ImPerial Court System Parliament

August 2, 2008 • Minutes

San Diego LGBT Community Center, 2313 El Cajon Blvd San Diego, CA 92104

 

Attendance:

 

OFFICERS:

 

Speaker of the House:            Anthony DeParda

Prime Minister:                        Zachary Saper

Deputy Prime Minister:           Tony Monteleone

Executive Secretary:              CJ Whitmer - Bubbaboy

 

SEATED MEMBERS:

           

Anchorage, AK:                      Mary Bess Bohall

Austin, TX:                              Cecilia Martay

            Boise, ID:                                Craig LaChance

            Boston, MA:                            Noah Brown

            Buffalo, NY:                            Chris Hempel

            Calgary, Canada:                    Wolfgang Von Bearstein

            Chicago, IL:                             Richard Clough

            Chico, CA:                              Art Sanderson

            Colorado Springs, CO:           Don Lacey

            Corpus Christie, TX:               BeBe Hughes Bouvier

            Dallas, TX:                              Wade Burwell

            Denver, CO:                           Lumar Cooper

            Des Moines, IA:                      Nathan Pottinger        

Everett, WA:                           Len R. Burton-Hardin

Fort Worth, TX:                       Ron Wesal / Clint Norton

Fresno, CA:                             John Archer Pace

            Hamilton, Canada:                  Stephany Bice

            Hartford, CT:                           John M. Howard

            Honolulu, HI:                           Bill Char

            Houston, TX:                           Chris Garrett

            Las Vegas, NV:                       Joseph Benten

            Lexington, KY:                                    Daryl Royse

            Long Beach, CA:                    Michael King

            Los Angeles, CA:                    Vi Puzon

            Minnesota, MN:                      Mallory Townsend

Missoula, MT:                         Samuel Williams

                        Modesto, CA:                          Jeff Case Young

                        New York, NY:                        Jeff Wallach

                        Omaha, NE:                            Robert Pesby

                        Orange County, CA:               Hara Halston

                        Phoenix, AZ:                           Gaby Tako

                        Portland, OR:                          Cheryl B Hall

                        Providence, RI:                       Michael Sousa

                        Reno, NV:                               Robert Douglas

                        Sacramento, CA:                    Bruce Bedrich

                        Salt Lake City, UT:                 Steve Bolinder

                        San Antonio, TX:                     Jay Smith

                        San Diego, CA:                       Adam Latham

                        San Francisco, CA:                Nathan Page               (Imperial)

                        San Francisco, CA:                Fred Townson             (Ducal)

                        Seattle, WA:                            Roger M Axline

                        Spokane, WA:                         Lynn Harris    

                        Surrey, Canada:                     Bruce Coddington

                        Tijuana, NM:                           Severo Reyes

                        Toronto, Canada:                    Craig Hunter

                        Tulsa, OK:                               Phillip Parker

                        Vancouver BC, Canada;        Adrian Cormler

                        Waco, TX:                               CJ Stratford

 

GUESTS:

 

Empress 1 Jose the Widow Norton

                        Queen Mother of the America’s, Empress Nicole the Great

                        Judy Shepard

Alameda Imperial Delegates: Cseneca St. James

Russell Royball, from Nation Gay Lesbian Task Force

State Senator of California Christine Keagel

                        Imperial Court Council Members:

Empress Panzi                        Empress CoCo LaChine        

Empress Milo                          Empress Christie Pe’Vey

Emperor Chris Beck               Emperor Alan Anderson

Empress Lili Whyte                 Empress the Lovely Suzanne

                        Empress Remy Martin           Emperor Steve Lafata

Empress Jack E                     Empress LaLa Too

Emperor Brian Cromwell        Empress Sydney Andrews

Emperor Mark Campbell        Empress Charmaine Lee Anderson

Empress Madison Lane

 

 

QUEEN MOTHERS OPENING ADDRESS:

           

She talked about the past 40 years of a court system going strong in changing in the diverse times.  That we are 70 courts, still growing.  Nicole, talked about the past the presence and the future of the Parliament and Imperial Court System. Talked about the ban of people with HIV traveling, to lift the ban.  Talk about the youth of the gay, lesbian, transgender.  Street in San Francisco was dedicated to Empress 1, Jose the Widow Norton.  After 40 years a non discrimination policy was issued to protect the members of the ICS.   She proclaimed the official opening Parliament to the United States, Canada, and New Mexico.

 

SEATING OF THE MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT:

 

Were certified and seated as the Members of Parliament.

 

           

 

 

 

Key Note Address:

 

The Founder of the Matthew Shepard Foundation Judy Shepard.  Spoke on the issue’s of educating the communities on hate crimes through the presidential elections, schools, even our own communities.

