Platform & Public Policy Subcommittee

Elizabeth Weight, Chair

The Public Policy and Platform Standing Sub-committee shall be responsible for submitting the platform or resolutions reports to the State Conventions; creating task forces to study issues for the Utah State Democratic Party; compiling research on issues for use by candidates for public elected office; and acting as advocates for issues endorsed by the State Central Committee. The Standing Sub- committee may also provide for the formation of sub-committees or task forces to study specific issues that include as part of their membership a designate of the Democratic Party Leadership of the Utah State Legislature, and other persons who can provide expert knowledge on the issues addressed by the task force. The Standing Sub-committee shall also perform the following:

(i) Draft Platform. A draft report shall be prepared under the direction and with the approval of the Chair of the Utah State Democratic Party.

(ii) Proposals for Inclusion in Platform. Delegates and others may submit proposals for inclusion in the platform to the Chair of the Platform and Policy Standing Sub- Committee. All proposals to be considered by the Standing Sub-committee shall be submitted in writing at least sixteen (16) days prior to the convening of the State Nominating Convention. All proposals shall state the proposition in a clear and concise manner. The Chair of the Standing Sub-committee shall have authority for good cause to allow consideration of proposals submitted after the deadline, with the agreement of a majority of the membership of the Committee.

(iii) Amendments to Platform. No one other than a voting member of the Standing Sub- committee may propose an amendment. The amendment process shall be on a section-by- section basis, unless otherwise determined by the Standing Sub-Committee Chair. No motion or proposition on a subject different from that under consideration shall be permitted under color of the amendment.

(iv) Minority Report to Platform. Upon the written request of at least six members of the Committee, a minority report concerning any issue that has been raised before the Committee shall be prepared and submitted to the sub-committee Chair. An issue that has not been considered by the full committee may not be the subject of a minority report. Minority reports must be submitted to the Chair of the Platform and Policy Standing Sub- committee within forty-eight (48) hours of adjournment of the Standing Sub-committee’s pre-Convention meeting. The minority report shall be in the form of a resolution disposing of the matter to which it relates, and shall be prepared for distribution to all Convention delegates as part of the Committee’s report. No member who voted for the majority report with respect to a matter may sign a minority report relating to the same matter and must affirm they did not vote with the majority on the motion adopted. No member may sign more than one minority report relating to a particular matter. Any person who signs a minority report may withdraw his or her support for such report by written notice to the Committee Chair or a designated staff member. A minority report may be withdrawn at any time prior to or during the Convention. A minority report will be deemed withdrawn when support falls to fewer than six members of the Standing Sub-committee, as evidenced by the written withdrawal of support by proponents of the report as submitted to the Committee Chair.

(v) Resolutions. The Standing Sub-committee shall receive and consider all resolutions proposed by a member of the State Central Committee or State Convention Delegate, as appropriate, on matters of policy proposed for adoption by the State Central Committee or Convention, and shall report in writing. Said report shall contain the text of each resolution recommended by the Committee for adoption, and shall identify resolutions considered but not recommended for adoption. Resolutions shall be submitted to the Chair of the Committee at least fourteen (14) days prior to the meeting, provided that the State Executive Committee may vote to submit urgent timely resolutions directly to the State Central Committee or Convention even though not submitted within these time periods. Excepting those resolutions submitted by the State Executive Committee, no resolutions may be considered that have not had prior consideration by the Platform and Policy Standing sub-committee (Utah Democratic Party Bylaws, Article IV, Section 14. Public Policy and Platform Standing Sub-committee).