Circle of Monarchs

The Circle of Monarchs is composed of the Monarchs from all the Amtgard Kingdoms.

What do they do?

The Circle of Monarchs (CoM) is the ruling body of Amtgard and is formed by the heads of state for each Amtgard kingdom, or their appointed or elected representative, also known as Senators. The Circle has a number of powers and duties including (but not limited to):

1. Amending the rules (requires a 75% vote of all represented kingdoms at a meeting)
2. Adjudicating disputes between kingdoms
3. Approving new kingdoms
4. Serving as the court of last resort for player grievances

Notes from the CoM Bylaws:
The Circle of Monarchs
Amtgard chapters are organized into regional Kingdoms. Each Kingdom is it’s own incorporated entity and operates according to its own corpora of bylaws and the laws of the State it is incorporated in. Kingdom monarchs (often referred to as kings or queens) are typically elected to 6 month terms by the active members of the Kingdom’s chapters. The monarchs from each Kingdom vote in a Circle of Monarchs to approve rules changes, create new Kingdoms, and perform other “in game” tasks.

The annual meeting for most Circle of Monarchs business is held at Gathering of the Clans in the mountains of Southern New Mexico each year in July. Additional meetings or voting sometimes occur online.

Bylaws for the Circle of Monarchs of the Kingdoms of Amtgard, Inc., organized as Articles, Sections, and Clauses

1. ORGANIZATION
   1. The name of the organization shall be the Circle of Monarchs.
2. MEMBERSHIP
   1. All kingdoms of Amtgard shall be members of the Circle of Monarchs.
3. REPRESENTATION
   1. Each kingdom shall be represented on the Circle of Monarchs by its monarch, who may designate an alternative representative if necessary.
4. MEETINGS
   1. The Circle of Monarchs shall meet each year at the Gathering of the Clans.
   2. A majority of the kingdoms shall constitute a quorum and shall be necessary to conduct business.
   3. Ad hoc and online meetings may be held from time to time.
   4. Meetings are normally open to the public, but may be limited or closed if necessary.
   5. Voting may only take place while the meeting is open to the public.
   6. Meeting minutes must be made available to the public within thirty days of the meeting.
5. POWERS
   1. With an affirmative vote from all kingdoms:
      1. May modify any portion of these bylaws.
      2. May modify the Award Standardization agreement.
   2. With an affirmative vote from at least 75% of present kingdoms:
      1. May modify the Amtgard Rules of Play.
      2. May recognize new kingdoms.
      3. May forward a kingdom to the Amtgard, Inc. Board of Directors for demotion. Reasons for demotion can include contractual issues or failure to function as a kingdom of Amtgard.
         1. The Executive Committee may reject obvious inappropriate demotion proposals.
         2. A proposal for a kingdom to be considered for demotion must be approved by the Executive Committee, must contain sufficient information for the Circle of Monarchs to make a decision, and must be on the agenda for three months prior to the vote.
         3. An affirmative vote shall be finalized after the kingdom in question has been granted 30 days to respond and the Executive Committee determines that the matter shall proceed.
         4. Amtgard, Inc. retains final authority regarding whether a kingdom shall be demoted.
      4. May execute other powers assigned to it by the kingdoms.
      5. May hear and issue statements on appeals to review disputes that cannot be addressed at the kingdom level.
   3. With an affirmative vote from a majority of present kingdoms:
      1. May modify Article IV, Article VII, or Article VIII of these bylaws.
      2. May modify Article VI, Section 2-5 of these bylaws.
      3. May create and dismiss ad hoc committees.
   4. The Circle of Monarchs has no powers not explicitly granted to it by the kingdoms of Amtgard.
6. EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
   1. The Executive Committee shall consist of an Executive Chair, an Executive Secretary, and a representative from Amtgard, Inc.
      1. The Executive Chair and Executive Secretary shall serve at the pleasure of the Circle of Monarchs.
      2. The Amtgard, Inc representative shall be chosen by the Amtgard, Inc. Board of Directors.
   2. The Executive Committee shall be responsible for carrying out the policies of the Circle of Monarchs.
   3. The Executive Committee shall ensure the smooth operation of the Circle of Monarchs and its meetings.
   4. The Executive Chair shall chair and set the agenda for all meetings of the Circle of Monarchs.
   5. The Executive Secretary shall maintain and report the minutes of all meetings of the Circle of Monarchs.
7. RULES ORGANIZER
   1. The Rules Organizer shall be designated by the Circle of Monarchs at least every other year at the Gathering of the Clans.
   2. The Rules Organizer shall:
      1. Organize and oversee the Rules Representatives appointed per the Rules Revision Process in the Rules of Play.
      2. Maintain quality control on all proposals submitted by the Rules Representatives and remove items that cannot be made actionable or appropriate.
      3. Present a summary to the Circle of Monarchs sixty days in advance of any vote explaining the reasoning and impact of each proposal.
      4. Attend meetings, including the Gathering of the Clans, at which the Circle of Monarchs will be considering proposals to modify the rules.
      5. Provide the Circle of Monarchs with knowledgeable, well-reasoned, and unbiased information on matters pertaining to the Rules of Play.
      6. Execute changes and revisions to the Rules of Play and issue a new document per the Rules Revision Process.
   3. The Rules Organizer may not be a member of the Executive Committee or the Circle of Monarchs.
   4. The Rules Organizer has no standing in the order of precedence in any kingdom or regarding settling rules disputes.
   5. The Rules Organizer shall be supervised by the Executive Committee.
8. RULES OF ORDER
   1. These Rules of Order shall apply when the Circle of Monarchs meets in person to consider proposals to modify the rules of play.
   2. The Circle of Monarchs shall conduct a vote on each proposal prior to discussing the proposal.
      1. The Rules Organizer may discuss the proposal prior to the vote.
      2. The vote shall stand unless a motion for discussion is heard, in which case it shall be discarded and a second vote held after discussion is complete.
      3. The intent of a proposal may not be modified during the discussion.
   3. Speakers must obtain recognition from the chair and may speak for two minutes.

_{Last updated at the CoM meeting at The Gathering of the Clans July 2014}

Links

• Bylaws for the COM (July 2014)
• Michael's Bylaws for the COM
• Clan XX Monarch's Meeting
• Circle of Almost Monarchs