Bylaws

[Guest Rita Bell]

Our organization requires that proposed changes to the bylaws be submitted to the Bylaws committee. The Bylaws committee is required to read the proposed change to the body at a general meeting. Prior to voting on the change, the membership has to be given a 21 day written notice stating how the present bylaw reads, what the proposed change to the bylaw is and how the bylaw will read if the change takes place. Additionally, the time and place the vote is to take place has to be stated.

Once a committee submits a proposed change to the bylaws committee and the bylaws committee chairman reads the proposed change to the body, what needs to be done if the committee wants to rescind the proposed change after it has been read to the body but prior to the meeting where the vote on the bylaw change is to take place?

[Gary Novosielski]

Our organization requires that proposed changes to the bylaws be submitted to the Bylaws committee. The Bylaws committee is required to read the proposed change to the body at a general meeting. Prior to voting on the change, the membership has to be given a 21 day written notice stating how the present bylaw reads, what the proposed change to the bylaw is and how the bylaw will read if the change takes place. Additionally, the time and place the vote is to take place has to be stated.

Once a committee submits a proposed change to the bylaws committee and the bylaws committee chairman reads the proposed change to the body, what needs to be done if the committee wants to rescind the proposed change after it has been read to the body but prior to the meeting where the vote on the bylaw change is to take place?

You can't "rescind" something before it's adopted. Nowhere in the portion that you paraphrased does it suggest that the Bylaws committee gets to form or express an opinion on the proposed change. In fact it's not at all clear what the committee is supposed to do with the proposed change, except read it. Are you sure you paraphrased it correctly?

In any case, your bylaws can only be interpreted after reading the exact language in its entirety (a task beyond the scope of this forum) and not by reading a small paraphrased section. Your assembly itself is the final authority on the meaning of any ambiguous portions of your bylaws. (Majority vote.)

[Kim Goldsworthy]

Once a committee submits a proposed change to the bylaws committee and the bylaws committee chairman reads the proposed change to the body,

what needs to be done if the committee wants to rescind the proposed change after it has been read to the body but prior to the meeting where the vote on the bylaw change is to take place?

Once a committee submits a proposed change to the bylaws committee and the bylaws committee chairman reads the proposed change to the body, ...

It is out of the hands of the committee.

Once a committee gives its report, then the committee is powerless to yank it back.

The body is in control of the proposal.

However, a member of the committee who is present at that meeting is free to make a motion to recommit the proposal. That is a tactical ploy.