What are resolutions?

Resolutions are the heart and soul of NOW conferences, forming the basis of NOW's organizational policy and guiding our work between national conferences. All NOW activists participate in carrying out the actions and activities described in the resolutions that are adopted by the conference. Chapters, states, and regions, along with the National Action Center, are responsible for ensuring that the policy and related actions established by the resolution are conducted during the year. Taking time to review resolutions passed during previous conferences may be helpful in formulating your ideas.

How are resolutions written and introduced?

There are two ways to get your idea or resolution before the conference for consideration, by getting it passed in an Issue Hearing or through the Signature Process:

Resolutions must be passed by an Issue Hearing or must have the signatures of a specified number of conference attendees. The resolutions must be submitted in a specific format.

Participation in the resolution process in an important part of the conference experience, and any member at the conference may propose a resolution in the relevant Issues Hearing (the normal process) or may seek signatures (an alternate process) to get a resolution to the floor for a vote. The number of signatures is set by the conference rules each year. Resolutions passed become NOW organization policy and therefore new resolutions should not duplicate those passed at previous conferences.

Activists are encouraged to engage in the resolution process, to learn about each of the resolutions being presented, ask questions of the "maker of the resolution" (whether in an issue hearing or a resolution being circulated for signatures) to clarify the policy proposal, and to remember that each NOW activist will be committed to carrying out the work outlined in each of the resolutions passed out of the conference during the next year.

Issue Hearings

A series of issue hearings is part of each national conference. Issue hearings are held on a variety of issues or topics, including "emerging issues." For example, all of the resolutions on violence against women will be considered at one issue hearing.

The sole purpose of an issue hearing is to develop and produce resolutions. Activists can bring ideas to the issue hearing even if they are not in the final resolution format but with the limited time available it is helpful to have resolution language prepared in advance of the issue hearing. Several resolutions brought by activists may share a common thread and could be combined.

The activists attending the issue hearing will decide which resolutions will be presented for consideration to the full conference body. Activists at the issue hearing may determine that similar proposals and ideas can be grouped together to make one resolution, make changes to the language, and may offer suggestions to improve the resolution. Only two resolutions may be voted out of each issue hearing, but there is no requirement that there be two proposals from each hearing.

Issue hearing participants are encouraged to ask questions and to read the resolutions before voting, to ensure that the policy proposed in the resolution is one that you will be willing to support and act upon as a member. All of us—activists, chapters, state organizations, regions, and the National Action Center—will be expected to undertake the proposed actions and projects if the resolution is passed at the conference.

Signature Process

Activists who did not to take their resolution to an Issues Hearing, or whose resolution was not passed by the Hearing, will be working during the conference to gain support for their resolution via the signature process. You may be approached and asked for your signature.

Conference attendees are encouraged to ask questions of the "maker of the resolution" or whomever is circulating it for signature (just as in the Issue Hearings), and to read the resolution to ensure that the policy proposed in the resolution is one that you will be willing to support and act upon as a member. All of us—activists, chapters, state organizations, regions, and the National Action Center—will be expected to undertake the proposed actions and projects if the resolution is passed at the conference.

Conference attendees who support a resolution may be asked to help gather petition signatures for the resolution, or advocate for the resolution in an issue hearing. Getting involved in supporting proposed policy that you believe will be good for the organization is exciting and an important part of NOW's democratic process.

Resolution Committee

An electronic copy of each resolution should be provided to the Resolutions Committee. Once resolutions are passed out of an issue hearing or have the required number of signatures, they must be delivered to the Resolutions Committee at the designated conference office within one hour after the close of the last issue hearing. The proposed conference rules, which must be adopted by the conference, will be printed in the conference program book. The program book will also designate the location of the conference office.

What is the Resolution Committee?

The Conference Resolution Committee is appointed by the President and confirmed by the National Board to serve for that national conference. The responsibilities of the Committee include:

1. ensuring that the resolution is prepared in the required format,
2. confirming that the resolution from an Issue Hearing was passed out of an issue hearing and contains appropriate contact information,
3. confirming that a resolution submitted via signatures contains the correct number of signatures, and that they are signatures of conference attendees,
4. prioritizing proposed resolutions, with those resolutions that are urgent or propose NEW policy being presented to the floor before those resolutions that are similar to existing NOW policy
5. collecting or keying in an electronic copy of each proposed resolution and
6. preparing a package of the proposed resolutions for each conference attendee.

Resolutions are Voted on on Conference Floor

The package of proposed resolutions will be presented for consideration to the full conference body on Sunday. Only those conference attendees who are credentialed delegates will be eligible to vote on the proposed resolutions. All NOW members are encouraged to speak on the floor in support of, or opposition to, the resolutions. The Conference Chair will manage the floor debate to ensure each resolution has a full and complete hearing before the vote. The floor debate will be governed by Robert's Rules of Order, Newly Revised.

Resolution Passes

A resolution that is passed by the credentialed delegates becomes NOW organizational policy. All NOW activists will participate in carrying out the actions and activities described in the resolution. Chapters, states, and regions, along with the National Action Center, are responsible for ensuring that the policy and related actions established by the resolution are conducted during the year.