Bylaws votes

[Guest Happyant]

We sent out bylaws revisions a month ago to all members. We will vote on approval of the bylaws at the next meeting (Saturday). At that meeting we will ask the members if they  have any changes to our submitted bylaws. I know that the final bylaws approval should require a 2/3 vote. For the members to make additional changes to our bylaws before the final vote, I assume they need to make a motion and a second to add their changes. Would those motions require a 2/3 vote, or just a majority vote?  After all motions have been made, we would then require the 2/3 vote. Is this procedure correct?

[Guest Anon]

On 2/15/2024 at 12:02 AM, Guest Happyant said:

Would those motions require a 2/3 vote, or just a majority vote?

Majority. But amendments beyond the scope of the notice are out of order. See 57:10-12.

On 2/15/2024 at 12:02 AM, Guest Happyant said:

After all motions have been made, we would then require the 2/3 vote.

Yes, except that it would be after any subsidiary motions to amend are disposed of (motions made, seconded, and voted on) and then you return to the main motion of the bylaw amendments.

[Joshua Katz]

On 2/15/2024 at 8:36 AM, Guest Anon said:

Majority. But amendments beyond the scope of the notice are out of order. See 57:10-12.

On 2/15/2024 at 1:02 AM, Guest Happyant said:

I disagree, because: 

On 2/15/2024 at 1:02 AM, Guest Happyant said:

We sent out bylaws revisions a month ago to all members. We will vote on approval of the bylaws at the next meeting (Saturday).

When considering a revision, the entire document stands open to amendment, as notice of a revision is notice of any possible germane amendments.

[Guest Anon]

On 2/15/2024 at 8:00 AM, Joshua Katz said:

When considering a revision, the entire document stands open to amendment, as notice of a revision is notice of any possible germane amendments.

Thank you, I see that now in 57:5. Though it appears that the revision must come from a committee authorized by the body for this purpose. Otherwise I believe only amendments based on changes in the revision would be in order.

For the OP's original question, am I correct that in any case the votes on amendments to the revision is a majority?

[Joshua Katz]

On 2/15/2024 at 10:32 AM, Guest Anon said:

For the OP's original question, am I correct that in any case the votes on amendments to the revision is a majority?

Yes, regardless whether it is a revision or amendment.

You're right that a revision must come from a body authorized for that purpose, otherwise it's just a series of amendments. I tend to take questions at face value, perhaps more than others here - if someone tells me it's a revision, I typically don't question it, unless something stands out. That's just me, though.

On another note, if you're going to be actively answering questions, which is appreciated, might we convince you to join the forum?

[Atul Kapur]

On 2/15/2024 at 1:02 AM, Guest Happyant said:

We sent out bylaws revisions a month ago

 

On 2/15/2024 at 11:22 AM, Joshua Katz said:

I tend to take questions at face value, perhaps more than others here - if someone tells me it's a revision, I typically don't question it, unless something stands out

What stood out to me was the use of the plural.

Guest Happyant, we're talking about the difference between one or several separate amendments to the bylaws or a complete revision of the entire bylaws.

In case of the former, further changes at the meeting are subject to scope of notice (eg, if the amendment was to raise dues from $50 to $75, the meeting could only propose to change to a number between 50-75).

In the case of a revision, scope of notice doesn't apply and almost any changes can be proposed and adopted at the meeting (eg: someone could propose to create an entirely new category of membership, such as honorary, or life, where nothing like that existed previously or in the proposed revision - even if the proposed revision made no change to the article on membership).

[Happyant]

Just to add to my original post, the bylaws revision was done by a committee.