.

ARTICLE II. Purpose.

The Kansas City Local Chapter of Democratic Socialists of America seeks to facilitate the transition to a truly democratic and socialist society, one in which the means/resources of production are democratically and socially controlled.

DSA rejects an economic order based solely on private profit, alienated labor, gross inequalities of wealth and power, discrimination based on race, gender or sexual orientation, and brutality and violence in defense of the status quo.

DSA envisions a humane social order based on popular control of resources, production, and economic planning, equitable distribution, gender and racial equality, and non-oppressive relationships.

Our conception of socialism is a profoundly democratic one. It is rooted in the belief that human beings should be free to develop to their fullest potential, that public policies should be determined not by wealth but by popular participation, and that individual liberties should be carefully safeguarded. It is committed to a freedom of speech that does not recoil from dissent, to a freedom to organize independent trade unions, women’s groups, political parties, and other formations – recognizing these as essential bulwarks against the dangers of an intrusive state. It is committed to a freedom of religion that acknowledges the rights of those for whom spiritual concerns are central.

We are socialists because we are developing a concrete strategy for achieving that vision. In the present, we are building a visible socialist presence within the broad democratic Left. In the long run, we hope to build a majority movement capable of making democratic socialism a reality in the United States. Our strategy acknowledges the class structure of the U.S. society. This class structure means that there is a basic conflict of interest between those sectors with enormous economic power and the vast majority of the population.

ARTICLE III. Membership.

Section 1. Membership.

Members of the Kansas City Local Chapter of DSA will be those individuals whose dues to national DSA are paid in full, and are designated chapter membership by the national organization. Individuals may not be members of the Local Chapter without being members of national DSA. It will be the responsibility of members to approve policies and guidelines for the operation of the Local Chapter, to elect delegates to the national convention, to vote on matters related to national policy, and to make recommendations on issues and other matters to the National Political Committee of DSA.

Section 2. Duties.

It will be the responsibility of members to approve policies and guidelines for the operation of the Local Chapter, vote on matters requiring input from the full membership, contribute to Branches and Local Subgroups, and participate in elections for the Chapter Officers, Branch Officers, Local Subgroups Officers, and delegates to DSA National Conventions. Non-members may participate in Chapter work and attend Chapter meetings, but do not have a right to this. Furthermore, non-members may not run for any office, nor be appointed to any office, nor shall they have any voting power within the chapter.

Section 3. Removal of Members.

If a member in good standing is found to have harassed or acted violently against another member, or if they are found to be in substantial disagreement with the principles or policies of national DSA, or if they are found to be consistently engaging in undemocratic, disruptive behavior, the Local Chapter may vote to expel them from the Local Chapter of DSA. In order for such a finding to be made, another DSA member must formally prefer written charges against the member in question to the Local Chapter Steering Committee, which will set the date of a Local Chapter meeting for deliberations on the charges. The member in question must receive a copy of the written charges and notice of the meeting a minimum of two weeks before that meeting takes place. Expulsion of a member requires a two-thirds vote of the Local Chapter meeting. An expelled member in good standing may appeal to the National Political Committee of DSA.

Section 4. Voluntary Donations.

As mandated by the national Constitution and Bylaws, the Local Chapter may establish a Local Chapter pledge system of voluntary donations for its members. The payment of a Local Chapter donation may not be a requirement for voting or for holding Local Chapter office.

Section 5. Privacy Concerns.

Care will be taken to protect the privacy of each member’s contact information. Kansas City DSA’s actions towards ensuring this care will be documented in a Member Data and Contact Policy.

