Bylaws and Operating Rules
I
Name
The name of this organization shall be the Sarasota-Manatee Chapter of the National Organization for Women (NOW), Chapter Number FL0345
II Purpose
NOW's purpose is to bring women into full participation in the mainstream of American society. This purpose includes, but is not limited to, equal rights and responsibilities in all aspects of citizenship, public service, employment, education and family life. No policy or action of the Chapter shall have the intent or effect of discriminating against any member because of race or ethnicity, economic status, sexual orientation, physical ability, age or gender.
III.
Membership
Any person who subscribes to the Chapter's purpose may join. Any member of National NOW who subscribes to and supports our chapter goals and actions may request affiliation with the Sarasota-Manatee Chapter of NOW. The chapter welcomes as members women and men who desire to be activists for women's civil rights, working toward equality in our diverse community.
IV. IV. Policy
The Chapter shall be bound by National NOW bylaws and policies.
V. V. Meetings
Chapter meetings shall be held at least nine (9) times a year.
VI. VI. Dues
Member dues shall be $35.00. Reduced dues are available on a sliding scale from $15.00 to $34.00.
VII. Officers and Board
President: Principal spokesperson and administrator of the chapter and manager of day-to-day affairs of the chapter between board and chapter meetings. The President may preside or appoint a member to preside at board and chapter meetings.
Vice President: Shall assist the President in all matters pertaining to the chapter.
Secretary: Shall take and keep minutes of both board and
chapter meetings and attend to the general chapter correspondence. Post timely
notice, via newsletter, of elections prior to annual meeting.
Treasurer: Shall receive all funds of the chapter and shall deposit
them in such chapter bank account. Shall disburse funds by check in accordance
with the budget or vote of the membership and shall make written reports to the
board and membership. Submit annual budget at annual chapter meeting.
Chairs of
Standing Committees and Task Forces
Board: The officers, Legislative Chair, and Membership Chair constitute
the board. The board shall meet at least four (4) times per year. The president
or a majority of the board may call board meetings.
Legislative Chair: Shall keep the board and membership informed about coming
legislative matters related to the goals of our chapter. Shall keep the board
and membership informed about coming national, state, and local elections,
voter registration dates, and activities, forums, and volunteer committees that
might be of interest to the membership.
Shall oversee the endorsement process between various NOW
PACs and local candidates. This would include knowing the candidates for
offices of interest, knowing the NOW PACs time schedules, obtaining and
submitting appropriate applications from the PAC(s) to the candidates, and
returning the completed applications to the NOW PACs.
Shall inform the chapter membership of the NOW PACs
endorsements and/or recommendations regarding local candidates. Distribute this
information to the chapter several times prior to the election.
Membership Chair: Shall recruit new
members for the chapter, shall monitor the membership list that is sent monthly
from national NOW for accuracy, and shall ensure that membership applications
are available at all chapter meetings.
Vacancies: In the event of a vacancy in the office of President, the
Vice President shall assume the office of the President. Vacancies in other
elected positions shall be filled by appointment by the board as soon as
possible after the vacancy occurs.
Qualifications
& Terms of Office:
All officers shall be members of NOW. Each officer shall
serve a one year term. No officer may serve more than two consecutive terms in
the same office.
No person shall hold two offices concurrently. Officers'
terms begin on the first day of the month following the meeting at which they
are elected and shall run until the beginning of the month following the next
annual meeting.
Any person who is appointed to fill a vacancy or assumes
the office of President due to a vacancy, and officers elected shall be
eligible to serve two full consecutive terms in office.
VIII. Committees
The Board shall have the power to appoint committees for
specific purposes and dissolve them when those purposes have been fulfilled.
Chairs of said committees shall be members of the chapter and shall be
appointed by the board.
IX. Nominations:
The chapter board shall approve an election committee at least 90 days prior to the annual meeting in April. The election committee shall solicit nominations for officers from the entire membership at least 60 days prior to the annual meeting. At least 30 days before the annual meeting, chapter members will be notified, via an all-membership mailing, of the names of those persons who have been nominated, along with a notification of the date, time, and place of the annual meeting. Nominations may also be received from the floor at the annual meeting.
