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Looking to correct some issues with implementation of a new electronic voting system. How broad can the notice be written to allow for possible changes to the bylaws? "Issues related to electronic voting and possible bylaws amendment to address them" Is that too broad to satisfy our notice requirement? Bylaws - "Bylaws may be amended on motion at any duly called and held meeting by a majority of the members present, provided that notice of the proposed amendment shall have been included in the Call of the meeting." Is notice of amendment, generally, acceptable, as opposed to a specific change? Is there something in between (not just generally changing bylaws, but changing bylaws related to a subject or section)?

Hi all, My union, which is constitutionally bound by RONR, is gearing up for its annual meeting involving bylaw changes. The constitution requires a 14 day notice for any proposed bylaw change. Proposals have been submitted and announced to the membership, however, the union leadership is stating the debate and voting on the proposed bylaw changes can exceed what was originally announced 14 days before the annual meeting. I tried, and failed, to explain "scope of notice" and its purpose in protecting the rights of absent members. What section/chapter is "scope of notice" stated in RONR?

My organization only meets twice a year. To accommodate the unique needs of each biannual meeting, the by-laws state that "the Secretary must propose special rules of order for each biannual meeting." Adopting special rules of order normally requires a 2/3 vote and notice. However, since the by-laws require that he or she propose special rules of order, need the Secretary give notice? Additionally, can notice for special rules of order merely summarize the proposed special rules of order, rather than include their exact text?

I belong to a Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR). It is a 501(c)(3) with about 100 members. The bylaws state: Section 2. A Finance Committee consisting of the Treasurer and four members to be appointed by the Regent shall consider requests for funds, plan a proposed budget to be approved at the September meeting and recommend to the Chapter such expenditures as the Committee shall deem expedient. ARTICLE XI. Parliamentary Authority. The rules contained in the current edition of Robert’s Rules of Order Newly Revised shall govern the chapter in all cases to which they are not inconsistent with the bylaws, special rules of order, standing rules or any rulings of the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution, or any special rules of order of the Virginia Daughters of the American Revolution, or of this chapter. At the first meeting last year the Treasurer made a motion to approve the budget. Members were not given a copy of the budget. Changes were not shown. There was no discussion. It was just approved. This year, the Regent (President) wants to follow the same procedure. She has told me: "We have no requirement to distribute the budget in advance and we will not be doing so at this time." This seems wrong, to me, since you can't consider and approve something competently if you have not seen it. Is the Regent (President) correct?

In this era of email and websites, what is considered the standard notice for a special meeting of the membership of an organization? This pertains to a local organization of over 700 members. Usual attendance of regular meetings is about 50 people. When we have annual important decisions to make, that can balloon to 200. The membership at a regular meeting voted to hold a Special Meeting two weeks hence to consider taking an important public position on a current issue. The Executive Board sent notice 10 days in advance (per bylaws) of the meeting in the e-newsletter, buried in the text many inches from the top. The Bylaws say: Article V, Section 3.2 of the Bylaws states: Notice of special meetings shall be given to members ten days prior, except in emergencies. Notice of special meetings must state the time, place and purpose for which called, and no other business shall be transacted unless two-thirds (2/3) of the voting members present concur to the additional agenda items. Section 3.2 doesn't define "notice", but in Bylaw Article V, Section 3.1 on "Regular Meetings" it states: ...When meeting times or places are changed without prior written notice to the membership, no official action may be taken. ------------------------------ I'm old enough to have conducted meetings before email, which isn't actually that long ago. But people seem to think it is the same as a postcard or other mailed notice. When "written notice" is called for, has email been accepted as Ok?

Is there a rule about the length of time needed previous to the annual meeting of a non-profit organization? Thank you, Gina L.

How much notice is required for making an amendment during a convention that takes place one a year? How about for significant changes? Is notice to the Executive Board / Constitution Committee sufficient? What about notice to chief delegates? When would it be reasonable / latest time to have the organization distribute the amendment to members?

There are some actions which, upon a timely Point of Order, will turn: (a.) an adopted motion; into (b.) a null-and-void motion. *** There are at least three kinds of behavior which will trigger the above change: (1.) Previous notice was insufficient. -- A member(s) was/were not mailed the notice. (2.) A member(s) was/were not allowed to attend a meeting. (3.) A member(s) was/were not allowed to vote at a meeting. *** Of the above listed behaviors, there is a circumstance where (a.) the adopted motion will stand. (b.) the adopted motion will be rendered null and void. *** Given a timely Point of Order: Q. Which of the behaviors have a circumstance where the adopted motion will stand? Q. Which of the behaviors will always render an adopted motion as null and void? *** The reader may wish to review some key pages in RONR: (1.) page 252, "Remedy for violation of the right to vote". (2.) page 445, the paragraph which begins, "Otherwise, an election may be contested by . . ." and its bullet items. ***

Assume: Bylaws require only previous notice of amendment, without limitation of the period within which it must be acted upon (i.e., ordinary Robertian notice; no readings; no delays). Assume: In January, the general membership creates a Bylaw Committee. The charge of the Bylaws Committee is to create a full revision of the bylaws. The general membership fixes a "rush" deadline for the final report of the Bylaws Committee -- namely, the next regular meeting (February). Question: May the general membership act upon (adopt!) the revision in the February meeting (i.e., the same meeting as the final report of the Bylaws Committee)?

RONR (11th ed.), p. 91, ll. 31 - 35 (under Special Meeting) states "Notice of the time, place, and purpose of the meeting, clearly and specifically describing the subject matter of the motions or items of business to be brought up, must be sent to all members a reasonable number of days in advance." Additionally, RONR (11th ed.), p. 121, ll. 23 - 27 states "The term previous notice (or notice), as applied to necessary conditions for the adoption of certain motions, has a particular meaning in parliamentary law. A requirement of previous notice means that announcement that the motion will be introduced—indicating its exact content as described below—must be included in the call of the meeting (p. 4) at which the motion will be brought up..." Yet, RONR (11th ed.), p. 93, ll. 13 - 18 states "The requirement that business transacted at a special meeting be specified in the call should not be confused with a requirement that previous notice of a motion be given. Although the call of a special meeting must state the purpose of the meeting, it need not give the exact content of individual motions that will be considered." If the motion that will be considered fits the criteria for "necessary conditions for the adoption of specific motions", must the motion be included in the call for the meeting? Thanks