World Service Business Conference 2022 Bylaws change proposals SUMMARY
Proposal 1, from Miami-Dade and Florida Keys Intergroup:
Currently the annual World Service Business Conference (WSBC) must be held in Albuquerque or in such place as the Board of Trustees (BOT) designates. This proposes that future WSBCs should be hybrid, with the BOT in Albuquerque and everyone else attending virtually. The stated purpose of the change is to reduce cost so more service bodies can have delegates participate.
Proposal 2, from one of the virtual intergroups:
Currently members of the BOT can serve no more than eight consecutive years. This proposes that in the future, members of the BOT can serve no more than eight consecutive years and no more than twelve years total. The stated purpose of the change is to encourage rotation of service and benefit from more new voices and new points of view on the BOT.
Proposal 3, from Oregon Intergroup:
Currently the WSBC is held in person unless there are extreme circumstances, as there were in 2021, when WSBC was virtual. This proposes that WSBC be held in person in even-numbered years and virtually in odd-numbered years. In the event of an emergency, the BOT could call the conference to be virtual in an even-numbered year. The purpose is to increase participation in WSBC.
Proposal 4, from a BOT member:
This proposal calls for interpreters to be allowed to address WSBC so that non-English speakers can have a voice at the conference.
Proposal 5, from a BOT member:
This proposal, if adopted, would require that whenever possible, at least two members of the BOT should come from outside North America. This is part of a group of bylaws related to a reorganization of OA’s service structure that has been delayed by quarantine.
Proposal 6, from a BOT member:
This proposal also relates to the service structure reorganization. It specifies that we will gradually reduce the number of trustees from 17 to 12; that trustees will have had experience at the region level, as determined by each region; that trustees will not have to reside in the regions they represent, but will be assigned to the various regions as liaisons.
Proposal 7, from a BOT member:
This proposal also relates to the service structure reorganization. It removes language related to trustees that live in and represent their regions, allowing for the future planned change to trustees who need not live in the regions for which they are liaisons.
Proposal 8, from a BOT member:
In 2021, WSBC took out language that distinguished between national and language service boards on the one hand and special focus service boards and intergroups on the other hand. This proposal cleans up the language so that all types of service boards are treated equally.
Proposal 9, from a BOT member:
This proposal is similar to Proposal 8, just for a different section of the bylaws.
Proposal 10, from a BOT member:
This proposal specified that English will be the language of record for all official OA documents. The proposal states that while participation is welcome from speakers of all languages, prudence dictates that there should be one language of record.
Proposal 11, from two virtual intergroups:
This proposes that all future WSBCs will have a way to include hybrid participants. The purpose is to be more inclusive of a worldwide and virtual fellowship, to include people who cannot or prefer not to travel due to disabilities, to make participation safe for LGBTQ+ people who may not feel safe traveling in the US, to lessen the environmental impact caused by travel, and to better represent the existing virtual component of the OA fellowship.
Proposal 12, from Region 8:
The proposal rewords the membership of Region 8. Currently the bylaws say that the Virgin Islands are part of Region 8, along with several US states, Central America and South America. The amendment would state that membership includes the US Virgin Islands and the Caribbean islands, along with the same US states as before, Central America and South America. The stated purpose is to better reflect the actual components of Region 8.
Proposal 13, from a BOT member:
This proposes a wording change similar to proposals 8 and 9, for a different section of the bylaws.
Proposal 14, from two BOT members:
This proposes that unaffiliated OA groups may affiliate with the nearest language or national service board that produces translated OA literature in their language. The proposal mentions that “close to 1,000 groups, more than one in seven groups in the Fellowship, are unaffiliated and therefore isolated, often without access to translated literature and support in the group’s language.” The stated purpose of the proposal is to encourage groups to affiliate with a nearby service body that uses their language, so the groups can learn from and participate in OA as a whole.
Proposal 15, from six BOT members:
This proposes a change of the date by which bylaws amendment proposals must be submitted to WSO and the date by which the proposed amendments are sent to WSBC delegates. The dates for WSBC have been moved earlier in the year, from May to mid-April, so these proposals must be transmitted earlier than in previous years. This specifies that proposed bylaws amendments be submitted ten days earlier than before, and that they be transmitted to delegates five days earlier than before.
2022 WSBC New Business Motion Proposals—SUMMARY
Proposal A, from Saint Louis Bi-State Intergroup, Region Four, Cyndy L. and Dianne S.
The motion is that the OA Responsibility Pledge be included in/on all published OA literature, social media, newsletters, and bulletins maintained by the World Service Office.
The intent is to position OA’s Responsibility Pledge prominently and frequently in front of all OA members on a regular basis. Tradition Five focuses on group purpose, but individual responsibility is equally important in carrying the message.