 

Empress Nicole the Great bestowed the life time title “Her Majesty Queen Mother of America to Judy Shepard.

 

REPORTS:

 

Blue Ribbon Commission Report on Coronation Reform:

           

Empress Jack E presented the Parliament the Coronation Reform report. 

The report was first presented to the ICC at the April 2008 ICC meeting in Denver, CO. The ICC requested that the report also be given to Parliament at their first meeting. (see attached)

 

                        National Gay Lesbian Task Force:

 

State Senator of California, Christine Keagel, express appreciation of the first Parliament meeting.  Talked about the unity of the gay community and the support of the government.

 

Russell Royball, came to discuss with the Parliament about “Out to Vote”, and the annual conference in Denver, CO.  A new award will be given out called “Empress 1 Jose Creative Award”.

 

                        Imperial Court System Non-Discrimination Policy:

 

Empress Panzi, the President of the ICC.  Discussed the Anti-Discrimination Policy, that the ICC will not tolerate any discrimination.  That there is an Anti-Discrimination Council set up by Empress Panzi to investigate any and all discrimination. 

 

Anti-Discrimination Policy:

Let it be known that the International Court System and its members will not discriminate against any person or persons on the basis of age, gender, gender-presentation, race, color, ethnicity, national origin, sexual orientation, religion, creed, marital status, or physical and/or mental disability in any of its activities or operations.  The ICC will not tolerate any violation of this Policy, and appropriate action will be taken, including the removal of membership status in the International Court System.

 

If an individual believes he/she is being discriminated against, the President of the International Court Council maybe contacted on a confidential basis.  The matter will be investigated and appropriate actions may be taken.

 

 

 

 

<Lunch Recess>

11:35am & resume back to Parliament at 12:57 pm.

<Meeting Called back to order at 12:57pm>

 

Imperial Court System Raffle

           

Empress Panzi discussed the raffle for Parliament tickets were not in and two of the jeweler’s donated items and the winner of the raffle are:

                        Carrie Hassler, Salt Lake City, UT 

                        Troy, Kentucky

           

That the rest of the raffle will be held in October, at the ICC meeting in Portland, OR.

 

 

Formal Introduction of the Officers of Parliament

 

Empress Nicole the Great, announced the Executive Board for Parliament.  Asked by Nicole the great, as she done a lot of question asking on the individuals, that makes up the executive board.  Based on the experience and dedication with our own courts and the International Court System.

 

Prime Minister –                      Zach Saper

Deputy Prime Minister -          Tony Monteleone

House Speaker-                      Anthony DeParda

Executive Secretary-              CJ Whitmer - Bubbaboy

 

Question and Answer session with the Queen Mother

 

A session was asking Empress Nicole the Great questions and concerns of International Court System.

 

Parliament Members that asked questions:  

 

Gaby Tako – Phoenix, AZ.

Question:  What specific result do you see or you would like to see at the end of this year at Parliament?  What specific opportunities and challenges are important to your vision specifically and give us one result you would like to see?

 

Get involved and have an open line of communication with one another so that we can make a success and a future for the community and the ICC.

                                               

 

 

 

 

Roger Axline – Seattle, WA.

Question:  What of any plans or direction have thought out for moving us forward and giving us a formation that we can build ourselves around.  Is there anything out there that we can leave here with that will help us?

Is the operation guidelines and structure that we can follow?

 

The parliament manual is start for us to move and build ourselves with the future of ICC.

 

Craig LaChance – Boise, ID.

Question:   The proclamation of the Alameda Court and the concerns of Alameda County?  The concerns that Nicole and the ICC would step is   at whatever point would cause us to seize and exist within the Court System?

 

Ron Wersal – Fort Worth, TX.

Question:  Is the any intention to establish or create a handbook to encourage and support a new court?

 

There is directive; called how to start a court.  That if people are interested is to contact the Imperial Court System.

 

Hara Halston – Orange County, CA

Question:   Do we have guidelines set aside for children that are part of the court system for legal issues where they can be part of the organization, like the gay/straight alliance group like in high school, not a lot of high school has those groups.  Do we have a set of guidelines for our minors?

 

Be open-minded with the youth and set a structure of minimum profanity and make it more of a reunion of a family getting together.  Cause the ICC is a family.

 

Empress I Jose, the Widow Norton, discuss the decision of the proclamation of Alameda County’s Court.  The suggestion a national registry of all paid dues court members. 

 

 

Open Floor Discussion

Open floor time members directly addressed Parliament.

 

Jay Smith – San Antonio, TX.

