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Legislative Education Staff Network

History and Bylaws 2005-2006

History

In the fall of 1986, a group of legislative education staff, with the support of the Danforth Foundation, met to discuss the needs of legislative education staff in improving their ability to perform their jobs. As a result of that and subsequent discussions, the Danforth Foundation agreed to support networking and professional development activities for legislative education staff for a limited time. These activities were conducted in conjunction with the Education Commission of the States (ECS) and the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL).

The organizational structure for this group was called the Legislative Education Staff Network (LESN) and that network has been formally recognized by both ECS and NCSL. Bylaws adopted in 1991 at meetings of the LESN established a LESN Executive Committee to assist ECS and NCSL in planning LESN activities.

At the time the LESN was formed, several needs were identified by legislative education staff. Those needs included: (1) to provide the opportunity to network with education from other states and representatives other education agencies and organizations, (2) to provide staff development and training opportunities, (3) to provide clearinghouse functions for information receipt and interaction with experts, (4) to provide research results from targeted policy areas, and (5) to provide technical assistance to staff in developing proposals.

LESN continues to provide learning opportunities for legislative education staff in conjunction with ECS and NCSL meetings.

Legislative Education Staff Network Bylaws

As Adopted 8-11-88 (Baltimore);

As Amended 7-02 (Hollywood and Denver)

Article 1 - ORGANIZATION

Section 1. Name - The name of this organization is the Legislative Education Staff Network, hereinafter referred to as the LESN.

Section 2. Purpose - The purpose of the LESN is to positively impact public policy development in education through the staff assistance to state legislatures.

Section 3. Objectives - To implement this purpose, the LESN has the following objectives:

to actively encourage interaction and information exchange between legislative education staff, between legislative education staff and education practitioners and researchers, and between legislative education staff and other education policy staff;
to provide opportunities for legislative education staff to focus on critical education issues including how states are dealing with those issues and research and practices relevant to those issues;
to promote effective relationships between legislative education staff and state legislators; and
to promote the professionalization of the LESN membership.

Section 4. Membership - Membership in the LESN is open to all legislative staff persons in any state or territory of the United States whose primary area of responsibility is education. Education staff of the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) and the Education Commission of the States (ECS), and staff of other organizations that support the LESN are nonvoting members.

Section 5. Voting - Unless otherwise specified in these bylaws, issues submitted to the membership for a vote must be submitted at each of the two required regular meetings. A vote is by voice unless a roll call is requested by a member from one state and seconded by members from two other states. If a roll call is requested and seconded, each state is entitled to one vote at that regular annual meeting. Roll call votes shall be cast by a representative selected by the membership from that state. States must be represented at a meeting to vote. A question submitted for a vote is adopted if it is adopted at regular meetings held in conjunction with ECS and NCSL meetings. The executive committee may provide for voting by mail.

ARTICLE 2 - MEETINGS

Section 1. Regular Meetings - Meetings of the LESN shall be held at times and places designated by the executive committee. Two meetings shall be held annually, one in conjunction with the ECS annual meeting and one in conjunction with a NCSL meeting.

Section 2. Special Meetings - Special meetings of the LESN may be set by the executive committee. The LESN, as determined by the executive committee, may also cosponsor with other organizations joint meetings that are relevant for legislative education staff.

ARTICLE 3 - EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE AND OFFICERS

Section 1. Executive Committee - The executive committee consists of eight members of LESN selected through the ECS and the NCSL by processes established within those organizations and specified in this article, and the chairs of any other committees created by the executive committee. Any member of the executive committee may, if unable to attend an executive committee meeting, designate an LESN member to represent that executive committee member. The executive committee may organize itself in any manner necessary to conduct the business of the LESN. The executive committee shall assure that notice of meetings is provided. The executive committee shall maintain a record of all meetings and votes of the LESN and the executive committee. The executive committee shall keep an account of all monies received or disbursed by the LESN.

Section 2. Officers - The officers of LESN are co-chairs who shall preside at all meetings of the LESN and of the executive committee and shall have general control over the affairs of the LESN subject to the approval of the executive committee;

Section 3. Selection of Executive Committee - ECS - Three LESN members representing the ECS on the LESN executive committee shall be selected by education staff attending the ECS annual meeting, and the co-chair appointed by ECS will continue to serve an additional year as the immediate past-co-chair.

The present executive committee members representing ECS (three legislative staff and one ECS staff) will nominate legislative staff to serve on the executive committee. Prior to the ECS Annual Meeting, the four present executive members representing ECS and ECS staff will nominate three legislative staff to serve on the executive committee. Current executive committee members may be asked to continue to serve an additional one-year term. To the extent possible, staff should represent a variety of states and staff functions (i.e. partisan and non-partisan, policy, fiscal and legal) and have a gender, geographic and racial balance.

At the ECS annual meeting, the slate of staff nominated to serve on the executive committee will be presented to legislative education staff for ratification.

In the case of a vacancy, the remaining ECS representatives on the executive committee shall appoint someone to fill the vacancy through the remainder of the term of that position. Each year, the four executive committee members (three new appointees and the immediate past co-chair) shall select one of the appointees to serve as LESN co-chair.

Section 4. Selection of Executive Committee - NCSL - LESN members representing the NCSL shall be the staff chair, the two staff vice chairs, and the immediate past staff chair of the NCSL Education Standing Committee. The staff chair shall serve as the LESN co-chair.

Section 5. Legislative Education Staff Positions in the ECS and the NCSL - The co-chairs shall notify the ECS and the NCSL of the LESN officers and executive committee members and encourage these organizations to consider LESN officers and executive committee members when making legislative staff appointments within the organizations.

Section 6. Terms - Terms for officers and executive committee members begin October 1. The term of office for all executive committee members is one year.

Section 7. Vacancies - Vacancies in the executive committee, if not filled through the processes specified in sections 3 and 4, may be filled by the executive committee.

ARTICLE 4 - FINANCING

Section 1. Grants - The executive committee may apply for and receive grants that further the purpose and objectives of the LESN.

Section 2. Contracts - The executive committee may enter into contracts and agreements to provide services to the LESN members.

ARTICLE 5 - AMENDMENTS

Section 1. Proposals - Amendments to the bylaws may be proposed by the executive committee or by petition of members representing at least three states.

Section 2. Voting - The bylaws may be amended only by a majority vote as specified in Article 1, Section 5 and may not be amended by the executive committee.

Section 3. Notice - Notice of the proposed changes in the bylaws shall be transmitted to all members before a vote of members is taken. Transmission of the proposed changes may be by mail, facsimile transmission or electronic mail.

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