Memorandum Number 1097

Request for Declaratory Decision from the 2008 General Conference with Respect to the Meaning, Application, and Effect of Legislative Calendar Item 742 Regarding the Creation of a US Regional Conference.

On Thursday afternoon, May 1, 2008, the General Conference, by a vote of more than twenty percent of the delegates present and voting, requested a declaratory decision as follows:

Pursuant to ¶ 2610 of the 2004 Book of Discipline, I move that the 2008 General Conference request a Declaratory Decision from the Judicial Council with respect to the meaning, application and effect of legislative calendar item 742 regarding the creation of a US Regional Conference. My request is to ascertain if adoption of calendar item 742 creates a US Regional Conference before the next General Conference if adopted by two-thirds of the General Conference present and voting and two-thirds affirmative vote of the aggregate number of members of the annual conferences, present and voting.

Since the Judicial Council does not have sufficient time to research and deliver an opinion in response to this request before the adjournment of the 2008 General Conference, this matter is deferred to the fall 2008 docket of the Judicial Council.

Shamwange P. Kyungu and Dennis L. Blackwell were absent.