Discussion of 2023 CAR Motions

This site is intended to facilitate exploration of all perspectives on the motions presented in the CAR (Conference Agenda Report) and to make these pros, cons, and discussion available to the NA Fellowship. Why?


Welcome! Please add your voice to the discussion.


1: Add Zonal Delegates to FIPT

To approve adding zonal delegates from seated zones to the Settlor and Trustor of the Fellowship Intellectual Property Trust (FIPT).

– World Board

PROS

  • Reflect decision from 2018 WSC

CONS


2: FIPT Operational Rules

To approve the revisions to the FIPT Operational Rules contained in Addendum B.

– World Board

PROS

  • Reflect discussion from 2018 WSC

CONS

  • Be clear. This is primarily about changing the inspection clause. Don’t give away your right to an inspection
  • Changes to the Inspection Clause are unnecessary and limit the Fellowship’s right to inspection. Only one inspection has ever been requested
  • These changes were not officially requested by the WSC in 2018
  • How bad would things have to be to get the WSC to reach enough consensus to agree to an inspection?

3: NA Intellectual Property Bulletin

To approve the revisions to NA Intellectual Property Bulletin #1 contained in Addendum D.

– World Board

PROS

  • Revise to provide clear guidance

CONS

  • Directly impacts Groups which duplicate NA books
  • Broader repercussions than can be predicted
  • Goes against Traditions and forces groups to comply with service structure, harming group autonomy

4: Recognition of Virtual Groups

To acknowledge that an NA meeting that meets regularly in person or virtually can choose to be an NA group if they meet the criteria described in The Group Booklet, including the six points for an NA group, and are consistent with NA philosophy as expressed in our Traditions.

– World Board

PROS

  • Recognize virtual Groups
  • Covid has forced many to see that virtual groups are just as real as in-person

CONS

  • Virtual Groups never needed to be recognized. They have always been NA Groups. WB and NAWS simply refused to recognize that

5: Gender Neutral Vision for NA Service

To revise A Vision for NA Service, changing the phrase “his or her own language and culture” to the phrase “their own language and culture.”

– World Board

PROS

  • More inclusive

CONS

  • Vision of NA Service is used to guide many decisions (see references in other WB motions in this CAR). Should be decided elsewhere first
  • Have the discussion as a fellowship first, then pursue the will of the fellowship

6: Local Stories in White Book

To approve a change to World Services Translation Policy in GWSNA to allow the possibility for up to six locally developed personal stories to be included in translated Sixth Edition Basic Texts, if the stories have first been published in the Little White Book of that language. These stories would be placed in their own section in Our Members Share with the following language preceding them…

– World Board

PROS

  • Provide personal stories reflecting addicts’ own language and culture

CONS


7: Extend 6 World Board Terms

To extend the six World Board members’ terms currently expiring in 2024 through the end of the upcoming World Service Conference cycle.

– World Board

PROS

  • Accommodate changes that have occurred in WSC cycle
  • Ensure enough World Board members to accomplish work before the Board

CONS

  • Could be a 1-year extension, could be 2 or more
  • What is the downside to not extending the terms? What will we lose out on by not having these 6 board members?
  • Not extending the terms would allow us to see what the WSC is like with less WB votes

8: Suspend World Convention

As a result of the COVID pandemic, to suspend the World Convention of NA (WCNA) rotation policy after 2024, to allow the World Board to determine what is possible and practical moving forward and then seek approval from conference participants.

– World Board

PROS

  • Gives time for evaluation of next steps
  • Avoids having to rush into planning the next convention

CONS

  • How long is the suspension? Seems open-ended

9: 3-Year WSC Cycle

To approve a three-year World Service Conference cycle on a trial basis following WSC 2023 through WSC 2029. Following 2029, the WSC cycle would return to two years, unless another decision is made.