After the announcement was made.  A fellow court member asked me to bring this up.  Is there set of rules for ICS, even though we are independent kingdoms.  Wanted something on paper of rules & regulations to join this organization.

 

Gaby Tako – Arizona

Wanted to bring the corporate world into the Parliament of having respect and working together to make a successful Parliament and the future.

 

Cheryl Hall – Portland, OR.

                        Motion: (Blue Ribbon Committee Report on Coronation Reform)

The first motion of Parliament, accept the “Blue Ribbon Committee Report on Coronation Reform”, in its entirety as non binding suggestions for administration of individual kingdoms coronation. The Parliament Member of New York City seconds the motion to accept the Blue Ribbon Committee Report on Coronation reform.

 

Yes:                 48

                        No:                   0

                        Abstain:             1 (Fresno, CA.)

 

John Pace – Fresno, CA.

Statement was made that our courts to do our coronations on how we see fit.  No governing body should tell us how we should run our organization or our coronations.  The question is why, and the reform is given to us as a thought on how coronations should be done?

 

                        Roger Axline – Seattle WA.

Wants to have a mission to take back to the community of what was accomplished and how to move forward and act on. 

                       

 

                        CraigLaChanceBoise, ID.

Submitted a bill that calls for the election of the Speaker of The House.  The appointed speaker will remain until 2010 session.  In that time the Parliament will elect the Speaker of The House. 

 

Requested Bill Name: Change in the selection of the Speaker of the
House

Overview of Purpose:
The Speaker of the House should be elected by the elected Members of
Parliament.

Exact Wording:
V. THE SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE
A. Election
1. The Speaker of the House shall be elected by the elected Members
of Parliament.
2. The first order of business upon the convening of the session of
Parliament in even numbered years shall be the election of the
Speaker of the House.
B. Term of office
1. The Speaker of the House shall serve for a term of two (two) years
and may be reelected by the Members of Parliament without term
limitations.
C. Removal, Death or Resignation
1. If the Speaker of the House fails to fulfill his/her
responsibilities as outlined in this Parliament Guidebook, or whose
conduct seriously damages Parliament or the International Court
System, he/she shall be subject to removal by the Queen Mother/King
Father. Such removal must be approved by a majority of the elected
Members of Parliament meeting in a regular or special session of
Parliament or by a majority of the elected Members of Parliament as
polled by email.
2. In the event of the death, removal, elevation or resignation of
the Speaker of the House, the Queen Mother/King Father shall appoint
a new Speaker of the House who shall take office immediately. The
new Speaker of the House must be approved by a majority of the
elected Members of Parliament meeting in a regular or special session
of Parliament or by a majority of the elected Members of Parliament
as polled by email.
D. Responsibilities and E. Duties have no changes from those listed
in the Parliament Guidebook.

Intended Effect:
The intended effect of this bill is to have the Speaker of the House
subject to election by the elected Members of Parliament.

I do hereby sponsor this Bill and recommend it's inclusion in the
next Parliament session.

 

Yes: 49

No: 0

Abstain: 0

 

Motion was made by:             Boise, ID.

Second the motion by:            Boston, MA.

 

Craig Hunter – Toronto Canada

Canadian Non profit status, which it is not legal to do a phone voting in Canada unless that all members are on the phone at the same time.  Any other form of electronically voting is not recognized in Canada.

 

Steve Bolinder – Salt Lake City, UT.

To show a major support to the court as Parliament of having a cloak or sash or a medallion.  A suggestion was made by Empress Nicole the Great to come up a design of a seal that represents Parliament.  Propose a committee to start gathering the designs of the sashes. The dead line will be for samples will be in Portland, OR.  That Gaby Tako will be the chairperson of this committee.  That Panzi of the ICC Council will finance the sashes and medallions. 

 

Motion made by:  Fresno, CA.

Second by:           Houston, TX.

           

Yes:                 49

            No:                  0

            Abstain:           0

 

 

Las Vegas proposed Empress Nicole to hold the next Parliament meeting in Las Vegas, NV.  It was suggested that all cities that wanted to host the next Parliament meeting is to submit a bid to the executive board by October in Portland OR.   A committee can be put together by the House Speaker.  There was not vote on the decision.

 

At the close of the meeting the Speaker of the House thanked all the members for attending and helping to make the first meeting a success. He then personally thanked ICC President Empress Panzi, the members of the ICC, Rose Empress Lovely Suzanne from Portland Oregon, Scott Seibert from Portland Oregon, Michael Ambrose from Portland Oregon and the Members of the Court of San Diego for all of their support.

 

The Parliament meeting was call to adjourn at 3:00 pm        Called by:  Modesto, CA

                                                                                                Second by; Las Vegas, NV.