Humane National Committee (USA): Class B seat clusters published for 30-day public-comment period

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Pride house

In 2018, the overall parameters for the Humane National Committee were finalized by the Humane Party after expiration of the associated public-comment period and internal review.  Assignment for the seats of Class A, which takes a geography-based approach related to that used in the U.S. House of Representatives, was also finalized after public comment and review.

Proposed seat clusters for Class B are today published through The Humane Herald for public comment.  The public is invited to comment on these proposed seats during the next 30 days.

Per the overall parameters for the HNC, Class B of the Humane National takes an approach designed to guarantee representation of the interests of politically vulnerable groups. Class B, like Classes A and C, comprises a total of 48 seats.

Except for the cluster appearing first below (i.e., the age-related cluster), no individual seat definitions are proposed at this time.  Once the allocation of seats among the proposed clusters or alternate clusters has been finalized, individual seat definitions will be proposed for each cluster.

The proposed clusters for Class B seats are:

  • seats defined according to biological age:  6 seats
    • Seat 1:  humans 0-6 years old
    • Seat 2:  age 7-12
    • Seat 3:  age 13-18
    • Seat 4:  age 19-29
    • Seat 5:  over 65
    • Seat 6:  under 18 and “at-risk”
  • seats representing interests arising in relation to biological sex; gender; sexual orientation; marital or relationship status; familial relations; parenthood, procreation, and adoption; child-free; singlehood:  6 seats
  • seats representing interests arising in relation to race; ethnicity; religion; language; physical appearance:  10 seats
  • seats representing interests arising in relation to national origin; immigration; migration; citizenship; refugee status:  2 seats
  • seats representing interests arising in relation to special needs, including hearing, visual, and mobility impairment, and mental health:  4 seats
  • seats representing interests arising in relation to work or life stage; employment; occupation; student; retirement; veteran status:  8 seats
  • seats representing interests arising in socioeconomic status or life setting not otherwise captured above:  4 seats
  • seats addressing societal concerns that impact all beings under U.S. jurisdiction (e.g., freedom of speech; access to education and information):  8 seats
Comments from HP volunteer helping with the HNC design: Note that the person holding a given seat need not be a member of the group being represented by that seat.  For instance, the representative who holds seat 1 as proposed above (i.e., the seat that represents people who are 6 and under) will not be a five-year-old child.
Note also that the age-related seat cluster proposed above does not provide individuals in the 30- to 64-years-old group a dedicated representative.  This decision, like the rest of the proposal, is open for public comment.  The current rationale for such omission includes:  individuals in the 30-64 age group are generally in their peak years of political influence and activity in the broader U.S. culture.  Compared to other age groups, they are, accordingly, less likely to meet the “politically vulnerable” criterion for which Class B was created or to be in need of any special guarantee that their interests will be represented.

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