The Acts of Convention

House of Deputies

The House of Deputies Committee on Governance and Structure presented its Report #42 on Resolution D008 (Amend Article I, Section 1 of the Constitution) and moved adoption of a substitute.

Original Text of Resolution:

(D008)

Resolved, the House of Bishops concurring, That Article I, Section 1 of the Constitution is amended to read as follows:

Sec. 1. There shall be a General Convention of this Church, consisting of the House of Bishops and the House of Deputies, which Houses shall sit and deliberate separately, unless a Joint Session is provided for by the Canons or the Presiding Officers shall together call for a Joint Session which is approved by a majority vote in the House of Bishops and the House of Deputies; and in all deliberations freedom of debate shall be allowed. Either House may originate and propose legislation, and all acts of the Convention shall be adopted and be authenticated by both Houses.

Committee Substitute:

Resolved, Amend Article I Section 1 of the Constitution:

There shall be a General Convention of this Church consisting of the House of Bishops and the House of Deputies, which Houses will sit, debate, and vote separately, unless otherwise provided for by this Constitution or the Canons. The Houses by majority vote of each House may call for the Houses to sit, debate, and vote, or any combination thereof, together. The General Convention may by Canon establish procedures for such sessions. In all deliberations freedom of debate shall be allowed. Either House may originate and propose legislation, and all acts of the Convention shall be adopted and be authenticated by both Houses.

Point of Order

Deputy Ambos of New Jersey stated that the Rules call for amendments to the Constitution or Canons be marked with the appropriate strikethroughs for removals or italics for additions. The Committee Substitute did not have the changes marked appropriately, and Deputy Ambos stated that he had submitted an amendment with the appropriate markings. The President considered this a technical change, rather than an amendment, and asked if there was an objection from the House. There was an objection to the amendment being considered a technical change. Deputy Snow of Oregon stated that Deputy Ambos' amendment did not have the correct wording.

The Chair of the House of Deputies Committee on Governance and Structure moved to remove Resolution D008 from consideration until such time as it could be put into the appropriate format.

Motion carried

Consideration postponed

[Ed. Note: Debate resumed on Resolution D008 later on the afternoon of the Eighth Legislative Day.]

Continuation of Debate on D008

The House of Deputies Committee on Governance and Structure presented its amendment to Resolution D008.

Committee Amendment:

Resolved, the House of Bishops concurring, That Article I, Section 1 of the Constitution is amended to read as follows:

Sec. 1. There shall be a General Convention of this Church, consisting of the House of Bishops and the House of Deputies, which Houses shallwill sit and deliberate, debate, and vote separately; unless otherwise provided for by this Constitution or the Canons. The Houses by majority vote of each House may call for the Houses to sit, debate, and vote, or any combination thereof, together. The General Convention may by Canon establish procedures for such sessions. and iIn all deliberations freedom of debate shall be allowed. Either House may originate and propose legislation, and all acts of the Convention shall be adopted and be authenticated by both Houses.

Deputy King of Western New York moved to end debate on the resolution.

Motion carried

Debate terminated

An electronic vote was taken on the resolution.

Motion carried

Resolution adopted with amendment

(Communicated to the House of Bishops in HD Message #299)