Section 6. Quarterly Poll

At least once per quarter, a poll will be emitted electronically to all members of the Local Chapter. Members’ responses will be due seven days from when the poll is sent. This poll will include a question asking the member whether they intend to be active within the Local Chapter for that quarter. If the member answers in the affirmative, they will be recorded as an active member for that quarter. Should the member answer in the negative, or provide no response to the poll by the deadline, they will be considered inactive for that quarter. Active members of the Local Chapter will hold no privileges over inactive members. No personally unique identifying information shall be required, collected, or tracked as part of this polling process. The number of respondents will be used only to calculate quorum, as outlined in Article IV, Section 4. At any time during the quarter, should a member who responded in the affirmative no longer intend to be an active member for any reason, that member is highly encouraged to emit notice of such to the Chapter Steering Committee.

Section 7. Code of Conduct.

In keeping with the general mission of our organization and our chapter, all members must observe a code of conduct that is consistent with our core values of liberty, equality, and solidarity, as well as DSA’s commitment to restructuring gender and cultural relationships to be more equitable and not oppressive within the context of building a diverse working class movement. As members of DSA, we all commit to providing a welcoming and inclusive environment for all.

All members of the Local Chapter are expected to conduct themselves according to the following standards:

Members shall not engage in harassment on the basis of sex, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, physical appearance, disability, race, color, religion, national origin, class, age, or profession. Members who have concerns about a member’s conduct will report that conduct to an HGO. The Local Chapter’s harassment policy is described in Article XV, and DSA’s harassment policy can be found here: https://www.dsausa.org/about-us/harassment-policy-resolution-33/
Members will respect all peoples’ rights and contribute to an organizing and working environment characterized by mutual respect, integrity, dignity, and non-discrimination, by, at a minimum:
1. refraining from demeaning, discriminatory, or harassing behavior and speech;
2. participating in an authentic and active way;
3. exercising consideration in speech and actions;
4. sharing analysis and opinions rather than accusations;
5. complying with applicable Community Agreements during meetings and other events;
6. addressing conflicts and disagreements in a professional and respectful manner, and seeking assistance from an HGO or Local Chapter leader when necessary.
Members will assume good faith in one another, make an effort to understand one another, and exercise patience with differing viewpoints; debates will be conducted with civility and respect, as comrades committed to the same struggle.
Members will ensure that their relationships and behavior in the context of their role as a member of the Local Chapter are not exploitative, abusive, or corrupt in any way.
Members will disclose any financial, personal, family, or close intimate relationship interest in matters of official chapter business which may impact the work of the Local Chapter.
Members will respect the confidentiality of sensitive information to which they gain access by virtue of membership in the Local Chapter and will not use membership, financial, or other data to harm DSA or any DSA members.
Members will not create or maintain any social media accounts in DSA’s name without the permission of the Local Chapter.
Members will not attempt to silence or marginalize any fellow member and will not try to influence others to silence or marginalize any member.
Members will not use any grievance process – or encourage or assist anyone in using any grievance process – to rid the Local Chapter of people with whom they disagree politically, and/or with whom they have been engaged in conflict.

The Local Chapter HGO and members appointed to conflict resolution committees will avail themselves of training and resources on conflict management, which are available from the National HGO. Prior to and when responding to Code of Conduct violations, leadership of the Local Chapter will make accessible and available remedies outside of the formal grievance process, including but not limited to restorative justice and facilitated mediation.

Unacceptable behavior from any member will not be tolerated. Any member who is asked to stop unacceptable behavior is expected to comply immediately. If members engage in unacceptable behavior, the Steering Committee may take any immediate action they deem appropriate, including expulsion from a meeting, conference, or event. Depending on the gravity of the offense, members may be prohibited from further participation in the organization until the Steering Committee can investigate whether the unacceptable behavior violated the Code of Conduct or Harassment Policy.

ARTICLE IV. Local Chapter Meetings.

Section 1. Convention

The Local Chapter will hold a minimum of one Convention annually for purposes of electing officers. All members of the Local Chapter will be sent notice of and an agenda for the Convention. Notice may be sent by electronic means, but individuals who have not provided an email address must be sent a paper copy. The Convention will elect Local Chapter officers and may adopt an annual budget. In general, it is the highest legislative body of the Local Chapter. The Convention may coincide with a Regular Meeting.