– World Board

PROS

  • WSC is becoming more costly to put on
  • WSC and WSC Prep requires staff and money
  • Per WB, business as usual is unsustainable
  • Reduce the frequency of WSC and allow more time to learn about issues
  • Earlier CAR release (1 month, Motion 11) will allow additional time for CP’s to gather input

CONS

  • Need to know more about how it will work
  • Harder to find trusted servants to do 6 years (3 as AD + 3 as RD)
  • May make world level service more exclusive
  • A 3-year cycle will decrease involvement & awareness
  • Amend motion to start 3-year test cycles after 2025 WSC so Regions have time to adjust
  • Longer cycles increase levels of apathy

10: Interim Virtual WSC

If Motion 9 is adopted, to approve an interim virtual WSC in the middle of the conference cycle for decisions that are legally necessary and those that conference participants choose to address. As was done in the 2020–2023 cycle, material would be posted on na.org under the same deadline policies as the CAT (90 days prior) and all voting conference participants would be polled to choose the items they wish to address.

– World Board

PROS

  • Address some business between WSCs

CONS

  • Why only in a 3-cycle? Amend and remove 3-year stipulation. Still useful in a 2-year cycle
  • Should have an interim meeting every non-conference year

11: 30-Day Early Release of CAR

If Motion 9 is adopted, to approve a change to the release of the Conference Agenda Report (CAR) to be thirty days earlier than the current policy of 150 days prior to the start of the World Service Conference. The new CAR release day would be 180 days prior to the in-person WSC meeting for English, 150 days for translated versions. The deadline for the finalization of regional and zonal motions would be 270 days. The Conference Agenda Report will be posted on na.org at no cost to members.

– World Board

PROS

  • Release CAR earlier
  • Consider releasing CAT sooner also

CONS

  • 30 Days out of 365 being added is minimal. Amend motion to 90 days or 4 months
  • Should include the CAT and more time (60 days)

12: Funding of Delegates

To change the current policy of NA World Services automatically funding delegates from seated regions and zones to the WSC to funding available upon request.

– World Board

PROS

  • Encourage service bodies to fund their delegates
  • Provide funding to those who need it

CONS


13: Gratitude Inventory IP

To direct the World Board to create a project plan for the next World Service Conference (WSC), for the development of a new IP for daily personal inventory of gratitude.

– Argentina Region

PROS

  • New resource for fellowship members
  • Encourage members to express gratitude

CONS

  • Doesn’t need to be official NA literature
  • Literature creates policy. Writing this creates the need to address gratitude inventories in our literature

14: Gender-Neutral Language

To direct the World Board to create a project plan for consideration at the next WSC to investigate changes and/or additional wording to NA literature from gender specific language to gender neutral and inclusive language.

– Sweden and Australia Regions

PROS

  • Give fellowship ability to meaningfully discuss our literature and being more inclusive
  • Aligns with 3rd Tradition by focusing on the desire to stop using
  • Would be a step toward removing exclusionary language

CONS


15: Add “Gender” to What is the NA Program

To direct the World Board to create a project plan for the next WSC to initiate the process for the Fellowship to approve adding “gender” to “What is the NA Program?” to read: “Anyone may join us regardless of age, race, gender, sexual identity, creed, religion or lack of religion.”

– Southern California Region

PROS

  • More gender-neutral and inclusive
  • Minimal cost

CONS

  • Small change that doesn’t fully address issue broadly enough
  • Address this discussion with the fellowship as a whole first, then change all our literature

16: Booklet of Step Study Questions

To direct the World Board to develop a project plan, for consideration at the next World Service Conference, to create a booklet of Step study questions where all answers relate to a line in Chapter Four in the Basic Text.

– Baja Son Region

PROS

  • Non-personalized questions focus on understanding

CONS

  • Doesn’t need to be official NA literature

17: Moratorium on New Literature

To place an 8 year moratorium on the creation of new recovery literature after WSC 2023, excluding all translations or literature projects currently in development.

– California Inland Region

PROS

  • Free up resources to focus on carrying the message
  • Too much literature can confuse newcomers
  • WB already can’t address current backlog

CONS

  • Fellowship continues to ask for new literature

18: Literature Printing & Distribution

To direct the World Board to create a project plan for the next WSC to study permitting service committees of Narcotics Anonymous who are, or may be, willing to serve as literature printing/ distribution and selling centers inside and outside the United States.

