2018 Bylaws Revisions

At the next general meeting in February, our chapter will vote on how and whether to revise our current bylaws. Below is a list of frequently asked questions about this process and how you can participate.

Why are we revising the chapter bylaws?

The bylaws we voted in at the April 2017 general meeting were meant to get our quickly growing chapter off the ground. They were provisional, which means that they needed to be revised and voted on again in spring 2018. We got some things wrong in that first try, but now we can fix them!

What are the major changes in the revision and why these changes?

See this reader's guide to get a summary of the changes, why we think these bylaws will be better, and examples of how these changes could play out. If you only have a few minutes to get up to speed, read the first two pages of the readers guide. If you want more detail, read the whole thing alongside the revised bylaws text.

Show me the proposed bylaws!

They're here! Enjoy!

Show me the current bylaws!

Here they are!

I have a better idea. How do I propose an amendment?

Use this form to place your amendment on the agenda for the February 25 bylaws voting meeting. The deadline for submissions is February 8. These are amendments to the revised bylaws proposed by the Bylaws Committee, not to the current bylaws—be sure to refer to the proposed revision, not the current bylaws, when you put together your amendment proposal(s).

Some other things to note:

  • If you are proposing multiple, distinct ideas, each idea should be its own amendment. Submit the form separately for each one.
  • The form asks for a brief statement of purpose for the amendment: a plain-language description of what the amendment is trying to do. The shorter and clearer, the better.
  • Amendments to the bylaws proposal (the amendments we're collecting through this form) will require a simple majority to pass at the meeting. The overall bylaws proposal will require a two-thirds majority to pass once all amendments to the bylaws have been voted on. If the amendment doesn't pass, the current bylaws will remain in effect.

If you have an idea for an amendment but aren't sure about the bylaws-ese language, do your best and a parliamentarian will be in touch! You can also write bylaws@eastbaydsa.org with questions.