Section 2. Regular Meetings.

The Local Chapter will hold Regular Meetings at least four times annually, the time and place of which will be set in a schedule published and distributed by the Local Chapter Steering Committee. The Regular Meetings will set Local Chapter policy and work priorities, and they will include political education sessions.

The Local Chapter Steering Committee will set the agenda for Regular Meetings. In general, the Regular Meeting is the operating legislative body of the Local Chapter.

Section 3. Emergency Meetings.

The Local Chapter Steering Committee may call an Emergency Meeting of the Local Chapter on five days’ notice when an urgent and important matter requires deliberation.

Section 4. Quorum

At least once per quarter, a poll shall be emitted to all members of the Local Chapter to determine the number of members that intend to be active participants in decisions during that quarter as outlined in Article III Section 5. The number of members that respond in the affirmative shall be the Active Members Number. Members who answer in the negative, or provide no response to the poll by the deadline, shall not be barred from voting in subsequent decisions. No personally unique identifying information shall be required, collected, or tracked as part of this polling process. At any time during the quarter, an active member may emit notice of intent to become inactive as outlined in Article III, Section 2; upon said notice, the Active Members Number shall be decremented by one.
The quorum shall be ⅔ (two-thirds) of the Active Members Number, but be not fewer than six members. No decision shall be made by the Local Chapter without a quorum, and no decision shall be made in any chapter level meeting, regardless of platform, without a quorum in attendance. For asynchronous decisions, no decision shall be considered valid without a quorum responding. Abstentions shall be considered responses.
Proposals brought forth for decision by the Local Chapter may include a requirement for a higher quorum number, but no proposal shall include any language that lowers the quorum requirement below ⅔ (two-thirds) of the Active Members Number.

Section 5. Decision Making

Decisions made in the course of these meetings will be subject to Article XIII of these Bylaws.

ARTICLE V. Local Chapter Officers: Powers and Duties.

Section 1. Officers and Terms.

The officers of the Local Chapter will be Co-Chairs, Recording Secretary, Membership Chair, Communications Director, Treasurer and Grievance Officer. The term of office will be one year, or until their successors are elected. The officers may not all be of the same gender, race, or sexual orientation, as outlined in Article VI, Section 2

Section 2. Vacancies.

An Officer position can be vacated by any of the following:
1. Formal resignation by the officer, presented in writing to the Local Chapter Steering Committee
2. An officer’s absence from 2 consecutive Regular Meetings without appointing a proxy to fulfill their duties or otherwise notifying the Steering Committee in advance
3. Failure to consistently fulfill the duties of the position, as defined in these bylaws
In the event of a vacancy in any Local Chapter office, the Local Chapter may hold a special election for the remainder of the term, as defined in Article XI Section 3.

Section 3. Co-Chairs.

a. The Co-Chairs will be responsible for setting the Steering Committee agenda and sharing it with the Steering Committee at least one week before the Steering Committee meeting, as well as chairing the meeting. They will also be responsible for setting the General Chapter meeting agenda and sharing it with Chapter members at least one week before the General Chapter Meeting, as well as chairing the meeting. The Co-Chairs will be responsible for reserving meeting rooms for these meetings, planning and coordinating special elections as needed, and ensuring all proposals being voted on at either Steering Committee or General Chapter meetings have met quorum and other requirements laid forth in these bylaws. They will also interpret the bylaws, subject to appeal by the Steering Committee. The Co-Chairs will serve as a liaison for the Chapter with external organizations, unless otherwise decided.The duties of the Co-Chairs shall be shared equitably or as mutually agreed by the Co-Chairs. No more than one Co-Chair may be a white man. There shall be two Co-Chairs elected. The Co-Chairs will be elected by highest votes received. If the two highest vote earners are white men, the highest vote earner will be elected and the next highest earner who is not a white man will be elected.

