Rotary International Council on Legislation met recently and made some significant changes. The Council is an essential element of Rotary’s governance. Every three years, members from around the world gather in Chicago to consider proposed changes to the policies that govern the organization and its member clubs. Measures that are adopted take effect 1 July.
 
Here is a summary of the legislative changes that will take effect July 1, 2016.
 
•  The first measure allows clubs to decide to vary their meeting times, whether to meet online or in person, and when to cancel a meeting, as long as they meet at least twice a month.
 
•  The second allows clubs flexibility in choosing their membership rules and requirements. The council also approved removing six membership criteria from the RI Constitution and replacing them with a simple requirement that a member be a person of good character who has a good reputation in their business or community and is willing to serve the community.
 
•  The council adopted a $4 dues increase in order to maintain its reserve funds and also improve My Rotary and make other changes and improve resources to clubs and districts. The yearly per capita dues that clubs pay to RI will be $60 in 2017-18, $64 in 2018-19, and $68 in 2019-20.
 
•  To encourage Rotaract members to become Rotary club members, Rotaractors will now be allowed to become a Rotarian while still remaining a member of a Rotaract club.
 
•  The distinction between e-clubs and traditional clubs will be eliminated.
 
•  The reference to admission fees in the Rotary bylaws will be removed.
 
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