GSUSA Membership Dues History Cliffs Notes Version

This is the CLIFFS NOTES version of the GSUSA Membership Dues History page.  Be sure to read the full version if you want more detail as to the proposal wording and other notes.

The following is a factual play by play complete with proposal wording and voting results.  This is based off the research I did through the years which came from NCS Minutes, NCS Workbooks, newspaper articles about the FN lawsuit, and Blue Books.

OCTOBER 2008

The National Board presented two proposals about membership dues for the 2008 National Council Session. Proposal 3 requested for annual membership dues to go up from $10 to $12. The National Council approved it. Proposal 4 involved removing the requirement regarding use of a ballot during voting for both board members and membership dues in the GSUSA Constitution/Article V/§ 5. The NB wanted both sentences removed, but the proposal was amended to keep the mention of membership dues. The proposal passed as amended and read:

5. Each member present in person at the National Council shall be entitled to one (1) vote. Decision on annual membership dues shall require a majority of votes cast. All matters shall be determined by a majority vote of the members present and voting, unless otherwise provided by this Constitution.

It should be noted that in this proposal’s rationale, the NB claimed it had the authority to raise membership dues and stated it would be not be bringing it to the NC at that point going forward.

OCTOBER 2011

Two proposals were somewhat related to membership dues at the 2011 NCS. The first would allow councils to charge a fee on top of membership dues but the fee could be no more than the dues amount. The proposal passed but the fee was renamed as “council service” fee rather than a “general program” one.

The second proposal was submitted by the Western Oklahoma council and asked that the membership year be changed from October 1 – September 30 to “The Girl Scout membership year commences on the date of registration of the member.” The NB did not support this proposal and instead recommended submitting the issue to a task force: “The National Board has taken action to convene a task group to study the current national dues structure and annual membership registration practice. The purpose of the study is to make sure that our membership processes meet the needs of current and future members and align with national program offerings and pathways.” During the NCS, the proposal was recommended to the task force, and it would report its findings at the 2014 NCS.

JANUARY 2012

The National Board raised annual membership dues from $12 to $15 effective with the 2014 membership year, beginning October 1, 2013 at their January 20, 2012 meeting.  This was the first time in history where the National Board raised annual membership dues without the National Council’s approval.

OCTOBER 2014

At the 2014 National Council Session, the “Task Group to Study National Dues Structure and Registration Practices” submitted a proposal designed to allow for more types of membership dues other than annual and lifetime.

• Proposal 1A:  This originally wanted to strike “annual or lifetime” from Constitution/Article IX/Membership Dues and replace with the word “applicable.”  This proposal was amended to instead read as “annual, lifetime, or applicable membership dues.”  Action taken:  PASSED AS AMENDED
• Proposal 1B:  To amend the Constitution/Article V/Section 5/Sessions of the National Council section by striking out the word “annual.”  Action taken:  PASSED
• Proposal 1C:  Originally this proposal for Constitution/Article VIII/Section 4/Credentials asked to strike “no more than one year, except for lifetime membership” and instead replace it with “the applicable periods.”  This proposal was amended to read “annual, lifetime, or other applicable periods.”  Action taken:  PASSED AS AMENDED

JANUARY 2016

The National Board raised annual membership dues from $15 to $25 at its January 21, 2016 board meeting, effective with the 2018 membership year, beginning October 1, 2017.

FEBRUARY 2017

The Farthest North council filed a lawsuit in February of 2017 against GSUSA stating the increases to $15 and $25 violated the GSUSA Constitution because the National Board didn’t have the authority to raise membership dues when they did so in 2012 and 2016.

APRIL 2017

At its April meeting, the National Board created a new 18 month membership dues level for girls. The wording in the Blue Book read as follows:

**By action taken by the National Board of Directors on April 21, 2017, effective May 1, 2018, new girl members who sign up on or between May 1-September 30 of a membership year may elect to pay $35 and their membership will start immediately and continue through the end of the following membership year. This discount (comprising the tail of an existing membership year and the full following membership year) is available on a one-time basis for new girl members only; upon renewal, such girls pay $25 for a regular membership year.

OCTOBER 2017

At the 2017 National Council Session, the National Board submitted a proposal regarding Lifetime Membership Dues.

• Proposal 3, Part A: To amend provisions in the Credentials/Certificate of Membership/Membership Requirements/Lifetime Membership section by striking language.
• Proposal 3, Part B: To amend provisions in the Credentials/Membership Dues and Procedures for Registration/Lifetime Members section to reflect $400 rather than 25x multiplier.
• Proposal 3, Part C:  To amend provisions in the Credentials/Membership Dues and Procedures for Registration/Lifetime Members section by adding a $200 level for those under 30 who were alumnae.

All three parts passed.

JANUARY 2018

At its January 2018 meeting, the National Board changed the 18 month membership level so that it also included adults. The footnote in the May 2018 Blue Book read as follows:

Effective May 1, 2018, new girl and adult members who sign up on or between May 1-September 30 of a membership year may elect to pay $35 and their membership will start immediately and continue through the end of the following membership year. This discount (comprising the tail of an existing membership year and the full following membership year) is available on a one-time basis for new girl and adult members only; upon renewal, such individuals pay $25 for a regular membership year.

MAY 2018

The Superior Court of Alaska ruled in favor of GSUSA in its court case vs. Farthest North. Farthest North appealed to the Alaskan Supreme Court.

JANUARY 2019

At its January meeting, the National Board created a special discounted lifetime membership rate of $200 for the month of April. The footnote in the Feb 2019 Blue Book read as follows:

*Pursuant to a pilot program approved by the GSUSA Board of Directors on Jan. 24, 2019, the following special pricing is in effect for April 2019:

(i) During the month of April 2019, Girl Scout council and GSUSA employees may purchase lifetime membership for the discounted rate of $200.

(ii) During the month of April 2019, adults with 10 or more years of volunteer service with Girl Scouts may purchase lifetime membership for the discounted rate of $200.

SEPTEMBER 2019

The Alaskan Supreme Court ruled in favor of the Farthest North council and stated the National Council, not the National Board, has the authority to raise membership dues according to the GSUSA Constitution.

Soon afterward, GSUSA filed a Reconsider motion to ask the ASC to review its ruling.

JANUARY 2020

The Alaskan Supreme Court denied GSUSA’s request to reconsider their case.  The matter of who has authority to set membership dues amounts has been settled.  The case has been sent back to Superior Court for litigation and monetary decisions.

OCTOBER 2020

At the virtual National Council Session in 2020, the National Council passes language in the Blue Book giving the National Board and the National Council shared authority over membership dues. However, if the National Board wishes to raise dues more than 25% within the triennial, approval from the National Council is required. Lifetime memberships discounts are also given.

JULY 2021

The Farthest North council and GSUSA reach a settlement of the ongoing lawsuit.