Section 4. Recording Secretary.

a. The Recording Secretary will be responsible also for the taking of minutes of all Local Chapter and Steering Committee Meetings, and will have custody of these minutes, and the resolutions, reports and other official records of the Local Chapter, including an up-to-date membership list of the Local Chapter. They will transfer official records in good condition to their successor. Official records will include meeting minutes and other official records.

Section 5. Treasurer.

The Treasurer will be an agent responsible for the funds and financial records of the Local Chapter. All funds collected by the Local Chapter will be turned over to the Treasurer, who will deposit them in a bank account under the name of the Local Chapter. In cooperation with the Secretary, the Treasurer will be responsible for ensuring that membership dues are paid up-to-date. Further responsibilities of the Treasurer will be defined in the Chapter Fiscal Policy.

Section 6. Membership Chair.

The Membership Chair will be responsible for coordinating member engagement and recruitment efforts. They will work with the Chapter Recording Secretary to maintain accurate reports on membership, as defined in the Chapter Member Engagement Policy.

Section 7. Communications Director.

The Communications Director will be responsible for:

Coordinating public-facing statements from the Chapter, including but not limited to the KCDSA website, social media, and other Chapter communications outlets.
Coordinating regular internal email newsletters and announcements.
Coordinating a Standing Committee, the Communications Committee, that includes representatives from each Subgroup and Branch in the Chapter, to ensure that both external and internal communications accurately represent work done across all of the Local’s groups.

Section 8. Committee and Branch Stewards.

Committee and Branch Stewards will be elected annually, along with other officers of the Chapter. Committee and Branch Stewards can be elected to no more than one (1) role for a given term.

Committees may not be formed without meeting the criteria outlined in Article VIII, Section 2 of these bylaws. The full list of Committee Stewards will be determined by the Chapter on an annual basis, and will be made available upon request.

Branches may not be formed without meeting the criteria outlined in Article VII.

Unfilled Committee and Branch Stewards may be subject to a Special Election, defined in Section 3 of Article XI, in the event of vacancy or mid-cycle organization.

Section 9. Additional Duties.

The Local Chapter Steering Committee may assign additional temporary duties to an officer of the Local Chapter, so long as such assignments do not conflict with the designation of responsibilities outlined in these Bylaws.

Section 10. Harassment Grievance Officer.

a. The grievance officer is an elected officer that cannot serve as the chair for any working group or branch. The duties of this position shall be determined in the chapter’s grievance processes.

b. The grievance officer shall render a yearly report at least one week in advance of the annual convention which shall be submitted to the Local Steering Committee and to the membership at large.

c. The grievance officer is obligated to disclose any possible conflicts of interest they may have on a matter to the Steering Committee, whether it’s a familial relation, personal relationship, business partnership, past history or vested interest. Failure to disclose will be grounds for recall or removal.

d. The Grievance Officer is empowered to appoint associates to aid in the process of fulfilling their duties as an officer. Associates may also be appointed by the Steering Committee with the knowledge of the Grievance Officer.

i. Appointed associates are empowered to immediately begin their service.

ii. Appointed associates must be confirmed by the chapter membership at the next general membership meeting.

e. In the event that a grievance officer recused themselves, an associate grievance officer will fill the duties of the Grievance Officer until the recusal has come to an end. If an associate is not available immediately, the grievance will go to the national grievance officer(s).

ARTICLE VI. Administrative, Political, and Steering Committees.

Section 1. Composition.

The Local Chapter Administrative Committee will be composed of the Co-Chairs, Treasurer, Recording Secretary, Communications Director, and Membership Chair, along with the Stewards of the Standing Committees.
Political Committees will be formed after the filling of their respective Committee Steward position, outlined in Article V, Section 7. A Committee Steward is not required to immediately organize a committee, but a committee may not be formed without a Committee Steward.
The Local Chapter Steering Committee will be composed of the Administrative Committee, along with the Stewards of the Political Committees and Branches, and at-large members appointed to meet diversity requirements.

