SETTING THE STAGE:THE DO’S AND DON’TS OF BYLAWS

Elizabeth Long

NSNA Vice President

Chair, Bylaws and Policies Committee

Bylaws

• The basic rules governing the internal affairs of an organization

• AKA the standing rules

• Cannot be changed at the whim of the members present at a single meeting and cannot be suspended

• State and Chapter Bylaws are in conformity with:

NSNA’s Bylaws as identified on the Official Application for Constituency Status

• Should be reviewed yearly to be sure they are up-to-date

Bylaws

• Remember that bylaws contain ALL of the rules that the group considers important, so that they cannot be suspended

Bylaws• They are like the Constitution and cannot be changed

without a certain % of the voting members agreeing to it

• Look how long the US Constitution has been in place and how our country has changed but they are generic enough to stand the test of time

Why do we need Bylaws?• Provide a method to operate consistently from year to year

• Govern the internal affairs of the organization

• Maintained by the association

Top 10 Bylaws Mistakes

1. Bylaws are never read

2. Bylaws are ignored

3. Bylaws are amended without following Robert’s Rules of Order

4. Required areas of conformity are not incorporated in state or school bylaws

5. Qualifications to run for office are not defined

6. Term limits are not defined

7. No provision is made for a Nominations and Elections Committee

8. One board position may be held by one or more persons concurrently

9. Duties of officers are not defined

10. Terms used in the bylaws are not defined in the bylaws

Bylaws: What You Need

1. Name of the Organization

2. Object or Purpose of the Organization

3. Members

Bylaws: What You Need

4. Officers

5. Meetings

6. Executive board

Bylaws: What You Need

7. Committees

8. Parliamentary authority

9. Amendments

What should NOT be in Bylaws

• Names of elected officials with their titles

• Specific amounts of investments of the State or Chapter

• Student Activity Tables rules

Wait, so what’s an Amendment?•Defined as a change to a bylaw

•Requires House of Delegates voting on it at Convention

NSNA Bylaws About Amendments

Example of an Amendment• Bylaw

• The NSNA will have breakfast for delegates in the House of Delegates during the first business meeting.

• Proposed Amendment• The NSNA will have breakfast and lunch for delegates in the

House of Delegates during the first business meeting.

• Rationale for Amendment• NSNA delegates need to be fed throughout the business meeting

so that they are able to process important information during the meeting. There is almost no time for a lunch break for delegates and this ensures that they are participating at their highest mental capacity.

Bringing the Amendment to the HOD

• Bylaws Forum• When discuss an amendment

• Give Delegates opportunity to discuss bylaw change

• Vote!

Need to Bring this to the House of Delegates?

• Bylaw• The NSNA will have breakfast delegates in the House of Delegates

during the first business meeting.

• Proposed Amendment• The NSNA will have breakfast FOR delegates in the House of

Delegates during the first business meeting.

• NO; Grammatical Changes are not needed to bring forward to the House of Delegates

House of Delegates?

• Bylaw (Article VI, Section 2, 1.b.)• The consent of all proposed candidates shall be obtained in writing

before placing their names on the ticket.

• Proposed Amendment• The consent of all proposed candidates shall be obtained in writing

or electronic signature before placing their names on the ticket.

• YES; Major changes to how candidates consent to serve must be brought up to the HOD

Questions?

•Welcome:• Lola Fehr, NSNA Parliamentarian

• Contact nsna@nsna.org for more information on Bylaws and Policies