Can a committee adopt "bylaws" versus "guidelines or general operating policies and procedures"

[Guest Patricia]

The church I attend is governed by Robert's Rules of Order.

It has come to my attention that the church committee responsible

for investing money donated to the church in bequests has

adopted "bylaws." It is my understanding of parliamentary

procedure, that committees of an organization are not authorized to

adopt "bylaws" but may adopt "guidelines or other operating policies and

procedures" but just can't properly call them "bylaws."

Please advise.

[jstackpo]

According to RONR, a committee is not, per se, empowered to adopt any rules governing itself or its activities at all, p. 500, line 25 ff. A committee is "handed" rules by the body that establishes it, and by RONR's rules. It doesn't write its own rules, whether they be called "bylaws", "policies and procedures", "guidelines" or anything else

Of course, the motion that established the committee could give rule-making power to the committee. Did the church assembly give that power to the "money committee" in the motion that created the committee? That establishment could be in the church's bylaws or in a separate motion adopted some other time.

Do the research and you will have the opportunity to advise yourself.

[Gary Novosielski]

The church I attend is governed by Robert's Rules of Order.

It has come to my attention that the church committee responsible

for investing money donated to the church in bequests has

adopted "bylaws." It is my understanding of parliamentary

procedure, that committees of an organization are not authorized to

adopt "bylaws" but may adopt "guidelines or other operating policies and

procedures" but just can't properly call them "bylaws."

According to RONR, it can't even do that much, unless it was authorized to do so by the body that established it.