A Step Ahead

What better theme to unite our WSBC 2023 delegates than “Concepts of Service: The Heart of Fellowship”! While most of us give service to our groups, about 200 delegates will be gathering in Albuquerque, New Mexico USA to work through a business agenda that will elevate the Fellowship as a whole.

World Service Business Conference 2023 will be held April 25–29 at Embassy Suites Albuquerque Hotel with board meetings on April 24 and 25. On-site registration will open on Tuesday, April 25. On Tuesday evening, WSBC will offer the workshop, “All about Conference,” which will include a tutorial on parliamentary procedure. The Mentor Program will offer an opportunity during the week for Green Dots (first-time delegates) and mentors to meet and discuss the procedures for Conference. On Wednesday, April 26, delegates can attend “Meet the Maker” to discuss and ask questions about New Business Motions with the makers of those motions.

COVID-19 Statement
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has made updates to its COVID-19 protocols. In response, OA has made the following changes to our meeting protocols for WSBC 2023:

• Proof of vaccination is no longer required for participation at our meetings.
• We will comply with all local and state mandates regarding mask, testing, and vaccine requirements. Currently, there are no restrictions or requirements in New Mexico.
• Masks are optional for WSBC 2023 attendees.
• If there are updates to CDC guidelines or local/state mandates, we will notify all attendees of our updated COVID-19 policy.
• Hand sanitizer will be available in all meeting spaces and common areas hosted by OA.
• Federal regulations may be in place for those entering the US that are beyond OA’s control.

If you are experiencing health issues or have been exposed to COVID-19, please refrain from attending WSBC.

Online Registration
Online registration for all delegates, alternates, and region chairs is now available via the Conference web page. The deadline for all WSBC attendees to register is February 15, 2023. Service bodies may register delegates after the deadline date, but Conference information will not be available until the delegate is properly registered with the WSO.

Agenda Questionnaire
The Second Conference e-Documents are now posted on the Conference web page and include the Agenda Questionnaire and New Business Motions, and Bylaw Amendments submitted by the December 1 postmarked deadline. The Agenda Questionnaire is in an online survey format that is linked from the Conference web page. Intergroups and service boards should review the Agenda Questionnaire, vote on it, and complete the interactive survey by February 24, 2023. This is a time-stamped deadline date.

Proposed New Business Motions are:

1. Create a policy to avoid the use of acronyms and abbreviations (where possible) in all OA official documents and communications.
2. Create a public relations policy by combining all PR policies currently listed in the Business Conference Policy Manual.
3. Allow service bodies to obtain permission to translate and/or print OA literature using the current licensing process.
4. Remove addresses from the Final Conference Report delegate contact list.
5. Redefine the group definitions for open and closed meetings.
6. Update the Unity with Diversity policy to be gender neutral.
7. Rescind the general service trustee job description.
8. Remove the Delegate Support Fund mailing requirement since the application and letter are now on oa.org.
9. Remove the term “special” from special-focus.
10. Remove dated delegate registration fee.
11. Rescind the policy that the WSO provides service bodies with website templates.
12. Move Twelfth Step Within Day policy to the events policy.
13. Increase the annual individual member donation to US$7,500.
14. Allow Conference committee reports to be submitted four weeks after WSBC.
15. Rescind the policy to implement and register a Spanish speaking language service board (policy completed).
16. Rescind the Welcome to OA capital campaign policy (policy completed).
17. Rescind Google Custom Search nonprofit status application (policy completed).
18. Remove the list of specific groups in the Diverse Voices Policy.
19. Sell OA recovery chips from years 1-50.
20. Remove AA Conference-approved books, booklets, and future editions from the Statement on Approved Literature policy.
21. Encourage groups to use all OA-approved literature.
22. Establish a digital lending library.

Proposed Bylaw Amendments are:

1. Amend Bylaws B, Article VIII, Section 1 to establish Conference as an online hybrid meeting.
2. Amend Bylaws B, Article IX, Section 5 (housekeeping).
3. Amend Bylaws B, Article V, Section 2 (housekeeping).
4. Amend Bylaws B, Article VI to remove the term “special” from special-focus service boards.
5. Amend Bylaws B, Article VI, Section 2 (housekeeping).
6. Amend Bylaws B, Article VII, Section 2 (housekeeping).
7. Amend Bylaws B, Article VII, Section 4 (housekeeping).
8. Amend Bylaws B, Article VIII, Section 3 to allow nondelegates with additional needs to address the Conference delegation.
9. Amend Bylaws B, Article VIII, Section 4 (housekeeping).
10. Amend Bylaws B, Article XII, Section 1 to remove trustees from and allow all Conference committees to submit Conference motions.
11. Amend Bylaws B, Article VIII, Section 1 to create a rotation schedule for WSBC.
12. Amend Bylaws B, Article VIII, Section 3 to allow service bodies to assign a speaker to delegates who may have communication issues.
13. Amend Bylaws B, Article VI, Section 3 to allow an intergroup that affiliates with an NSB to affiliate with that NSB’s region or stay affiliated with its current region.
14. Amend Bylaws B, Article VI, Section 3 to require an intergroup that affiliates with an NSB to affiliate with the NSB’s region.
15. Amend Bylaws B, Article VIII, Section 3 to allow nondelegates with additional support needs to address the Conference delegation.
16. Amend Bylaws B, Article VII, Section 7 to request the Board of Trustees to first consider assigning a trustee liaison to the region that submitted the application.
17. Amend Bylaws B, Article V, Section 2 to allow unaffiliated virtual groups who are not ready to form a service body to affiliate with a geographic region.
18. Amend Bylaws B, Article VI, Section 1 to allow virtual intergroups to transfer to a geographic region.

The Second Conference e-Documents also include general information for delegates and service bodies. Find all WSBC documents on the WSBC web page.