Guidelines for Writing Resolutions
Resolutions set forth background information and propose a course of action or statement of policy.
The title of the resolution should appropriately reflect the intended course of action of the resolution.
Follow these guidelines for writing a resolution:
Format
Resolutions begin with background information and conclude with a specific proposal. Background
information follows the term "whereas," while the proposed course of action is set forth by "therefore be it resolved."
Whereas
Background or whereas information provides the rationale for the resolved course of action. The
whereas statement(s) should lead the reader to your conclusion (resolved).
In writing whereas statements, begin by introducing the topic of the resolution. Be factual rather than speculative and provide or reference statistics wherever possible.
Although whereas statements are not mandatory, it is difficult to understand the rationale behind a
proposed course of action when that rationale is not set forth in the resolution.
Resolved
The resolved portion of a resolution should emphasize a course of action for the association.
The Board of Directors, not the House of Delegates, is responsible for determining the appropriate
committee involvement. Also, the association cannot direct another organization to do a particular task, although it can recommend a course of action or concern to other organizations.
The rules for the submission of resolutions will be strictly applied. Late resolutions should be submitted only on truly emergent issues, especially latebreaking developments of information, and will be reviewed by the Resolutions Committee that will rule on acceptance.
Please be sure to make your resolutions clear and concise. Because it is only the resolved portions of the resolutions on which action is taken, they must be capable of standing alone. If background materials accompany resolutions, the material will be forwarded to the appropriate committee for review, but it will not be published in the meeting handbook that is distributed to the delegates. If funds are needed for implementation, staff will provide a fiscal note. Please refer to the Policy Compendium to avoid duplication of current policy.
When resolutions become AMDA policy, the complete resolution is indexed in the AMDA Policy
Compendium—an internal document. For external purposes, only the resolves are included.
If you have any questions, please contact Gaby Geise, Government Affairs, at 410/992-3145 or
ggeise@amda.com.
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