Proposal B, submitted by the WSBC Bylaws Committee, Cyndy L chair
The motion is that the WSBC conference committee membership should include an equal percentage of the year’s registered delegates at WSBC (with exception listed in 1991a 6) and that each committee will include delegates from across the regions, whenever possible. Also, that the Conference delegate cochair will preside over the meetings throughout the following year. There is also one grammatical correction proposed in the same policy.
The intent is to update the practice to meet current or future situations and that dividing the number of delegates equally among the committees will allow for a best use of the available resources.
Proposal C, submitted by OA Virtual IG UK Europe & Beyond of OA (OAUKEB), Virtual Region Sharlotte G.
The motion is that the OA Board of Trustees permit registered OA groups to Screen Share and Voice Share OA-copyrighted material during OA meetings without being able to make any changes to the material. Screen Shared and Voice Shared OA-copyrighted material would be accompanied by a notice that OA-copyrighted material may not be copied, reproduced, distributed, transmitted, modified, used to create derivative works, or in any other way exploited without the prior written permission from Overeaters Anonymous, Inc.
The intent is to assist registered OA groups in carrying the message through OA literature; to provide clarity to groups and service bodies as to the correct way to share OA literature in meetings without harming OA’s copyright; to provide a way of using OA literature in meetings, while adhering to OA Traditions, Concepts, and Spiritual Principles and while at the same time not infringing on copyright laws; to support the recovery of each individual member of OA; and to protect and not to expose OA literature to exploitation in any way.
The WSBC Motions Review Committee notes that the World Service Office is continuing to look into this and plans to have more information available at WSBC 2022.
Proposal D, submitted by San Francisco IG, Region Two, Aishlin O.
The motion is that the OA Board of Trustees refund the $134,800 initially received from the Paycheck Protection Program and subsequently forgiven.
The funds are perceived by the maker as a tax-free gift from a non-OA source in violation of Tradition 7 and Concept 12.
Proposal E, submitted by Israel NSB, Region Nine, Esti O.
The motion is to establish July as OA Service month.
The intent is to raise awareness of the importance of service as a Tool.
Proposal F, submitted by East Bay Unity IG, Region Two, April H.
The motion is to create a policy that OA allow for the issuance of annual licenses for a fee to OA-registered groups and service bodies to permit screen-sharing of selected Conference-approved literature, including The Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions of Overeaters Anonymous, Second Edition; Overeaters Anonymous, Third Edition; For Today; Voices of Recovery; Abstinence, Second Edition; and any other titles OA so chooses. Pricing of these annual licenses not to exceed three times the price of a single, physical copy of the literature.
The intent is to allow newcomers, visitors, and members, who cannot afford or have not had the opportunity to purchase literature, to fully participate in online literature meetings while observing OA’s copyrights.
The WSBC Motions Review Committee notes that the World Service Office is continuing to look into this and plans to have more information available at WSBC 2022.
Proposal G, submitted by East Bay Unity IG, Region Two, April H.
The motion is to create a policy that allows members to download and print one copy, free of charge, of PDF copies of Conference-approved newcomer-oriented pamphlets including Where Do I Start?; To the Newcomer; Welcome Back; To the Family of the Compulsive Eater; A Common Solution: Diversity and Recovery; Black Members Share their Experience, Strength, and Hope; To the Young Person; and To the Man Who Wants to Stop Compulsive Overeating.
The intent is to help carry the message to the compulsive overeater who still suffers.
The WSBC Motions Review Committee notes that they are unaware of any method of limiting downloads or the number of copies printed.
Proposal H, submitted by OA Great Britain NSB, Region Nine, Teresa M.
The motion is that the Board of Trustees instigate a review of the role, scope, membership, distribution, function, and structure of the regions of OA worldwide.
The intent is to consider the tasks, scope, distribution, membership, form, roles, and functions across the separate regions, so that the complexity and “member reach” of each region is compatible and equitable, and to strengthen the effectiveness and efficiency of the regions in OA.
The WSBC Motions Review Committee notes that an ad hoc committee was established at the November 2021 meeting of the Board of Trustees to look at realignment and reapportionment of regions.
Proposal I, submitted By Nassau County IG, Region Six, Debbie H.
The motion is that OA establish a member literature fund to provide literature to members who may not otherwise have access to it.
The intent is to carry the message to all who need it; to provide equal access to the most essential literature in our recovery; to expand the access to OA literature; and to carry forward the Seventh Tradition in supporting the Fellowship from within.
The WSBC Motions Review Committee notes that this is unfeasible at the world service level and is more appropriate at service body levels.