Section 2. Diversity

The officers should not all be of the same gender, sexual orientation, or race. If the elected officers of the Local Chapter do not meet these requirements, the Steering Committee must appoint at-large members as soon as possible to fulfill these requirements.

Section 3. Duties.

a. The Steering Committee administers the affairs of the Local Chapter and oversees the implementation of the decisions of the General and Regular Meetings; it may also propose policy to the General and Regular Meetings. It will have the power to receive reports of any committee or branch, and advise thereon, to call Emergency Meetings of the Local Chapter, and to act on any matter that requires immediate and urgent action. The Steering Committee is the regular executive body of the Local Chapter, and thus subordinate to its Legislative bodies, the General and Regular Meetings.

b. The Local Chapter Steering Committee will be responsible for establishing program activities for the Local Chapter, for proposing guidelines and policies that will subsequently be voted on by members in good standing of DSA, and for acting on the organization’s behalf between Local Chapter meetings.

c. The Local Chapter Administrative Committee will serve as the core membership of the Steering Committee, and will not hold any special privileges within the Steering Committee.

Section 4. Meetings

The meetings of the Steering Committee will be held at least one week prior to a scheduled Chapter Regular meeting or by consultation with any three members of the Steering Committee. All members of the Steering Committee must (ordinarily) be given four days oral, written, or electronic notice of regular Steering Committee Meetings; a 24-hour notice may be given under special emergency circumstances.

Section 5. Quorum.

A quorum at least 60% of the Steering Committee including at least one officer is required for the transaction of Steering Committee business.

ARTICLE VII. Branches.

Section 1. Definition.

A Branch is a geographically defined subdivision of the Chapter, not to overlap with another Branch. All members of the Chapter may belong to one and only one Branch.

Section 2. Purpose.

The primary purpose of Branches shall be to advance the goals of the Local, implement and administer Local campaigns and projects, increase member participation and recruitment, and improve accessibility to chapter work. Branch Meetings shall be the primary regular membership meetings, open to all members of the Local.

All Branches shall be required to have at least one Steward, elected by members of the Branch. The Branch Steward shall be responsible for ensuring that Branch meetings occur, facilitating relationship-building among Branch members, initiating geography-focused recruitment, facilitating Branch meetings, and determining the content of the Branch business portion of the agenda. Branch Stewards will also work with the Steering Committee to appoint additional positions as needed.

To maintain active Branch designation, Branches must hold Branch meetings in accordance with the Local Meeting schedule.

Section 3. Membership

Members of Branches will be members of the Kansas City Chapter of DSA who reside within the prescribed boundaries of their Branch.

Section 4. Formation

The Steering Committee shall encourage the development of member-led initiatives to organize new branches. 10 Chapter members in good standing may petition the Steering Committee to form a Branch. The 10 petitioners may not include elected leadership of other Branches, and must all reside in the proposed boundaries of the Branch. One member may not be signatory to more than one proposed Branch petition simultaneously.

The Steering Committee will then consider the petition to form a new Branch. If the Steering Committee approves the proposal, it will go to a vote of the membership with the Steering Committee’s support. If the Steering Committee rejects the proposal, 10 petitioners within the proposed boundaries must be joined by 10 petitioners outside of the proposed boundaries to petition for a vote of the whole Chapter membership on the question. All petitioners must be members in good standing.

Each Chapter-wide vote on proposed Branch formation must be preceded by dedicated time at a Local Meeting, with time reserved for debate for and against the proposal. The vote is subject to the same voting and quorum requirements of other Chapter-wide votes.

Section 5. Dissolution

The Steering Committee is the only body empowered to dissolve a Branch, and shall only do so in cases of nonfeasance, with a two-thirds majority vote of the Steering Committee. Nonfeasance of a Branch shall be defined as repeated failure of a Branch to convene a reasonable number of members at Branch Meetings.

ARTICLE VIII. Chapter Subgroups

Section 1. Chapter Subgroups

The Chapter shall be comprised of multiple forms of subsidiary deliberative bodies, referred to collectively in this document as Chapter Subgroups:

Standing Committees, Committees, and time-bound Working Groups.

