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Proposed Bylaw Amendments

Proposed Bylaw Amendment No. 1 — Public Comment

  1. Eligibility — Public Comment shall be open exclusively to persons who are verifiably registered as Republicans in Orange County, California.
  2. Time Limit — Each eligible speaker shall be permitted up to **two (2) minutes** to address the Central Committee.
  3. Scope — Speakers may address the Central Committee regarding any matter of concern to them relating to the Orange County Republican Party, its activities, policies, governance, or the conduct of its business.
  4. Viewpoint Neutrality — No person participating in Public Comment shall be denied recognition or have their allotted speaking time terminated solely because the content or viewpoint of their remarks is critical, controversial, offensive, or unpopular.
  5. Administration — The Chair, or the Chair's designee, may establish reasonable and viewpoint-neutral procedures governing the order and administration of Public Comment, including verification of eligibility and enforcement of the two-minute time limit, provided that such procedures are applied equally to all speakers.
  6. Non-Deliberative Nature — Public Comment shall provide an opportunity for eligible Republicans to address and petition the Central Committee. Participation in Public Comment shall not, by itself, create a right to debate, a motion, or an immediate vote by the Central Committee on the subject raised.
  7. Preservation of Authority — Nothing in this provision shall limit the authority of the Central Committee, its officers, or its committees as otherwise established by these Bylaws, applicable law, or the governing rules of the California Republican Party.

Public Comment — A designated Public Comment period shall be included as part of each regular meeting of the Orange County Republican Party Central Committee.

Proposed Bylaw Amendment No. 2 — Republican Petition and Agenda Initiative

  1. Eligibility — Any person submitting or signing a petition pursuant to this provision must be verifiably registered as a Republican in Orange County, California.
  2. Petition Threshold — A petition containing the valid signatures of at least **one hundred (100) registered Orange County Republicans** shall be sufficient to require the petition's subject matter to be formally presented to the Central Committee for consideration.
  3. Permissible Subjects — A qualifying petition may:
    • Request that the Central Committee consider and adopt a proposed resolution;
    • Request that a particular policy, issue, or matter be considered by the Central Committee;
    • Request that a specific item be placed on the agenda of a future Central Committee meeting;
    • or
    • Petition the Central Committee to take another action within the lawful authority of the Orange County Republican Party.
  4. Presentation and Consideration — Upon verification of the required one hundred (100) signatures, the petition shall be presented to the Central Committee at its next regularly scheduled meeting, or placed on the agenda of the subsequent regular meeting if necessary to satisfy applicable notice requirements.
  5. Petitioner Presentation — At least one representative of a qualifying petition shall be permitted to address the Central Committee for up to **five (5) minutes** regarding the petition and the action requested.
  6. Committee Action — A qualifying petition shall require the Central Committee to consider the matter identified in the petition. Nothing in this provision shall require the Central Committee to adopt the proposed resolution or take the specific action requested by the petitioners.
  7. Agenda Items — Where a qualifying petition requests that an item be placed on the Central Committee's agenda, the item shall be listed on the agenda as a matter for consideration. The Central Committee shall retain authority to debate, amend, refer, postpone, reject, or otherwise dispose of the proposed matter in accordance with the Bylaws and applicable parliamentary rules.
  8. Verification — The Orange County Republican Party may establish reasonable and viewpoint-neutral procedures for verifying voter registration, preventing duplicate signatures, confirming the authenticity of petitions, and determining whether the one hundred (100) signature threshold has been satisfied.
  9. Viewpoint Neutrality — No qualifying petition shall be rejected, delayed, or excluded solely because the position, policy, resolution, or subject matter expressed therein is critical of the Central Committee, its officers, elected officials, candidates, policies, or any other person or organization.
  10. Limitations — Nothing in this provision shall require the Central Committee to take any action that would violate applicable law, the Bylaws of the Orange County Republican Party, the rules of the California Republican Party, or any other governing authority applicable to the Party.

The Orange County Republican Party shall establish a formal petition process through which registered Republicans residing in Orange County may petition the Orange County Republican Party Central Committee to consider matters of concern to the Republican electorate.

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