2022 Council on Legislation Final Report

Rotary has a legislative or parliamentary process called the Council on Legislation (COL). Each district in the Rotary world selects a COL Representative to consider, debate and vote upon proposed enactments that have the power to amend the constitutional documents, namely the Constitution of Rotary International, the By-Laws of Rotary International and the Standard Rotary Club Constitution. Rotary clubs, districts and the RI Board propose enactments.

The 2022 Council on Legislation was held April 10-14 in a hybrid event, both in-person in Chicago and virtually. Your COL Representative attended virtually and was one of the 522 representatives involved. Initially 94 proposed enactments were to be considered with adopted enactments changing the constitutional documents effective July 1^st following the COL. A list of the adopted enactments with the voting results is provided below.

Changes from past councils included club flexibility in number of meetings per month, meeting attendance requirements, meeting make-up criteria and the recognition of Rotaract Clubs as a new type of Rotary membership. Respecting and maintaining these changes were central to the decisions made by the 2022 COL Representatives as several enactments proposing reversal of past decisions on meetings and attendance failed. The 2022 COL had proposed enactments by the RI Board that would increase the Board control of RI Committees and the financial audit process. These proposals were not supported by your District Representative; however, the democratic process of the COL resulted in the enactments being adopted.

An interesting part of this event involves the “lay of the land” of the Rotary world. If one looks at the home page of the Rotary International website, you will see three pieces of information; namely, membership, service hours and Foundation monies allocated to meaningful projects. These three pieces of information denote the efforts made by Rotarians and Rotaractors demonstrating Service Above Self and the Rotary Foundation’s support of those efforts.

Why is this important? Rotary International and specifically the Rotary Foundation has earned the highest 4-star rating from Charity Navigator demonstrating strong financial health and commitment to accountability and transparency. As such our Foundation is in the top 1% of charities to donate to in the United States. This rating supports the Rotary Foundation around the world. A strong foundation is supported by its membership, their service and how that service positively impacts humanity.

Rotary is working to increase membership by making itself more appealing to a larger audience; and, Rotary feels that without these changes, it could ultimately cease to exist. Flexibility, technology, diversity, equity and inclusion, professional development, youth, financial transparency and administrative efficiency at all levels are elements that Rotary is working to enhance.

As you review the adopted enactments below, take opportunity to witness the adjustment and change occurring in our Rotary world.

As always please forward any questions to me. I would be happy to discuss with you.

Pat Voegelin PDG

D6330 COL Representative

Legend:

Rotary – Constitution of Rotary International

Bylaws – Bylaws of Rotary International

Club – Standard Rotary Club Constitution

#	Enactment Statement	For/	Document	Comment
	Club Administration	Against	Impacted
22-07	To amend the amount of time club boards have to provide minutes to their members	329/155	Club	Change from within 60 days to 30 days.
	Membership
22-10	To add equity and inclusion to the building of a well-balanced membership	420/56	Bylaws	Added "equity and inclusion" to Article 4.070 Diversity of Membership
22-13	To remove the requirement that a member must work or reside in the locality of their club	402/75	Rotary & Club	Membership in any community. Supports creation of online clubs and enables flexible growth.
22-14	To allow active members to propose prospective members in any club	329/151	Bylaws	A member can propose a prospective member to any club. Club approval process still applies.
22-15	To amend the provisions for membership in a satellite club	308/160	Bylaws & Club	All clubs in the community can propose members to a satellite club.
	Rotaract
22-18	To state that Rotaractors may be members of RI committees	393/79	Bylaws	As stated
	RI Officers and Elections
22-20	To revise the timeline for president and director elections	413/71	Bylaws	Electronic balloting enables the shortening of submission time frames.
22-21	To amend the qualifications for director and membership on the director nominating committee	280/208	Bylaws	Removing requirement for attending institutes and conventions within 36 months of being proposed. Increasing number of candidates globally.
22-27	To authorize the board to remove a Rotarian's past officer status (amended)	295/164	Bylaws	Most interesting enactment of the COL. Ability to remove past office status for just cause.
	Rotary International - General
22-28	To revise the process for changing sections in a zone	380/92	Bylaws	The right to modify zones includes right to modify sections within a zone.
22-32	To amend the officers of RIBI	423/43	RIBI	RIBI amended the titles of senior leaders.
	The Rotary Foundation - Trustees
22-38	To authorize the Board to suspend or terminate a club or Rotaract club for initiating litigation against a district	352/130	Bylaws	Added "the District" to 3.020.1 Suspension or Termination.
	Rotary International - Committees
22-39	To amend the provisions regarding RI committees	376/104	Bylaws	RI Board establishes key standing committees each year with ability to create additional as needed.
	Per Capita Dues
22-46	To increase per capita dues	285/205	Bylaws	Dues increases for 2023-2026, aligned with 5 year financial plan. $4 23/24, $3.50 in 24/25 and 25/26
	Rotary International - Finances
22-52	To amend the provisions regarding the audit committee and audited financial statements	357/102	Bylaws	Maintain the authority, composition and independence of the audit committee within the RI Bylaws.
22-53	To amend where the Board must report expenditures from the RI reserve	432/33	Rotary	Board shall report expenditures from the reserve at next convention and COL.
22-54	To publish the RI budget and annual report on the Rotary website	433/41	Bylaws	As stated.
	Councils - Pre-meeting Procedures
22-56	To amend how districts may propose legislation and resolutions	400/65	Rotary & District	Removing need to endorse enactments at a district conference.
22-57	To provide for the type of urgent enactments that may be considered by the Council on Resolutions	255/216	Bylaws	Urgent enactments limited to those that occur between COLs and not interpreting "urgent" in an overly broad manner.
22-59	To amend the deadline for the RI Board to propose position statements	258/217	Bylaws	Position statements by the RI Board has a deadline of 31 December prior to COL.
22-61	To eliminate inconsistencies in the RI Bylaws	459/16	Bylaws	Removing contradictory statements and criteria created from previous COL deliberations.
	Councils - Miscellaneous
22-69	To provide Governors are notified of actions taken on adopted resolutions	329/144	Bylaws	Reinstating requirement that RI Board report on action taken on resolutions from COR.
22-70	To modernize and streamline the RI Constitution without making any substantive changes	423/52	Rotary	Update of language.
	District Administration
22-71	To provide for the administration of clubs in a pilot project	324/150	Bylaws	Endorses planned pilot activity in Australia/NZ and RIBI. Six year pilot activity being planned.
22-72	To revise the criteria for changing district boundaries	247/234	Bylaws	Clarifying minimums and maximums in Rotarians and Clubs within a district.
22-78	To amend the Avenues of Service to include positive peace	249/219	Club	Adding concept of positive peace and peaceful societies to Avenues of Service.
	Club Meetings and Attendance
22-84	To allow Rotaractors to attend Rotary club meetings	426/45	Bylaws	Rotarians and Rotaractors may attend regular meeting or satellite club meeting of other Rotary Clubs.
22-85	To remove the attendance report requirement	319/162	Bylaws	Attendance reports no longer required.
22-92	To revise the process for approving excused absences	233/229	Club	Non-attendance for age + service (85 factor), eligible member does not need club board approval.