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Resolution Submission

The National Black Caucus of State Legislators’ 2025 Policy Resolution submissions period is now open. These submissions are to be considered for ratification at our 48th Annual Legislative Conference to be held in Washington, DC on December 2, 2024 through December 7, 2024.

Resolution Format Description

  • WHEREAS: This clause should provide a brief, accurate background for the public policy issue that the resolution addresses.
  • THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: This clause should propose solutions, recommend an action item, or announce a position that NBCSL should take on a public policy issue.

The first deadline for the submission of Resolutions for consideration at NBCSL’s 48th Annual Legislative Conference in Washington, DC is September 26, 2024. Submissions made after September, 26 must be made on members’ behalf by a NBCSL Policy Committee Chair(s) or Co-Chair(s) until 11:59 p.m. EST on October 7, 2024.

If you have any questions about the 2025 Policy Resolutions submission process, feel free to address your correspondence to the NBCSL Policy Team at policy@nbcsl.org.

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Resolution Information

Once you have a general idea of the topic of the resolution, create a concise and clear title. The purpose of your resolution should be obvious from the title.

The "RESOLVED" Clause(s)


Please remember these tips when writing the “resolved” clause(s):

● The “resolved” portion(s) must be written to “stand alone.” This means that you should be able to read these statements separately and have them make sense.
● Please call for only one action in each “resolved” clause. If there are two or three actions being proposed, write a separate “resolved” clause for each one. If multiple “resolved” clauses are included in a resolution, each “resolved” clause should be related to the central subject of the resolution.
● The current “resolved” limit for NBCSL Resolutions is 3.

The "WHEREAS" Clause(s)


Once the “resolved” clause(s) are written, prepare the “whereas” clause(s). The “whereas” clauses should be clearly and factually stated—WITH CITATIONS/REFERENCES—and be limited to relevant information, otherwise, they may produce unnecessary debate and, therefore, detract from the effectiveness of the resolution.

Though the “whereas” clause(s) precede the “resolved” portion in presentation, it is best to develop them after the “resolved” portion is written. This makes it easier to limit the “whereas” clause(s) to only the most relevant and necessary information. Please remember these tips when writing the “whereas” clause(s):

● Please limit the number of “whereas” clause(s) to the minimum required to provide reasonable support for the “resolved” clause(s). The current “whereas” limit for NBCSL Resolutions is 10.
● Please include citations/references for all data and/or statements of fact.

Submitter Information

Name
For questions on resolution
For questions on resolution