Is A Constitution in Order?

[Guest Rochelle]

I belong to an national/parent organization that has a constitution and fifty chapters around the country   I was under the assumption that all fifty chapters would adhere to the parent organization's constitution and have their own chapter bylaws.  We currently have chapter bylaws but a group wants to establish a chapter constitution (I know I can contact the national office for a decision).  But, I wanted to know if there's language in Roberts Rule that addresses this issue? 

[Richard Brown]

Only in the sense that it is permissible for an organization to have just a constitution, just by laws, or a constitution and by-laws. At one time, it was rather common for organizations to have both a constitution and by-laws. However, the trend in recent years has been to just have a single instrument entitled bylaws.

Edited February 15, 2018 at 05:55 AM by Richard Brown
Edited first sentence

[Hieu H. Huynh]

8 hours ago, Guest Rochelle said:

I belong to an national/parent organization that has a constitution and fifty chapters around the country   I was under the assumption that all fifty chapters would adhere to the parent organization's constitution and have their own chapter bylaws.  We currently have chapter bylaws but a group wants to establish a chapter constitution (I know I can contact the national office for a decision).  But, I wanted to know if there's language in Roberts Rule that addresses this issue? 

I think whether you could have a separate chapter constitution would depend on the requirements of the parent organization and its constitution.

[Richard Brown]

I agree with Hieu that you need to follow whatever is required by your parent organization's bylaws. Do those bylaws prohibit having a separate Constitution and bylaws?

My earlier answer was based on the rules in RONR. The rules in your parent organization's by-laws would supersede RONR .

[Josh Martin]

16 hours ago, Guest Rochelle said:

I belong to an national/parent organization that has a constitution and fifty chapters around the country   I was under the assumption that all fifty chapters would adhere to the parent organization's constitution and have their own chapter bylaws.  We currently have chapter bylaws but a group wants to establish a chapter constitution (I know I can contact the national office for a decision).  But, I wanted to know if there's language in Roberts Rule that addresses this issue? 

I concur with my colleagues and would add that establishing a constitution in this instance will require the same procedure and vote as amending the bylaws.