Section 2. Committees

Committees are bodies essential to the character of the Chapter, and may be organized around common skills, institutions, or issues. The Steering Committee or the Chapter may establish best practices and procedures for the democratic operation of Committees.
All Committees are required to have a platform or mission statement, developed by the Committee in accordance with Chapter policy. A Committee may be formed after the election of a Steward, as defined in Article V Section 6, whose primary responsibilities will be facilitating Committee strategization and progress towards the Chapter goals that the Committee is charged with. Other responsibilities of the Committee will include coordinating and communicating with other bodies of the Chapter and producing reports on work for Chapter membership and the Steering Committee.
All Committees are required to maintain publicly-available rules of order — where a “rules of order” is defined to include any set of explicit, formally codified, suspendable, and democratically amendable decision-making procedures—which they shall be required to use for facilitating their meetings. The default set of rules for each Subgroup shall be the same as that of the Chapter, as defined in Article XIII.
Committees will be responsible for
1. Onboarding new members of the Committee, engaging in member retention efforts, and ensuring that Subgroup work includes efforts to grow the membership of the Chapter.
2. Working to ensure that Chapter communications accurately reflect and amplify Committee work.
3. Producing a report, at least quarterly, sent to the Steering Committee and available digitally to all members, regarding progress in ongoing campaigns or projects charged to the Subgroup.
4. Maintain and make available to Chapter leadership records of key debates and decisions, including coalition partnerships.

Section 3. Standing Committees

Standing Committees will (a) consist of a definite number of members in good standing of the Chapter; who are (b) appointed or elected to a specific task or tasks specified by either the Steering Committee or the Committee Steward.

Their function will be to oversee administrative and political functions that are essential to the ongoing effectiveness of the Chapter in pursuing the realization of its purposes.

The Steward of each Standing Committee will be elected along with the leadership of the other Chapter Officers. They will serve terms of the same length.

Section 4. Time-bound Working Groups

Time-bound working groups may be established by the Steering Committee or the Chapter body in order to administer a particular task or campaign for the Chapter. The leadership, structure, and election timeframe of time-bound working groups must ordinarily match that as defined for committees, but may differ if such is specified in their founding.

Section 5. Committee Platforms

Platforms should outline the group’s overall purpose and key stances should articulate a ‘big picture’ vision of what success would look like for the group, and should represent the group’s values and broad purpose. They should also include mention of the populations with whom the group will be working in solidarity.

Platforms ultimately guide the direction and political will of the group. They must be developed democratically and ratified within the group before being put up for an up-or-down Chapter-wide vote, requiring a simple majority to pass initially and a two-thirds supermajority to pass on subsequent votes (refer to Article VI, Section 2).

Section 6. Non-deliberative & Auxiliary Groups

The Chapter may formally recognize non-deliberative and auxiliary groups that are aligned with the purposes of the organization but which are not subsidiary bodies of Kansas City DSA. These may include (but will not be limited to) affiliations and coalitions of organizations similar to the Chapter; political campaigns that align with the purposes of the Chapter; political and policy interest groups; labor unions and groups; Young Democratic Socialists of America chapters; DSA working groups; and caucuses in the Chapter. Terms, criteria and procedures for granting privileges or recognition to non-deliberative and auxiliary groups, including speaking time at meetings, exhibition space at meetings, written or online promotion or endorsement, financial support and other types of formal recognition, will be determined in the Standing Rules, Policies and Procedures of the Chapter and subject to these Bylaws.

Section 7. Dissolution of Subgroups

In the case that a Chapter Subgroup, is deliberately and grossly acting in contradiction to the collectively determined Local Mission and Organizational Priorities or their own ratified platform, or consistently fails to perform basic Chapter Subgroup duties, the Steering Committee or the Chapter may vote to dissolve a Chapter Subgroup, with a two-thirds majority vote required to execute the dissolution. The rationale and result of any such vote called must be published to the membership.

