By-Laws and Standing Orders
Article 1: Name
The name of the organization shall be the National Association of Legislative Information Technology (NALIT), a recognized staff section in the legislative staff division of the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL), hereinafter referred to as the Association.
Article 2: Purposes
1. To promote the exchange of ideas and information on all aspects of legislative information systems. This includes, but is not limited to, the management and technical development of these systems.
2. To provide a network of information exchange among persons involved in providing management and technical support for legislative information systems.
3. To provide improved communications and foster better relations between legislative information systems management and staff, and the legislators and legislative staff they serve.
4. To promote the services of the Association membership on the various committees, subcommittees, task forces, etc., of NCSL.
5. To enhance the professionalism of the members of the Association through activities supporting the purposes noted above.
Article 3: Membership
There are two classes of membership in the Association. The classes are as follows:
1. General Members: General members are legislative information technology professionals employed by a legislature of one of the fifty states, insular possessions, or territories of the United States. General members are voting members in the Association.
2. Associate Members: Associate members are persons interested in legislative information technology, including legislators and other staff serving a legislature of one of the fifty states, insular possessions, or territories of the United States, legislative staff of provincial governments and representatives of private vendors. Associate members are non-voting members in the Association.
Article 4: Meetings of the Members
1. Annual Meeting: The annual meeting shall be held normally to coincide with the NCSL annual meeting.
2. Professional Development Seminar: The professional development seminar shall be held annually in the fall.
3. Special Meetings: All meetings, other than the annual meeting and the professional development seminar, shall be called special meetings.
4. Notice: Written notice of all meetings shall be distributed by the NCSL staff contact at least 30 days in advance of the meeting.
5. Voting - Issues on Association Policy and Operation: Issues on Association policy and operations raised at a meeting shall require a majority vote of the general members present at the meeting before being declared passed.
6. Voting - Other Issues: All other issues raised at a meeting shall require a majority vote of the general members present at the meeting before being declared passed.
Article 5: Executive Committee
1. Membership: The Executive Committee shall be composed of the officers of the Association, the immediate past Chair, and the Directors.
2. Duties:
a. Work with the Chair in managing the activities of the Association;
b. Provide program suggestions for the annual meeting to the Chair;
c. Provide business meeting suggestions for the annual meeting to the Chair;
d. Request by a majority vote of the total Executive Committee, as polled by the NCSL staff contact, that the Chair call a special meeting of the Association;
e. Provide suggestions to the Chair with regard to appointing members or recommending the appointment of the members of the Association to NCSL committees, subcommittees, task forces, etc., that are considering matters of interest to the Association;
f. Approve nonfinancial agreements, to be executed by NCSL, as necessary to conduct the business of the Association;
g. Reserve the right to approve or object to financial agreements, to be executed by NCSL, as necessary, relating to NALIT meetings and seminars;
h. Adopt policies of a continuing nature in the form of standing orders;
i. Approve Association sponsorship of meetings and training conferences for legislators and their staff;
j. Discuss and review the goals and programs of the Association and recommend changes as needed, which will be brought before the membership;
k. Discuss and review all standing committee reports so as to be current on NALIT activity; and
l. Resolve questions of membership qualifications.
3. Meetings: The Executive Committee shall hold its meetings upon the call of the Chair at such time and place as they shall agree upon, and, at the discretion of the Executive Committee, the meeting may be held by means of teleconferencing.
4. Notice: Notice of all Executive Committee meetings including teleconferencing shall be sent by e-mail by the NCSL staff contact, if possible, at least 10 days in advance of the meeting.
5. Presiding Officer: The Chair shall preside at all meetings of the Executive Committee.
Article 6: Officers
1. Names and Qualifications: The officers shall consist of a Chair, Vice-Chair, Secretary, and any other officers as may be needed. Each officer shall be a general member of the Association.
2. Chair: The Chair has the following duties:
a. Prepare the agenda for the annual meeting and special meetings;
b. Preside at all meetings of the Association, including meetings of the Executive Committee;
c. Exercise general control over the Association’s affairs;
d. Represent the Association on the NCSL Legislative Staff Coordinating Committee during the term of office;
e. Submit to the NCSL Vice-President recommendations for appointments to each of the NCSL committees, subcommittees, task forces, etc., involved in activities related to the purpose of this Association;
f. Work with the NCSL staff contact in planning the Association programs and activities for the NCSL annual meeting;
g. Accept financial donations and pledges upon approval of the Executive Committee and NCSL;
h. Administer agreements, as necessary, to the business of the Association after approval by the Executive Committee;
i. Call a special meeting of the Association after being requested by the Executive Committee;
j. Perform such other duties assigned to the Chair as set forth in the By-Laws of this Association or as requested by the NCSL Executive Committee; and
k. Appoint Association Standing Committees and delegate responsibilities to other Association members in order to carry out the duties of the Chair listed here and any other place in the By-Laws.
3. Vice-Chair: The Vice-Chair has the following duties:
a. Preside at all meetings of the Association in absence of the Chair;
b. Represent the Association on the NCSL Legislative Staff Coordinating Committee during the term of office;
c. Record the written standing orders of the Association; and
d. Such other duties as may be assigned by the Chair.
