 LINCS Bylaws
ARTICLE I
NAME - The name of the staff section shall be "Legislative
Information and Communications Staff Section" (LINCS).
PURPOSE - The purposes of the staff section shall be to:
- Promote the exchange
of ideas and information in the fields of public information, media
relations, and other such communication activities as they relate to
state legislatures;
- Promote improved and
effective communication between public information staff and their
legislators, legislative staff, and constituents;
- Advance and promote
civic education programs administered by state legislatures;
- Enhance professional
development and expertise for public information and communications
staff; and
- Promote participation
in the NCSL to staff section members.
MEMBERSHIP - The membership shall be composed of all persons employed
by a member legislature of the NCSL or an agency thereof, in the capacity of
the following: public information; communications; media relations; television,
radio and broadcast media; civic and public education; public affairs; capitol
tours and public use functions; or other such areas related to legislative
communications.
ARTICLE II
MEETING OF MEMBERS - The annual business meeting of the section shall
be held at such time and place as shall be designated by the Executive
Committee. On the day of the scheduled meeting, the Chair shall call the
meeting to order at the designated time. The minutes of the previous meeting
shall be read and approved and such business transacted as may properly come
before the membership.
NOTICE - There shall be mailed to each member of the section, at
least 30 days prior to the annual business meeting, a notice setting the time
and place of the meeting. In case a quorum of the membership is not present,
the regularly called meeting shall be adjourned to the next day at a time and
place to be set by the members present and voting, at which time the members
present shall constitute a quorum.
VOTING - All members attending the LINCS business meetings are
eligible to vote on matters presented for decision. Business which requires
approval of the staff section shall require approval of a majority of staff
section members attending the annual business meeting. A quorum for business
shall be established by the presence of at least 30 members from a minimum of
10 NCSL member states.
ARTICLE III
OFFICERS - The officers of the section shall include a Chair, a Vice
Chair, a Secretary/Editor, and the Immediate Past Chair. The term of office for
officers begins January 1 and ends on December 31 each year.
The Chair shall preside at all meetings of the Section and of the Executive
Committee, represent LINCS on the NCSL Legislative Staff Coordinating
Committee, or designate an alternate, plan the agenda of the annual meeting and
training seminar in conjunction with the Executive Committee and shall have
general control over the affairs of the Section, subject to the approval of the
Executive Committee, and shall sign all certificates and other instruments for
the Section. The Chair may delegate his or her responsibilities as required for
the most efficient operations and functioning of the section, subject to the
review of the Executive Committee.
The Vice Chair shall assist with the planning of all meetings and seminars,
preside at any meeting in the absence of the Chair, or serve as the Chair's
designee at other meetings when necessary, serve as Chair of the Nominating
Committee, and perform such other duties as assigned by the Chair. The Vice
Chair shall be the Chair-Elect of the Section and shall assume the office of
Chair upon completion of his or her term as Vice Chair.
The Secretary/Editor shall countersign all certificates and other
instruments of the Section, record the minutes of all meetings of the Section
and of the Executive Committee, prepare and distribute copies of minutes of all
Section meetings, assist with the preparation and distribution of the Section's
newsletter, the Informant; and may delegate tasks assigned with this
responsibilities to others, and perform other duties as assigned by the Chair
or the Executive Committee.
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE - The Executive Committee shall be composed of
the elected officers of the Section and nine other communication professionals,
referred to as Directors, eight of whom shall be elected by the membership at
the annual meeting of the Section.
Four Directors shall serve terms of office beginning on January 1 of the
odd-numbered year following their election and ending on December 31 of the
next even-numbered year. Four Directors shall serve terms of office beginning
on January 1 of the even-numbered year following their election and ending on
December 31 of the next odd-numbered year. One Director may be appointed by the
chair from the state hosting the next annual professional development seminar,
serving for a term of one year beginning on January 1 and ending on December
31.
The Executive Committee shall have authority and responsibility for the
general management and control of the business affairs of the Section and shall
exercise all powers granted by the Section under these bylaws. The Chair shall designate, subject to the
approval of the Executive Committee, one officer or director as responsible for
overseeing and managing the development and acquisition of fiscal resources for
use in support of the section’s programming and operations.
Past Chairs of the Section who are members in good standing of the Section
shall be ex-officio members of the Executive Committee but shall not be counted
in determining a quorum nor be entitled to vote.
The Executive Committee shall be authorized to assess all members a
registration fee that shall be paid as a condition for registration and participation
at the annual meeting of the Section. The amount and manner of the registration
fee shall be determined by the Executive Committee.
MEETING OF THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE - The Executive Committee shall meet
during the annual NCSL conference, the annual LINCS training seminar,
and, upon the call of the Chair, at any other time necessary for the
orderly conduct of the Section's affairs. A majority of the Executive Committee
shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business.
