Dianne and I attended the 2019 COL from Saturday 13 April until Thursday 18 April in Chicago, USA. The costs of my attendance as your district representative was covered by Rotary International, but Dianne’s attendance asa guest including optional functions and our tour of One Rotary Centre were personal costs.
Most attendees arrived Saturday or Sunday, with some delayed by heavy snowfalls or tornadoes across America. From all accounts, there were not as many past RI presidents nor RI staff present as in previous
councils. Once again, PDG Brian Heaton volunteered as one of the 11 Sergeants-at-Arms to assist facilitation.
The 2019 COL Chair Duane Benton, a Circuit Judge for the US Court of Appeals, excelled in fairness, timing, balance and manner. Voting delegates used a Council app on their mobile devices to monitor amendments,
statements of support and opposition and Council updates, whilst voting was by separate electronic keypads.
This year’s Council considered 117 proposed changes to the constitutional documents that govern Rotary International. Whilst I came with a prepared response on each proposal, I had an open mind and there were
occasions where speakers raised arguments I had not considered, and I changed my view. Preliminary voting results of the 117 proposed enactments can be downloaded from the following link:
https://my.rotary.org/en/document/vote-totals-2019-council-legislation.
A final report on the 2019 COL and consequent RI Board considerations of enactments will come at a later date.

SOME OF THE MORE INTERESTING ADOPTED ENACTMENTS WERE:
• 19-072 To admit Rotaract Clubs to RI Membership
This enactment changes the definition of membership in Rotary International to include both Rotary and Rotaract clubs. The change elevates the status of Rotaract clubs and increases the support they receive to
enhance their ability to serve. It does not require Rotaract clubs or Rotaractors to pay dues to RI. Whilst this was initially rejected by the Council, it eventually got up on amendment and I saw this as a wakeup call to
the RI Board that it cannot push through late submissions lacking detail.
• 19-117 To authorize the RI Board to take appropriate action to change RI’s tax status
This authorized the Board to pursue changing RI’s charitable status to a section 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization. A task force has been studying the possible change for 18 months and says it will offer
benefits that include tax reductions and vendor discounts that will reduce RI expenses. This was controversial with division between the ‘US tax law experts’ in the room on implications for clubs and The
Rotary Foundation, but in the end, it was strongly supported.
• 19-82 To increase per capita dues
This approved a modest increase of US$1 a year for each of three years, beginning in 2020-21. The previous 2016 Council set dues for 2019-20 at US$34 per half year. The dues will increase to US$34.50
per half year in 2020-21, US$35 per half year in 2021-22, and US$35.50 per half year in 2022-23. Other proposed enactments with more significant fee increases were defeated or withdrawn.
• 19-112 To amend who is a member of a Council
This intensely debated enactment was narrowly adopted. It will reduce the number of nonvoting members at future Councils, by removing past RI presidents and allowing only one RI Board director to attend but not vote. Whilst the RI Board proposed 19-105 to reduce voting delegates and make a smaller, more nimble COL, this controversial enactment will reduce size and costs.
• 19-22 To amend the term of the club president
This limits the term of a club president to two successive years.
• 19-70 To amend the provisions for terminating the membership of a club
This provides that the RI Board may terminate a club upon the request of the governor if its membership falls below six members. This was another controversial enactment with some in favour arguing it will pressure very small clubs to increase their membership. It will be up to the governor to initiate any action to close a small club.
• 19-96 To allow the RI Board to propose urgent enactments to the Council on Resolutions
Perhaps this is a small testing step towards a future online Council on Legislation!

OF INTEREST, THE FOLLOWING PROPOSED ENACTMENTS WERE REJECTED:
• 19-67 To remove the publication and subscription requirements for the official magazine and regional magazines

This would have meant that RI has no responsibility to produce a magazine and no Rotarian had an obligation to subscribe to one.
• 19-68 to amend the subscription for the official magazine and regional magazine
This would have made magazine subscription optional for Rotarians. There was an active campaign across Australian and New Zealand districts to reject 19-67 and 19-68, arguing that optional
subscription would make magazines unviable and now is not the right time for change.
• 19-21 To require that key club committee chairs be board members
This proposal by D9700 in Australia was narrowly rejected.
• 19-25 To replace the requirement for attendance reports with a report on service
This proposal by D9685 in Australia was also narrowly rejected after much debate. A later motion to reconsider was rejected. I was surprised and disappointed that this proposal was not adopted.
• 19-104 To amend the process for selecting representatives to attend the Council on Legislation
This enactment by the RI Board, proposed to pair districts. Each district representative would have a six-year term and the paired districts would then alternate sending their representative to the COL.
Once rejected, the RI Board withdrew proposal 19-105 To Provide for a Biennial Council on Legislation which was dependant on 19-104 being adopted. Following associated debate about
alternative council models, 19-106 To provide for an annual electronic Council on Legislation wasalso withdrawn.

I have always held the view that the COL is an inefficient decision-making process because of its size, cost and 3-year frequency. I now appreciate the value of the face-to-face debate and the
opportunity to discuss how proposals would affect clubs in different countries and cultures. It is difficult to find an alternative model which allows for such debate, district representation and yet is
more regular, cost effective and timely. I felt that there was mood for change in the room, but no suitable alternative COL model was proposed. Enactment 19-96 will be a test of deciding legislation
online though a Council on Resolutions. Some argued that advancing technologies will provide a solution in the near future.

Overall, I found the experience educational, interesting, and inspiring for the future of Rotary. As usual, I took opportunities to network for possible future benefit of our district. I thank district
Rotarians for the privilege and honour to represent them at the 2019 COL.
I should point out that the comments in this report are personal and do not necessarily reflect the views of District 9640 nor its leadership.

PDG Tony Heading
D9640 Representative to 2019 COL
29 April 2018