X. Elections
The election of officers shall take place at the annual
meeting, which shall be held in April of each year. Elections shall be
conducted by the Election Committee, which shall be appointed and approved by
the chapter board at least 90 days prior to the annual meeting. Preferential
balloting shall be used if more than two persons are running for the same
office in which case elections for officers shall be by secret ballot. In uncontested races, the
body may vote to elect by acclamation.
XI. Delegates to National Conferences
Any member of the chapter who qualifies for election as a
delegate/alternate according to national NOW bylaws shall be eligible to run
for election.
1) All chapter members in good standing are eligible to
vote, and may vote for as many persons as the chapter has delegate and
alternate slots.
2) Notice shall be given of this election and candidates
for the chapter's delegate slots 30 days prior to the meeting at which the vote
will take place.
If the chapter is unable to fill all of its allotted
delegate and alternate slots with Chapter members, the following procedure will
be followed:
At a regularly scheduled meeting of the chapter a
discussion will be held on any issues and/or bylaws amendments coming before
the conference and a decision will be made as to the disposal of the chapter's
slots.
XII. Grievance Procedure
In the event of a grievance, each side to the controversy
will designate one arbitrator and these two arbitrators will select a third
arbitrator. Any person who has a conflict of interest may not serve as an
arbitrator. The arbitrators will conduct a private hearing on the matter at
which both sides to the controversy may present their case. The arbitrators
shall endeavor to resolve disputes to the mutual satisfaction of the parties.
Should they fail to resolve the controversy, the matter may be referred to
Florida NOW.
XIII. Amendments to Bylaws and Operating Rules
These bylaws and operating rules may be amended provided
that such amendments are proposed by the board or by any five (5) chapter
members. Written notice of proposed amendments must be given to all chapter
members at least 30 days before the meeting at which the proposed amendment is
to be voted on.
Amendments to these Bylaws and Operating Rules must be
approved by 2/3
of those members present and voting.
Revision History
Changes to Bylaws — July 26, 1996
II. Purpose
Change at end of first paragraph:
"ability or age" changed to "ability, age or gender."
VI. Dues
Change at end of first paragraph:
"sliding scale from $20.00 to $35.00" to "sliding scale from $15.00 to $34.00"
VII. Officers and Board
Add sentence under Secretary:
"Post timely notice via newsletter of elections prior to annual meeting."
Add sentence under Treasurer:
"Submit annual budget at annual chapter meeting."
Add:
Chairs of Standing Committees and Task Forces
IX. Nominations
Change third sentence:
"At
least 30 days before the annual meeting, the names of those persons who have
been nominated shall be mailed to each chapter member with a notify of the
date. time, and place of the meeting," to "At least 30 days before
the annual meeting, chapter members will be notified, via newsletter, the names
of those persons who have been nominated with a notify of the date, time, and
place of the annual meeting.
Changes to Bylaws — April 7, 1999
VII. Qualifications and Terms of Office:
All officers shall be members of NOW. Each officer shall serve a one-year term and no officer may serve more than two consecutive terms in the same office.
AMENDED to read:
All
officers shall be members of NOW. Each officer shall serve a one-year term.
Changes to Bylaws — February, 2005
Title of Bylaws. The chapter number FL0234 was added.
I. Name. The chapter number FL0234 was added.
II. Purpose. Deleted "to take action" in first sentence.
V.
Meetings.
The day and time were deleted.
VI. VII. Officers and Board.
President. "Will preside" was changed to "may preside or appoint a member to preside.”
Vice President. Deleted "and chair meetings in the absence of the president." And added "in all matters pertaining to the chapter."
Chairs of Standing Committees and Task Forces
Added the
Legislative Chair and the Membership Chair to the board. Changed the frequency of board
meetings from 9 to 4 per year.
Added "Legislative
Chair" and description.
Added "Membership Chair" and description.
IX. Nominations.
Added "in April" to the phrase "90 days prior to the annual meeting."
Changed "notify via newsletter" to "notify via an all-membership mailing."
XII. Grievance Procedure
Changed the phrase "state NOW" to "Florida NOW."