– Tejas Bluebonnet Region 

PROS

  • Study impacts of NA service committees printing and distributing literature
  • This is just a study of the feasibility. Why wouldn’t we want to know the impact of this decision?

CONS

  • Decentralizes printing
  • Introduces many complex issues

19: Create a Research Review Board

To direct the WB to create a virtual Institutional Review Board (IRB) to review all researchers and their research questions that request access to the Narcotics Anonymous population through NAWS to conduct research.

– Wisconsin Region

PROS

  • Avoid misuse of of NA member information
  • Protect members taking surveys led by non-NAWS researchers

CONS

  • Surveys lead to broader recognition and understanding of NA

20: Add Audio Recordings on na.org

To direct NAWS to provide at na.org audio recordings of the worldwide webinars on the topics of Public Relations, Hospital &Institution, Step Writing for Inmates, Fellowship Development, Phone Line, and others.

– Wisconsin Region

PROS

  • Provide audio access to members around the world
  • Provide better access to members in different time zones

CONS

  • Limited benefits
  • Creates challenges

21: Remove H&I Handbook

To direct NA World Services to remove the Hospitals and Institutions Handbook from the inventory.

– Free State Region

PROS

  • Handbook is outdated
  • Will not be prioritized under current practices

CONS

  • Some service bodies still use this handbook extensively

22: No Repeat Motions

If any Motion or Proposal, in Content or Intent, has been submitted and failed to achieve consensus or adoption at two consecutive World Service Conferences, the previously proposed Content and Intent may not be suggested to the Fellowship in the Conference Agenda Report (CAR)/ Conference Approval Track (CAT) or at the WSC for one entire conference cycle.

– Southern California Region

PROS

  • Allows WSC to better focus

CONS

  • Could have unexpected implications
  • Might impact ability to make Inspection Request, depending on decisions from this WSC
  • If a motion comes up again, it may have been important and deserves to be heard again
  • 9th Concept says …carefully consider all viewpoints

23: Streaming of WSC

All in person and virtual World Service Conferences will be streamed to provide access to NA members in English audio.

– Kentukiana Bluegrass Appalachian Region

PROS

  • Allow NA members to see and understand what takes place at the WSC
  • Members appreciated streaming access in 2020 and 2022

CONS

  • Changes should be made by participant decision rather than CAR

24: Streaming CP Meetings

All Conference Participant webinars will be streamed to provide access to NA members in English audio.

– Kentukiana Bluegrass Appalachian Region

PROS

  • Allow NA members to see and understand what takes place during CP Meetings
  • Help members to understand what funds and resources are being used for
  • Access to more information will benefit the fellowship

CONS

  • Participants did not support streaming CP Web meetings in 2018

25: Real-Time Voting

All votes and straw polls on motions that were included in the Conference Agenda Report or the Conference Approval Track, not to include election ballots, will be displayed in real time for all Conference Participants to see, showing who voted and how they voted.

– Kentukiana Bluegrass Appalachian Region

PROS

  • Allow Everyone to see how Conference Participants voted
  • Hold participants accountable for their votes
  • Allow the fellowship to clearly see how World Board members vote

CONS

  • Participants typically make these decisions rather than in the CAR
  • Complicated technologically

Suggested Amendments

The amendments below have been suggested (but not made).

Motion 9

Suggested Amendment: Amend the motion to take effect in 2025, allowing regions and zones to adapt service requirements accordingly.

Motion 10

Suggested Amendment: Amend the motion to hold an Interim Virtual WSC every non-conference year, and remove the stipulation about the passing of Motion 9. The fellowship would benefit from an Interim WSC whether on a 2-year or 3-year cycle.

Motion 11

Suggested Amendment: Amend the motion to include the CAR and the CAT, and make their release 90 days earlier each. When adding a whole year to the conference cycle, 30 days simply isn’t enough extra time. Regions which require translations will benefit from the extra time as well.


No reproduction, quoting, linking, or other use of this site or any of its content is authorized for the Press or any commercial or non-commercial enterprises. Its use is intended strictly for Narcotics Anonymous (NA) members.