FSA Standing Rules

Standing Rules for the Florida State Association of the
National League of American Pen Women, Inc.

 MEMBERSHIP
The membership shall consist of members in good standing in all Florida branches of NLAPW, Inc. life members, and members‐at‐large who live and/or work in the State of Florida.

 DUES.
Each branch shall pay dues, $10.00, annually to the FSA/NLAPW, Inc. treasurer for each active, associate, international affiliate, honorary and life member in their branch. Dues are due

before May 15.

 GOVERNANCE.
General management and control of business, funds and property is vested in the FSA/NLAPW Council. The Council consists of the current president and her executive board, branch presidents, treasurers and past state presidents who are members in good standing of FSA/NLAPW.

The Executive Board consists of elected and appointed officers. Elected officers are President, First Vice President, Second Vice President, Third Vice President, Recording Secretary and Treasurer.

Positions appointed by the President are a parliamentarian, corresponding secretary, website editor, chaplain, historian and auditor, chairs of standing committees and special committees and such council members as the President wishes.

NOMINATIONS AND ELECTIONS.
The Nominating Chair shall be appointed by the President and approved by the FSA Council six [6] months prior to the FSA Conference. 

1. She shall select three [3] to five [5] members from different Branches to determine qualified candidates for office.

2. The Nominating Chair will contact the Branch Presidents by phone for recommendations of members to serve on this committee.

3. The committee will collect names and qualifications for the different offices. The Committee will discuss their qualifications to come up with a slate of officers. The committee can meet by any means they choose, such as electronically.

4. At least three [3] months before the FSA Conference, the Nominating Chair shall present the slate to the President.

5. The President shall send out the ballot by email to Branch Presidents who will be required to distribute to those who don’t have email.

QUALIFICATIONS FOR OFFICE IN FSA/NLAPW
The candidate for President shall have been a member in good standing for at least 6 years preceding her nomination. She should have served as Branch President or as an officer or committee chair on the FSA/NLAPW Board and also attended at least one FSA Conference.

1. Candidates for other FSA Offices must be active members in good standing in FSA. It is not necessary that she be a member of a branch. She may be a member at large.

2. Each candidate must give her approval to run for that office.

AMMENDMENTS

BY-LAWS CHAIR

The By-Laws Chair is appointed by the President.

1. She shall up-date the By-Laws to the present-day workings of FSA.

2. She shall also check each section of duties for officers, committee chairs and appointed positions to see if additional duties need to be added to some positions. 

3. She shall go over the Standing Rules to see if they need to be adjusted.

4. The Standing Rules shall be consistent with the By-Laws.

5. She shall be in contact with the President to discuss the proposed changes.

6. She shall write up the old wording and the proposed changes and give to the President in a ready document for her to attach to the ballot along with the rationale for changes.

PROCEEDURE

1. The Amendments shall be placed on the ballot to be voted on by members. Amendments should be prepared with the old and new wording by the Bylaws Chair and given to the President to be placed on the ballot.

2. Amendments to the FSA Inc. By-Laws may be made by two-thirds vote of the voting members. 

3. Standing Rules of the FSA Council can be adopted at any meeting, as needed, as long as they do not conflict with other rules of order or the By-Laws of FSA.

ELECTIONS

ELECTION CHAIR

The Election’s Chair shall be appointed by the president and approved by the FSA Council six (6) months prior to the FSA Conference.

The Election Chair shall receive all ballots and meet within 10 days after the mailing due date with her committee for vote count.

VOTING BY MAIL PROCEDURE:

1. The Chair will ask the State Treasurer for a copy of all the FSA members in good standing.

2. She shall ask four [4] members from her branch to be on her committee when time comes to count the ballots.

3. The committee checks the mailing date to make sure it was mailed by the cutoff date. 

4. The committee then checks the return addresses on each envelope to make sure the member is in good standing (is on the treasurer’s list as paid member). If there is no return address, the envelope is discarded and not counted but is put in the report.

