2020 Proposed Resolutions

Randolph County Democratic Party

Download 2020 Proposed Resolutions

 

A RESOLUTION TO ABOLISH JAIL TIME BEFORE TRIAL FOR THOSE CHARGED WITH MISDEMEANORS EXCEPT THOSE INVOLVING DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND D.W.I.S 

 

WHEREAS, in America everyone is innocent until proven guilty; and

WHEREAS, On November 12, 2019 a significant civil rights action arising under 42 U. S. C. § 1983 and 28 U. S.C. § 2201, et seq., and the Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution was filed against the Resident Superior Court Judge, the Chief District Court Judge, the Sheriff and magistrates of Alamance County in the Middle District Court of North Carolina; and

WHEREAS, many citizens are confined in jail cells solely because they do not have enough money to purchase their freedom. Because they cannot make the payment that Defendants require for their release, these presumptively innocent individuals will be detained in the jail until their cases reach a disposition by trial or guilty pleas; conversely, wealthier individuals are released from custody almost immediately because they can pay the monetary condition of release; and

WHEREAS, our courts systematically violate defendants’ rights to equal protection under the law, substantive and procedural due process, and to be represented by counsel regarding the early bond process; and

WHEREAS, the courts unconstitutional policies and practices result in widespread wealth-based detention, pretrial detention not only subjects these individuals to the overcrowded conditions in jail, and it also negatively impacts their personal lives and jeopardizes their legal defense; and

WHEREAS, the consequences of pretrial incarceration are severe: people who are detained pretrial routinely suffer losses in employment, child custody, and housing, and barriers to participation in one’s own defense; and

WHEREAS, people detained pretrial experience worse trial and sentencing outcomes than people who are charged with the same offense but are released before trial; and

WHEREAS, these harms are inflicted on people living in poverty who cannot pay money bail despite compelling evidence that alternatives to monetary release conditions are more effective in ensuring appearance for trial and reduce the risk of re-arrest before trial; now, therefore, be it

 
RESOLVED, that there should be no jail time before trial or a guilty plea for those charged with misdemeanors; and,

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that we seek laws directing substantial changes to the cash bond pretrial release practices in North Carolina except those involving domestic violence and D.W.I.s.

A RESOLUTION REGARDING 2020 SCHOOL FUNDING

 

WHEREAS, in 1997, in the Leandro case the state Supreme Court declared that the state constitution guarantees every child “an opportunity to receive a sound basic education”; and

WHEREAS, in December, 2019, Superior Court Judge David Lee released a report prepared by WestEd, an independent consultant, brought in to recommend the next steps in the case and WestEd raised issues such as how, when adjusted to 2018 dollars, per-pupil spending in North Carolina has declined about 6% since 2009–10 and is less than the 1990s; and

WHEREAS, Superior Court Judge David Lee signed an order agreeing with the findings of the independent consultant who had recommended that the state increase education funding by $8 billion over the next eight years; and

WHEREAS, the order gives the parties in the case 60 days from January 21, 2020 to present a plan to address various components in the WestEd report, including, but not limited to:

1. A system of teacher development and recruitment that ensures each classroom is staffed with a high-quality teacher who is supported with learning and provided competitive pay.
2. A system of principal development and recruitment that ensures each school is led by a high-quality principal who is supported with professional learning and provided competitive pay.
3. A finance system that provides adequate, equitable and predictable funding to school districts and, importantly, adequate resources to address the needs of all North Carolina schools and students, especially at-risk students.
4. A system of early education that provides access to high-quality prekindergarten and other early childhood learning opportunities to ensure that all students at-risk of educational failure, regardless of where they live in the State, enter kindergarten on track for school success.
5. Direct resources, opportunities, and initiatives to economically disadvantaged students.

6. Revise the student assessment system and school accountability system. The systems should provide the information needed by educators, parents, policymakers, and others about the educational effectiveness of each school and about the learning and progress of individual children and of subgroups of children; now, therefore be it

 RESOLVED, that we recognize the importance of educating all children so they receive “a sound basis education” as required by the N. C. Constitution and so that they can compete for jobs in a global market; and,

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that we agree that the Court order in the case should be followed and that the General Assembly should fully fund education for public school children.

A RESOLUTION IN SUPPORT OF FUNCTIONAL BROADBAND FOR ALL

 

WHEREAS, access to functional internet is necessary for economic functioning and development; and

WHEREAS, access to functional internet is increasingly necessary for education at all levels; and  

WHEREAS, access to functional internet is diminishing in some areas of NC (those areas served by DSL); and

WHEREAS, alternatives are non-functional in many parts of the state of NC; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED that the North Carolina Democratic Party continue to work with the North Carolina General Assembly to ensure that everyone has affordable access to functional broadband internet.

A RESOLUTION TO ESTABLISH A NONPARTISAN REDISTRICTING PROCESS IN NORTH CAROLINA 

 

WHEREAS, Legislators in both political parties have used the current redistricting procedure to give their parties a substantial political advantage in elections; and 

WHEREAS, Every person’s vote should count and the number of wasted votes should be kept to a minimum; and 

WHEREAS, The best interests of North Carolina are served by promoting public confidence in our political system; now, therefore, be it 

RESOLVED, That North Carolina will create a Citizen’s Redistricting Commission to establish electoral boundaries for the NC House, NC Senate, and US Congressional districts; and

RESOLVED, That the Citizen’s Redistricting Commission will consist of five commissioners from the largest political party in North Carolina, five commissioners from the second largest party in North Carolina, and five commissioners from neither party; and

RESOLVED, That the Citizen’s Redistricting Commission will have the final say in establishing electoral boundaries and those boundaries may not be modified by the North Carolina General Assembly; and

RESOLVED, That the Citizen’s Redistricting Commission shall draw new district boundaries: 

1. That comply with “one person, one vote” 
2. That comply with the Federal Voting Rights Act
3. That exhibit geographic continuity
4. That exhibit geographic integrity
5. That exhibit geographic compactness
6. That result in the least number of wasted votes 
7. That result in the fewest instances of splitting counties where practical and is not in conflict with the previous criteria; and,

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the State Constitution be amended to give sole authority to the nonpartisan Redistricting Committee to determine electoral boundaries for State Legislative and US Congressional Districts in NC.

 

RESOLUTION ON ELECTION OF DISTRICT AND STATE CONVENTION DELEGATES

2020 Proposed Resolutions

WHEREAS, Democratic in Randolph County, NC met in Virtual Convention on April 25, 2020 pursuant to guidance from the State Executive Council; and

WHEREAS, Democrats in Randolph County desire to have full representation at the upcoming Congressional and State Conventions in May and June respectively; now,  therefore be it 

RESOLVED, the Board of the Randolph County Executive Committee is granted the authority to appoint delegates to the Congressional District and State Conventions, and,

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Board shall use the following sources of information to make decisions about delegate appointments:

• List of attendees at the virtual county convention
• Individuals from Randolph County who have filed a Notice of Candidacy seeking election as a National Convention Delegate
• County members of the State Executive Committee
• Individuals from Randolph County who have expressed an interest in serving as a State or District Convention delegate in advance of the County Convention.