4. Secretary: The Secretary has the following duties:
a. Record minutes of all membership meetings;
b. Coordinate, with the NCSL staff contact, activities providing for information on membership on a timely basis such as lists and directories;
c. Deposit a copy of the minutes of all meetings with the NCSL staff contact who shall distribute a copy of these minutes to all of the members of this Association within thirty days of the meeting;
d. Preside at all meetings of the Association in absence of the Chair and the Vice-Chair;
e. Solicit articles and items of interest to the membership of the Association and NCSL;
f. Work with the NCSL staff contact in publishing and distributing the Association Newsletter at least twice annually; and
g. Such other duties as may be assigned by the Chair.
Article 7: Nomination, Election and Terms of Officers
1. Nominating Committee: Prior to each annual meeting of the Association, the Chair shall appoint from the general membership of the Association a nominating committee consisting of three members and designate one of the three members as the Chair of the committee.
2. Duties of Nominating Committee: The Nominating Committee shall compile a slate of nominees for the offices of Chair, Vice-Chair, and Secretary.
3. Election. The slate of nominees shall be submitted by the Chair of the Nominating Committee to the Association at the annual meeting. The slate of nominees shall be elected by a simple majority of the general members of the Association present and voting.
4. Terms of Officers: The terms of officers of the Association shall commence at the close of the annual meeting at which they are elected and shall continue through the next ensuing annual meeting.
Article 8: Directors
1. Number and Term of Office: There shall be six Directors and each Director shall serve a two-year term of office. Three directors shall be appointed each even-numbered year and three directors each odd-numbered year.
2. Appointment: The Chair for the ensuing year shall appoint the new Directors to open positions within thirty days of the close of the annual meeting.
3. Terms of Office: The terms of office of the Directors, shall commence at the close of the annual meeting at which they are appointed and shall continue two years until the annual meeting.
4. Vacancy: In the event of death, disability or resignation of a Director, the Chair shall appoint a new Director to serve the remainder of the term of the former Director.
5. Notice of Appointment: Within thirty days of the close of the NCSL annual meeting, the NCSL staff contact shall make known to the Association membership the new appointments of Directors.
6. Duties: Each Director has the following duties:
a. Maintain communications and coordinate Association activities with states to which they may have been assigned by the Chair;
b. Attend Executive Committee meetings; and
c. Perform other duties as assigned.
Article 9: Vacancies: Officers
1. Chair: In the event of the death, disability or resignation of the Chair, the Vice-Chair shall also serve as the Chair until the election of a new Chair. In the event of the absence of the Chair at a meeting, the Vice-Chair shall perform the duties of the Chair at the meeting.
2. Vice-Chair: In the event of the death, disability or resignation of the Vice-Chair, theSecretary shall also serve as the Vice-Chair until the election of a new Vice-Chair. In the event of the absence of both the Chair and the Vice-Chair at a meeting, the Secretary shall perform the duties of the Chair at the meeting.
3. Secretary: In the event of the death, disability or resignation of the Secretary, the Chair shall appoint a new Secretary to serve the remainder of the term of the former Secretary.
4. All Officers: In the event of the death, disability or resignation of all three elected officers (Chair, Vice-Chair, Secretary), the NCSL staff contact shall call a meeting of the existing Directors within thirty days, and they shall elect by a majority vote a new Chair, a new Vice-Chair, and a new Secretary to serve until the election of their successors at the next annual meeting.
1. Purpose: Document the policies, procedures, activities, or decisions of the Executive Committee.
2. Expiration Dates: Standing orders shall remain in effect until amended or repealed by the action of the same or a succeeding Executive Committee.
3. Record of Standing Orders: Standing orders shall be recorded by a majority vote of the Executive Committee as an addendum to the By-Laws until repeal or expiration.
4. Permanent Standing Orders: Permanent activities of the Association that shall be maintained in the standing orders include, but are not limited to:
a. NALIT Legislative Staff Achievement Awards: Provides for the selection of annual Legislative Staff Achievement Award Winners.
b. Professional Development Seminar Fund: Provides for monitoring and reporting on the Professional Development Seminar Fund which NCSL has granted to NALIT.
c. NALIT Website: Provides for the development of NALIT website guidelines and responsibility for maintaining the NALIT website under those guidelines.
d. Appointment of Standing Committees: Provides for the procedures to appoint standing committees when necessary.
Article 11: Amendment of By-Laws
1. Vote: The By-Laws of the Association may be amended by a majority vote of the general members present at any meeting of the Association.
2. Copy of By-Laws Available: An electronic copy of the By-Laws with amendments shall be made available to all general members thirty days prior to the business meeting of the Association at which the vote to amend will occur. A typed copy of the By-Laws with amendments also shall be made available to the general members at the business meeting at which the vote to amend will occur.
For More Information
For more information about NALIT, contact:
Pam Greenberg, NCSL Liaison to NALIT
National Conference of State Legislatures
7700 East First Place
Denver, CO 80230
Tel: 303-364-7700 ext. 1413
Fax: 303-364-7800
E-Mail: pam.greenberg@ncsl.org
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