DUTIES OF THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE - The Executive Committee shall plan and
execute a program for the annual meeting of the section, for the Section's
participation in the NCSL Annual Meeting, and for all other meetings of the
Section. The Committee shall keep the Section's membership informed of
developments relating to their professional areas of interest, shall recommend
formal actions as deemed appropriate, and shall be responsible for the
continuous review and update of these Bylaws. The chair of the Executive
Committee may, from time to time, appoint subcommittees of the Executive
Committee as appropriate.
Any member of the Executive Committee may be assigned by the Chair to assist
NCSL staff with the administrative responsibilities associated with the
Section.
ARTICLE IV
NOMINATING COMMITTEE - The Vice Chair of the Section shall serve as
the Chair of the Nominating Committee. No later than 120 days prior to the
convening of the annual meeting of the Section, the Chair of the Section shall appoint
from the membership a Nominating Committee of four additional members, subject
to the approval of the Executive Committee. Criteria for appointing members of
the Nominating Committee shall include, but is not limited to, geography, job
description, NCSL involvement, political/nonpartisan affiliation, race and
gender. No member of the Nominating Committee, other than the Vice Chair, shall
be a candidate for election to the Executive Committee that year.
Not less than 90 days prior to each annual meeting of the Section the
Nominating Committee shall mail to the membership a notice announcing the
opening of nominations for candidates for Vice Chair, Secretary/Editor, and
Director. The notice shall describe the responsibilities of each officer of the
Section and of Directors. The notice also shall list the name, address, phone
number, and professional title of each member of the Nominating Committee.
Members who wish to present themselves as candidates for the Executive
Committee shall submit their candidacy in writing to the chair of the
Nominating Committee. The deadline for the receipt of such submissions shall be
established by the Nominating Committee. Each candidate must state which
position he or she is seeking, e.g., Vice Chair, Secretary/Editor, or Director.
A candidate for a director position must submit a letter to the Nominating
Committee chair from a supervisor or presiding officer which affirms that the
candidate will be permitted to actively participate or otherwise complete the
responsibilities of a LINCS director, which may include travel,
teleconferencing, or participation via any other technological medium approved
by the Chair of the Section. All candidacy letters will be distributed to the
members of the Nominating Committee.
The Nominating Committee shall consider several criteria when offering a
slate of candidates to the full membership. The criteria shall include, but is
not limited to, geography, job description, NCSL involvement,
political/nonpartisan affiliation, race and gender. The Nominating Committee
shall recommend a slate of candidates for Vice Chair, Secretary/Editor, and
Director that shall be placed in nomination at the annual meeting of the
section; provided, however, that additional nominations may be made from the
floor by the membership. The Nominating Committee may recommend a candidate who
was not slated for an officer position for election as a Director. Election to
the positions of Vice Chair, Secretary/Editor, and Director requires a majority
vote of those present and voting at the annual meeting.
Candidates are prohibited from seeking the endorsement of current members of
the Executive Committee, but may seek letters of support from the general
membership. Sitting officers or Directors are prohibited from campaigning for
or against candidates.
ARTICLE V
VACANCIES - In the event the
Chair dies, resigns, or is otherwise unable to serve, the Vice Chair shall
become the Chair and serve as Chair for the remainder of the current term and
the entire next term. In such an event, if a Vice Chair-Elect exists, he or she
shall become the Vice Chair and serve for the remainder of the current term and
the entire next term. If no Vice Chair-Elect exists, the Chair shall appoint an
Acting Vice Chair, subject to the approval of the Executive Committee, who
shall serve until the end of the year and a Chair-Elect shall be elected at the
next annual meeting subject as practicable to the same nominating procedures
outlined in Article IV.
In the event the Vice Chair dies,
resigns, or is otherwise unable to serve, the vacancy shall be filled as
follows: (a) If a Vice Chair-Elect exists, he or she shall become the Vice
Chair and succeed to the office of Chair at the beginning of the next term. (b)
If no Vice Chair-Elect exists, the Chair shall appoint an Acting Vice Chair,
subject to the approval of the Executive Committee. The Acting Vice Chair shall
serve until the end of the year and a Chair-Elect shall be elected at the next
annual meeting subject as practicable to the same nominating procedures
outlined in Article IV.
In the event the Secretary/Editor or
any Director dies, resigns, or is unable to serve, the Chair shall appoint
a member to fill the vacancy, subject to the approval of a majority
of the Executive Committee.
All vacancies not covered by this
article shall be filled by a majority vote of the Executive Committee, with the
highest ranking officer or most senior member of the committee presiding.
ARTICLE VI
AMENDMENTS OF BYLAWS - These Bylaws may be amended:
- At any annual meeting of the
Section by a majority vote of the members present; or
- By mail or electronic mail by
a two-thirds vote of those casting ballots provided that the measure has
been recommended by the Executive Committee and ballots are cast by at
least 30 members from at least 10 member states.
Notice of proposed amendments to these Bylaws shall be provided to the
membership 30 days prior to the annual meeting of the Section or 30 days prior
to the deadline for voting or returning mailed ballots as established by the
Executive Committee.
As approved by an e-mail vote of the LINCS membership, November 3, 2003.
2002
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