Why Bylaws?
A summary of the material discussed in the April Conference Call
Jo Konen TFRW VP-Bylaws
Bylaws are crucial to the smooth functioning of your club. Bylaws define the primary characteristics of your club, prescribe how your club functions, and include all the rules that your members consider so important that they cannot be changed without previous notice and a specified large majority. Bylaws contain whatever limitations are placed on the club and have a direct bearing on the rights of members within the club.
Because your club is federated with TFRW and NFRW, which are higher authorities, your bylaws must conform to the bylaws of both of those organizations. Both require certain elements to be in your bylaws and require certain aspects of your club organization to be specified.
Some of you remember that, in the past, TFRW has required every club to have its bylaws reviewed every two years before its anniversary of federation, whether or not changes were made. That requirement was repealed at the TFRW Convention in 2005.
A club, however, is still required to submit its bylaws for review when they are amended. The provision is in TFRW Bylaws Article IV, Section 9, A. Causes for Removal, #2: “Failure to submit bylaws amendments to the TFRW Vice President Bylaws for approval before the amendments become effective.” So now the review happens only when you amend your bylaws.
That brings us to why every club must have its bylaws reviewed this year (2008). And the deadline I have set for receiving your bylaws is October 31, 2008. The 2007 TFRW Convention made a change in the TFRW Bylaws that affects every club. It means that each club must now change its bylaws to reflect that revision. The NFRW Convention raised its per capita dues from $5 to $8. If you have the actual figure in your bylaws, you must change it. These changes must be made for your club to be in good standing and eligible to send delegates to the 2009 TFRW and NFRW Conventions. [The details about the changes were published in the January and March 08 ”President’s Newsletters” and in the February President's E-Newsletter].
Since you have to make changes to your Bylaws anyway, I suggest that you appoint a committee to review your entire Bylaws to make sure they are in complete compliance with TFRW and NFRW Bylaws. I have already had several bylaws submitted that had to be sent back because the club had not made some changes in the past.
Six suggestions for scrutiny were published in the April President's E-Newsletter and discussed in the April Conference Calls. They are currently on the web site www.tfrw.org.
Also, the committee should read them with an eye to how your club is doing its business now. Are some of the items in your bylaws no longer applicable to your club? Are there things you are doing now that need to be put into your bylaws?
A good guideline for review is the “Sample Bylaws,” Page 129 thru 134, in the 2008-09 TFRW Leadership Handbook provided to your president. These Sample Bylaws were completely rewritten this year. Although designed for new clubs, the Sample Bylaws provide an excellent check list for what your bylaws should contain. Make a copy of them for your Bylaws Committee, as well as the actual TFRW Bylaws
But don’t wait until October to submit your bylaws! Get them to me as soon as possible. Also, you must submit your entire bylaws, not just a page or two with the changes.
Feel free to contact me with any questions. My email address and phone number are above.
Remember, the consistency between the National Federation of Republican Women Bylaws, the Texas Federation of Republican Women Bylaws, and your club’s bylaws is what unites us into a Federation and allows us to reach our common goals of fostering good citizenship, promoting good government, and electing Republicans!