Guest Jane Jones Posted February 21, 2012 at 08:55 PM Report Share Posted February 21, 2012 at 08:55 PM Our State Association has a by-law that specifically states the State President can call an electronic meeting of the State Board. It make no mention of any other person or a subset group within the orginazation - -only the State President and the State Board that can call an electronic meetingWe are a local chapter of about 200 chapters statewide with our own by-laws and organized in accordance with the State Association. May we hold either chapter meetings, chapter board and/or chapter committee meetings electronically based on the State Association By-law which only specifies the State President and State Board? Or do we need a specific by-law for each subset, chapter meeting, chapter board and/or chapter committee? I believe Robert's Rules state that that standing committees need to have it specified in the by-laws for committees to be able to meet electronically. Our chapter by-laws state that we refer to Rober's Rules for all parlimentary rules not defined in our by-laws.We want to ensure that we are conducting our meeting properly. Thank you for your assistance.Jane Jones Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Wynn Posted February 21, 2012 at 09:08 PM Report Share Posted February 21, 2012 at 09:08 PM Our State Association has a by-law that specifically states the State President can call an electronic meeting of the State Board. It make no mention of any other person or a subset group within the orginazation - -only the State President and the State Board that can call an electronic meetingWe are a local chapter of about 200 chapters statewide with our own by-laws and organized in accordance with the State Association.May we hold either chapter meetings, chapter board and/or chapter committee meetings electronically based on the State Association By-law which only specifies the State President and State Board? Or do we need a specific by-law for each subset, chapter meeting, chapter board and/or chapter committee?I believe Robert's Rules state that that standing committees need to have it specified in the by-laws for committees to be able to meet electronically. Our chapter by-laws state that we refer to Rober's Rules for all parlimentary rules not defined in our by-laws.We want to ensure that we are conducting our meeting properly. Thank you for your assistance.Jane JonesTo hold electronic meetings, they must be specifically authorized in the bylaws. Having not seen your bylaws, I cannot give a definite answer in your particular case, but if the bylaws of the state association authorize the president to call an electronic meeting of the state board, that provision cannot be stretched into authorizing a local chapter to hold electronic meetings, as far as I see it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steven Britton Posted February 21, 2012 at 10:27 PM Report Share Posted February 21, 2012 at 10:27 PM Tim, I'm going to go out on a limb and reserve the right to partially disagree, and this brings up an interesting question regarding Committees.RONR/11 p. 98 ll. 21-28: "As in the case of a board or any assembly, committees that are expressly established by the bylaws can hold a valid electronic meeting only if authorized in the bylaws to do so. A committee that is not expressly established by the bylaws, however, may instead be authorized by a standing rule of the parent body or organization, or by the motion establishing the particular committee, to hold electronic meetings."Sometimes a particular set of bylaws will specify that the organizations standing committees shall be X, Y, and Z, and further provide for other Standing or Special Committees to be appointed by the assembly; either by adopting a Special Rule of Order or a Standing Rule.If the committee is established by the Special Rule of Order or the Standing Rule, I don't see where an electronic meeting would necessarily be prohibited, but it would depend on the assembly's bylaws (as you've indicated), the assembly's abilty to appoint additional Standing or Special Committees, the standing rules, or other instructions given to the committee by the assembly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Wynn Posted February 21, 2012 at 11:57 PM Report Share Posted February 21, 2012 at 11:57 PM May we hold either chapter meetings, chapter board and/or chapter committee meetings electronically based on the State Association By-law which only specifies the State President and State Board? Tim, I'm going to go out on a limb and reserve the right to partially disagree, and this brings up an interesting question regarding Committees.Steve, My answer was focused on the question posed by the Original Poster, concerning whether or not the bylaw provision of the state association creates a further authorization to hold electronic meetings at the lower levels, which it would not. Regretfully, the first sentence of my response, when taken out of that strict context, is susceptible to misinterpretation and can appear to be a bit of an overstatement. I believe the text and reference that you provided add benefit to the reader. Thanks. (The second sentence of my first response is not in conflict with anything in your post) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steven Britton Posted February 22, 2012 at 01:41 AM Report Share Posted February 22, 2012 at 01:41 AM Steve,My answer was focused on the question posed by the Original Poster, concerning whether or not the bylaw provision of the state association creates a further authorization to hold electronic meetings at the lower levels, which it would not. Regretfully, the first sentence of my response, when taken out of that strict context, is susceptible to misinterpretation and can appear to be a bit of an overstatement. I believe the text and reference that you provided add benefit to the reader. Thanks. (The second sentence of my first response is not in conflict with anything in your post) Actually, they asked two questions. But, I thought your answer to the first question, was excellent! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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