La Raza Network of Sacramento

Mission Statement: "La Raza Network shall be an advocate for all Latinos and will network with other organizations, share issues and promote working with others to achieve goals as defined by the assembly."

ENDORSEMENT PROCESS – LA RAZA NETWORK OF SACRAMENTO

(ENDORSEMENT OF, OR OPPOSITION TO, APPOINTMENTS, LEGISLATION, REPORTS AND ISSUES)

　

I. Process Defined, Objectives and Role of La Raza Network

"Endorsement Process" Defined: This process describes how La Raza Network of Sacramento (Network) determines whether, or not, to take an official position to:

  1. Support or oppose the appointment, including employment, of an individual to a key executive, or managerial, position;
  2. Support, or oppose, a candidate for non-partisan office;
  3. Support, or oppose legislation; and,
  4. Render opinions regarding a major report, position paper or issue impacting the Latino community.

Objectives: The objectives of the La Raza Network of Sacramento in establishing this process are the following:

  1. To Clarify the role of La Raza Network of Sacramento;
  2. To ensure official positions taken by the Network, concerning appointees, or potential appointees, candidates, legislation, reports or other issues are consistent with the goals of La Raza Network, in general;
  3. To ensure that the Network’s decisions are informed decisions;
  4. To educate Network members, and the public, regarding the process;
  5. To ensure there is an opportunity for input, from Network membership, regarding La Raza Network’s official position; and,
  6. To ensure there is a method to evaluate whether, or not, issues relevant to the Latino community are being addressed.

    　

　

II. Actions Subject to Endorsement Process Procedures

Official Positions Subject to this Process: Official positions taken by the Network under this process apply to the following:

Category (1) - Support or Oppose Appointment:

Letter of Recommendation for High-Level Position. This is a request for a letter of recommendation for an executive or managerial position prior to appointment or employment. [See Questionnaire # 1 – Request for Letter of Recommendation].

Support of or Opposition to Appointee. This is a request aimed at expressing support, or dissatisfaction, of a person’s performance. For example, a letter requesting Senate Rules Committee approval of a State Director falls in this category. [See Questionnaire # 2 – Existing Appointment].

Category (2) - Support or Oppose Candidate:

Non-partisan Office. This is a request aimed at supporting, or opposing a candidate for a non-partisan office, such as Mayor. [See Questionnaire #3 – Candidate for Non-partisan Office].

Category (3) - Support or Oppose Legislation:

Legislation. This is a request aimed at supporting legislation that advances the established goals of the Network and opposing legislation that hinders those goals. When considering whether, or not, to support or oppose legislation, each amended version of a bill will be considered separately. For purposes of this process, "legislation" includes ballot measures (initiatives that start off as legislation) and initiatives (initiatives placed on the ballot through the petition circulation process). [See Questionnaire # 4 – Legislation].

Category (4) - Opinions on Major Reports, Position Papers, and Issues:

Report or Position Paper. This is a request aimed at providing support of, or opposition to, a major study or report that present significant findings or statistical data impacting the Latino community. [See Questionnaire # 5 – Report, Position Paper or Issue].

Issues Impacting the Latino Community. This is a request aimed at supporting, or opposing, a person, such as a governmental entity or employer, which can impact an issue significant to the local Latino community. For example, the rendering of an opinion regarding the Sacramento Housing Alliance’s recommendations to the City Council on affordable housing falls in this category. [Also see Questionnaire # 5].

　

Actions Not Subject to This Process. The following actions are not subject to this process:

  1. Permitting the distribution of literature at Network meetings;
  2. Allowing a person to speak, or make a presentation, at a Network meeting, provided no official action is taken by the Network relating to the speaker’s item;
  3. The hosting of an event, such as a social reception, to recognize a person or to acquaint him or her to the local community;
  4. The hosting of an event, such as a symposium or conference, which is held primarily for education or informational purposes; and,
  5. Consideration of requests for funds or fundraising.

III. Procedural Requirements

Procedure For Network Action:

Executive Board Authority. The Executive Board of the Network, subject to member notification and ratification, may make decisions under the provisions of this process. The Executive Board will resolve any question as to whether an action is subject to this process.

Notification to Membership. The membership shall be notified of any position taken by the Executive Board no later than the next general membership meeting of the Network.

Ratification by Membership. A decision taken by the Executive Board will be presented to the membership for ratification prior to communicating the Network’s decision to the requester, unless the official position must be taken prior to the meeting. Ratification requires a 2/3 vote of active members present at a regular meeting of the Network. Note: One-third (1/3) of the Active Members comprise a quorum to transact all business before the Network at regular or special meetings.

Notification to Requester. A decision to take the official position requested shall be communicated in writing to the requester and shall be on La Raza Network of Sacramento letterhead. If a decision is not ratified, no official position is taken, or a contrary position to that requested is taken, the requester will be notified by whatever means is appropriate (telephone or in writing).

Information Regarding Decision. Members, shall, upon request, be provided a copy of any questionnaire or other information used to make the decision.

　

Authority of the Chair: The Chair of the Network may create a standing Endorsement Process Committee or an Ad-hoc Endorsement Process Committee ("Committee") to consider requests. The Committee shall make its recommendations to the Executive Board for a final determination on the request. The membership shall be notified of the establishment of the Committee and of its recommendation or recommendations. The notification, ratification and information requirements described above apply.

The Chair of the Network may also direct a requester to present the request at a regular meeting of the Network for consideration by the full membership. The request will satisfy the requirement of this process if the applicable Questionnaire (Questionnaires 1-5, Endorsement Process, La Raza Network of Sacramento) is completed and presented for discussion to the membership at a general meeting.

Who Can Make a Request: La Raza Network of Sacramento members in good standing may request and/or recommend that the Network take a particular official position pursuant to this process. A member submitting a request on behalf of another person (individual or entity) must be authorized to submit that request on behalf of that person. Any person seeking an official position of the Network may directly submit a request on his or her own behalf. No person submitting a request may be a member of any Committee established to make a recommendation on the request.

Completion of Questionnaire: Any person desiring that the Network take an official position shall complete and submit a written questionnaire to a member of the Executive Board applicable to his or her request at least 3 weeks prior to the date the action is desired or required (Questionnaires 1-5). The Executive Board may meet with the requester, and/or person that is the subject of the request and obtain additional information as deemed appropriate. If the Executive Board decides a meeting or presentation before the general membership is appropriate, the requester (and/or person) must appear personally, not a representative.

Where it is determined by the Executive Board that, due to urgency, the questionnaire cannot be submitted within the 3-week timeline, two members of the Executive Board (or at least two members of a Committee created by the Board) shall meet with the applicable person or persons, or conduct a telephone interview prior to making a decision on the matter. The circumstances regarding the urgency shall be reported to the membership.

Amendments to this Process: This process may need changes to ensure the objectives are met and to streamline the process. Changes to this process are subject to a 2/3 vote of the Network’s active membership at a regular or special meeting. Any member in good standing may recommend changes.

Location of Questionnaire: This process and the most recent versions of the Questionnaires will be posted on La Raza Network’s website at www.larazanetwork.org.