RA Action:

News from the NEA Annual Meeting

July 6, 2008

Amendments to the NEA Constitution, Bylaws, and Standing Rules

The Representative Assembly will vote on amendments to the Standing Rules by voice vote at the first business meeting, July 3, 2008. Standing Rule amendments, if adopted, are effective immediately unless otherwise specified.

The Assembly will vote on amendments to the Constitution and Bylaws July 5, 2008. Amendments will be discussed before the voting begins.

Amendments to the Constitution and Bylaws become effective on September 1 following their adoption unless otherwise specified.

Further information may be obtained from NEA Governance and Policy Support, 1201 16th St., N.W., Washington, DC 20036, (202) 822-7923.

Proposed deletions to the text appear in [brackets] and proposed additions are underscored.

Amendments to the Standing Rules

STANDING RULE AMENDMENT 1

Defeated

STANDING RULE AMENDMENT 2

Defeated

STANDING RULE AMENDMENT 3

Defeated

Amendment to the NEA Constitution:

CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT 1

Defeated

Amendments to the NEA Bylaws:

BYLAW AMENDMENT 1-A(1)

Adopted

Bylaw 2. Membership
2-1. Categories.
b. Active membership shall be open to any person (i) who is employed by or in a public school district, public or private preschool program, public or private college or university, or other public institution devoted primarily to education, regardless of the specific nature of the functions that the person performs at the work site and regardless of who actually employs the person; (ii) who is employed by a public sector employer other than a school district, college or university, or other institution devoted primarily to education but who is employed primarily to perform educational functions; (iii) who is on limited leave of absence from the employment described in items (i) and (ii) above; or (iv) who is serving as an executive officer of the Association or of a state or local affiliate. The Association shall continue to allow Active membership to those Active members (i) who have been laid off due to a reduction in force for as long as such persons are eligible to be recalled, or for three (3) years, whichever is longer; or (ii) who have been discharged for as long as a legal challenge to such discharge is pending.

An Active member who is engaged in or on a limited leave of absence from professional educational employment shall hold or shall be eligible to hold a baccalaureate or higher degree or the regular teaching, vocational, or technical certificate required by his or her employment or shall be an exchange teacher who is regularly employed as a teacher in another country.

Active membership is limited to persons who support the principles and goals of the Association and maintain membership in the local and state affiliates where eligible. The Association shall not accept as Active members persons who are not eligible for Active membership (or the equivalently designated membership category) in the state affiliate, unless the state affiliate (i) by action of its board of directors (or equivalent governing body) approves such acceptance and (ii) enters into an agreement with the Association pursuant to which the state affiliate agrees to function as the Association’s agent for the delivery of Association services and programs to the members in question. Approval by and a service agreement with the state affiliate shall not be prerequisites to the Association’s acceptance into Active membership of persons who are not eligible for active membership (or the equivalently designated membership category) in the state affiliate if said persons are members of a local affiliate that (i) is comprised predominantly of persons who are not eligible for active membership in the state affiliate and (ii) was a local affiliate of the Association as of the effective date of this amendment.

BYLAW AMENDMENT 1-A(2)

Defeated

BYLAW AMENDMENT 2

Adopted

Bylaw 8. Affiliates and Special Interest Groups
8-6. NEA-Retired.

The NEA-Retired shall be an organization comprised solely of the Retired members of the Association. [The bylaws of NEA-Retired shall be adopted by the Board of Directors of NEA.] The president of NEA-Retired shall be chosen by the retired delegates to the NEA Representative Assembly.

8-14. Standards for NEA-Retired.
The NEA-Retired shall operate in accordance with its bylaws [adopted by the Board of Directors], which shall be compatible with the Constitution and Bylaws of the Association.

The NEA-Retired shall conduct all elections with open nominations and a secret ballot.