5. The envelopes are opened but the ballots are put in a pile unfolded.

6. Each committee person has a tally sheet listing the slate of officers and By-Law Amendments.

7. The Election Chair opens each ballot and calls out the vote for each office and write in. Each committee member records the votes. She also calls out the vote for the By-Law Amendments which each committee member records.

When finished, the Chair asks for the vote tally and they should be the same. The President shall also send out the ballot by email to Branch Presidents who will be required to distribute to those who don’t have email.

8. She will fill out her Tally sheet with the total votes for each officer on the slate and each vote with name of the write in votes. She will report any votes not counted and why. She will also show the total votes for the By-Law Amendments. The Chair will sign it and under her signature her committee will sign their names. She must keep a copy.

9. She will send this Tally Sheet to the President by e-mail and followed up with a phone call to make sure she received it.

10. The Election Chair shall present the Tally sheet report listing each name and their vote count and will declare the winner of that position. She will also report the total count for the By-Law Amendments and declare it passed by 2/3 vote or not at the FSA business meeting, unless there is no in-person meeting that year. 

11. She will give a copy of this Tally sheet to the State Secretary for her records.

TERMS AND VACANCIES

1. The term of each elected officer is two years and begins on May 1st of the even numbered year following the Biennial Convention.
2. No elected officer, except the treasurer, shall be eligible for election to more than two two‐year terms to the same office.
3. The elected President of the FSA/NLAPW is installed at the April FSA Council meeting, if possible. . [Installation may be made by any past FSA President, active or retired member of the National Board.] However, an official installation is not required.MEETINGS.

1. At least two meetings per year of the FSA/NLAPW Council shall be scheduled, with the date, time and place to be set by the President. Additional meetings may be called by the President as needed.
2. Seven members of the FSA/NLAPW Council shall constitute a quorum for Council meetings.
3. The business meeting of the FSA/NLAPW shall take place at the FSA Conference, which is held in odd‐numbered years. Officers are elected at this meeting.
4. The voting body at the business meeting or via mail of FSA/NLAPW shall consist of all members in good standing. 5. Three officers and twenty members in good standing constitute a quorum for the business meeting at the Conference.

6. All elected officers and chairs are required to attend all FSA/NLAPW Council and 

Executive Board meetings unless excused by the state president. If any officer or chair misses two consecutive meetings without being excused by the president, the president shall appoint a replacement. If any elected or appointed officer or committee chair does not carry out her assigned duties, she may be replaced by the President.
7. The FSA board and council may conduct electronic meetings. These meetings require a quorum and opportunity for simultaneous debate and voting.

CONTESTS.
All National State members may enter contests in Florida for Arts, Letters, and Music regardless of their certification.

 FINANCES.
1. The fiscal year of the FSA shall be the same as that of the National League of American Pen
Women, from May 1 through April 30.
2. The retiring Council shall leave in the Treasury a sum equal to all unpaid bills or other obligations for which FSA/NLAPW is responsible
3. If funds are available the FSA treasury may at its discretion assist the retiring President and the President elect with expenses (up to $200 each) for attendance at the National Convention.
4. Money for the FSA/NLAPW Conference shall come from funds left in the treasury,
registration fees, fund‐raising activities, donations from branches or businesses, Pen Women and other individuals. Contributions may be made as memorials, tributes or for special awards.
5. Every treasurer, whether on a branch level or a state one, shall determine her bank of choice. The treasurer may elect without board approval or bank resolution to move funds under her
control to a banking institution of her choice. She may, at will, open bank accounts, close bank accounts or transfer funds between bank account without approval from any other party. It is HIGHLY RECOMMENDED that each bank account has more than one signator.

PARLIAMENTARY AUTHORITY
The most recent edition of Robert’s Rules of Order shall govern the FSA/NLAPW, Inc. in cases not provided for in the National By‐laws and these Standing Rules.