ARTICLE IX. Delegates to National, Regional, and State Bodies.

Section 1. Convention.

Local Chapter delegates and alternates to the National Convention will be elected by members in good standing of the Local Chapter of DSA. Elections for the National Convention delegation will be held on the schedule announced by the national organization.

ARTICLE X. Prohibited Activity

Kansas City Local Chapter will not engage in activity prohibited by the IRS guidelines established for 501(c)(4) organizations or similar rules established by the state of Missouri. Nor will the Local Chapter engage in any activity prohibited by resolutions adopted by DSA’s National Convention or DSA’s National Political Committee.

ARTICLE XI. Elections and Nominations

Section 1. Nominations.

A Nominations Working Group will be established at least one month prior to every election by vote of a Regular Meeting. It will solicit and receive nominations for the positions to be elected.

Section 2. Nominations Process.

Nominations for Local Chapter officers and delegates to the National Convention will be opened at the regular meeting prior to the election taking place, and will close at least 7 days before the meeting at which the election is scheduled.
The call for nominations will be announced to all members in good standing of DSA as soon as nominations are open. After nominations are closed, the Nominations Committee will send an announcement of all nominations to membership before the election.
All qualifying nominees will be added to the election ballot under their respective nominated position(s). All positions, including uncontested nominations, will be subject to chapter vote.
Any position without a nomination will remain vacant, and subject to a Special Election, as outlined in Section 3.
Nominations may open up for contingent positions as well. If the formation of a position is to be voted on at the following chapter meeting or convention, those nominations may be solicited so long as it’s in agreement with all other requirements. Any election for those positions are only recognized if the position is approved by vote.

Section 3. Special Elections.

In the event of an officer vacancy, the Chapter shall hold a special election to fill the vacancy. The Steering Committee will serve as the Nominations Committee for such a process. Unless otherwise stated at the time of the call for nominations, the special election will be subject to the nominations process outlined in Section 2.

ARTICLE XII. Amendments.

Proposed amendments to these Bylaws must be made by written resolution, endorsed by five members of the Local Chapter of DSA, and submitted to the Steering Committee at least one month in advance of a General or Regular Meeting. The Steering Committee is required to provide the Local Chapter membership with two weeks’ written or electronic notice of the proposed amendments. The amendment must be approved by a majority vote of two consecutive (Regular or General) Local Chapter meetings, or a 2/3 vote at the Local Chapter Convention. Proposed amendments which receive a majority vote at the Local Chapter Convention, but which do not receive a 2/3 vote must be approved by majority vote at the following (Regular or General) Local Chapter meeting.

ARTICLE XIII. Rules of the Local Chapter.

Section 1. Rules.

The Rules contained in Rusty’s Rules of Order will govern this Local Chapter in cases to which they are applicable and in which they are not inconsistent with these Bylaws. Consensus decision-making is desirable where feasible, but meetings must submit to Rusty’s Rules of Order upon the request of a member.

Section 2. Action Out of Order.

Any action taken by an officer or member of the Local Chapter in contravention of these Bylaws is null and void.

Section 3. Mechanisms of Decision Making

Decisions made by the chapter may be determined through an electronic and asynchronous format so long as it meets the spirit of democratic deliberation as per Rusty’s rules. Votes may be prosecuted by electronic means to ensure that the maximum access to democratic participation is allowed; if petitioned and a clear need is determined, the chapter shall provide physical/or paper means to vote.

No member in good standing shall be barred from participation in general decision-making or from chapter-wide meetings. No method of decision making within this article shall be construed as to allow violation of the rights, duties, or limitations described in Article III of the current bylaws.

ARTICLE XIV. Distribution of Assets.

Upon dissolution of the organization, any residual assets shall become property of the national organization of Democratic Socialists of America.

ARTICLE XV. Harassment Policy.

The Local Chapter will follow the Harassment Policy of National DSA.

Democratic Socialists of America is committed to creating a space that is welcoming and inclusive to members of all genders, races, and classes. The following policy provides guidelines to ensure that everyone is able to organize without fear of harassment, abuse, or harm.

Scope
1. Prohibited behavior. Members shall not engage in harassment on the basis of sex, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, physical appearance, disability, race, color, religion, national origin, class, age, or profession. (Harassment based on categories not encompassed by those listed section (a) will be evaluated at the discretion of the Local Chapter Harassment Grievance Officer (“HGO”) and Steering Committee representatives.) Harassing or abusive behavior, such as unwelcome attention, inappropriate or offensive remarks, slurs, or jokes, physical or verbal intimidation, stalking, inappropriate physical contact or proximity, and other verbal and physical conduct constitute harassment when:
  1. Submission to such conduct is made either explicitly or implicitly a term or condition of a member’s continued affiliation with DSA;
  2. Submission or rejection of such conduct by an individual is used as the basis for organizational decisions affecting such individual; or
  3. Such conduct has the purpose or effect of creating a hostile environment interfering with an individual’s capacity to organize within DSA.
Reporting Harassment
1. Complaints. Members who believe they have been harassed by another member may follow the standard DSA complaint process by filing a formal complaint with the Local Chapter HGO by submitting this form, or with the national HGO in the absence of a Local Chapter HGO by emailing nationalgrievanceofficer@dsausa.org. There will be no time limits requiring the accuser to file a report within any amount of time after the alleged harassment has occurred.
2. Harassment Grievance Officers. The Local Chapter Steering Committee will:
  1. Make an effort to recruit, vet, and appoint at least one member to serve as HGO, which will be subject to confirmation by membership; this process will occur once per year or whenever the HGO position becomes vacant. If no members of the Local Chapter are appointed as HGO as a result of this process, members of the Local Chapter will use the National HGO to report grievances for that year. Whatever the outcome of the recruitment process may be, the entire Local Chapter membership will be notified by email so that it’s clear where grievances should be reported.
  2. Define the term of the HGO position to be one year. Members will be allowed to serve up to 3 terms as the HGO.
  3. Recommend that if any member of the Local Chapter finds cause to remove an HGO from their position, this grievance should be reported to the National HGO.
3. Disciplinary and remedial recommendations. In the event that the HGO(s) determine a complaint is not credible or is not covered under this grievance policy, they may recommend either that the Steering Committee take no action on the complaint or that it request the parties undergo voluntary, informal conflict resolution. In the event that the HGO(s) determine that a complaint is credible, they may recommend from among the below disciplinary or remedial actions. The recommended action should be commensurate with the severity and pervasiveness of the offense.
  1. Expulsion from KCDSA;
  2. Temporary or indefinite suspension and/or removal of the accused from some or all KCDSA activities, events, spaces, committees, and communication channels;
  3. Formal notice of expected changes in behavior;
  4. Voluntary, informal mediation or conflict resolution;
  5. No action; OR
  6. Other disciplinary or remedial measures as necessary to protect the complainant and/or other members from an unsafe space or to repair harm done to individuals, relationships and/or the organization.
4. Appeals process. Either party may appeal the form of relief determined by the Steering Committee by filling out an appeal form within thirty days of receiving written notice of the Steering Committee’s decision. The Local Chapter HGO will advise on the process for filing an appeal with the National Harassment Grievance Officer.
5. Retaliation. This policy prohibits retaliation against any member for bringing a complaint of harassment pursuant to this policy. This policy also prohibits retaliation against a person who assists someone with a complaint of harassment, or participates in any manner in an investigation or resolution of a complaint of discrimination or harassment. Retaliatory behaviors include threats, intimidation, reprisals, and/or adverse actions related to organizing. If any party to the complaint believes there has been retaliation, they may inform the Local Chapter HGO who will determine whether to factor the retaliation into the original complaint, or treat it as an individual incident.

Socialism in Kansas City