The Board of the South Central Chapter of the Washington Academy of Family Physicians proposes replacing the current bylaws (last updated in 1985) with the following:
BYLAWS
South Central Chapter
A Component County Chapter of the Washington Academy of Family Physicians chartered by the
American Academy of Family Physicians
As amended by the Executive Committee, (Insert Date)
Article I
Name: The name of the organization shall be the Washington Academy of Family Physicians, South Central Chapter.
Article II
This organization is a constituent chapter of the Washington Academy of Family Physicians, which is a chapter of the American Academy of Family Physicians, a corporation existing under the laws of the State of Washington and is possessed only of those rights and powers conferred by said corporation on this organization. No rules, regulations, or policies adopted by this organization shall be in conflict with the rules, regulations, or policies of the Washington Academy of Family Physicians or the charter issued by said Academy to this organization.
Article III
Objects: The objectives of this organization are:
To improve the health of the patients cared for by Family Physicians and to improve the health of the communities in which we practice.
To promote and maintain high standards of Family Medicine.
To encourage and assist individuals in preparing, qualifying, and establishing themselves as Family Physicians.
To preserve the right of the Family Physician to engage in the scope of medical and surgical practice for which they are qualified, and as granted by state license.
To assist in providing continuing medical education for Family Physicians, and to encourage and assist practicing physicians and surgeons in participating in such training.
To advance medical science and private and public health, and to preserve for patients, the right of free choice of physician.
This organization shall have no capital stock. It is not conducted for pecuniary profit and does not contemplate pecuniary gain or profit to the members thereof.
Article IV
Membership:
Section 1: The qualifications and conditions of membership and the classes of membership shall be the same as provided in the Bylaws of the Washington Academy of Family Physicians. The method of election shall be as provided in the Bylaws. Any active member in good standing shall be eligible to vote and to hold office.
Acceptance of membership in this organization shall constitute an agreement by such member to comply with the Constitution and Bylaws of this organization and those of the Washington Academy of Family Physicians.
All title, and interest, both legal and equitable, of a member in and to the property of this organization shall cease in the event of any or either of the following: (a) the expulsion of such member; (b) the striking of the member’s name from the roll of members; (c) the member’s death or resignation.
Section 2: Any member who changes occupations or status in such a manner as to render the member ineligible for membership to the Academy may be removed from the membership roll.
Section 3: Members shall be required to pay dues and/or assessments to this organization in the amount and manner provided in the Bylaws.
Section 4: All members of this organization whose dues and assessments are paid shall be members of the Washington Academy of Family Physicians and the American Academy of Family Physicians.
Article V
Meetings: Meetings of this organization shall be held at a time and place (physical or virtual) to be determined by the Executive Committee. Special meetings may be called as provided in the Bylaws.
Article VI
Officers:
Section 1. The officers of this organization shall consistent of: a President; a President-Elect; a Secretary-Treasurer; a Resident representative; a Medical Student representative; and Delegates and their Alternates in the number authorized by the State Chapter; all of whom shall be members of the WAFP South Central Chapter.
Section 2. These officers shall constitute the Executive Committee and shall take office at the conclusion of the annual WAFP House of Delegates meeting.
Section 3. Subject to the action of the members in meeting assembled or by referendum, the control and administration of this organization shall be vested in the Executive Committee.
Section 4. The Executive Committee is empowered to employ an assistant and/or rent offices necessary to carry out the duties of said Committee.
Article VII
Dues:
Section 1. Dues will be charged as provided in the Bylaws (same as Chapter 2, Section 1 of the Bylaws).
Section 2. Special assessments may be made by the Chapter as necessary for their duties as provided for in the Bylaws.
BYLAWS
Chapter 1
Election of Members: Application for chapter membership shall be unified with the application and acceptance to the Washington Academy of Family Physicians and American Academy of Family Physicians.
Chapter 2
Payment of Admission Fees and Dues:
Section 1. Dues for active members shall be set by the Executive Committee and transmitted to the State Chapter as provided by the American Academy of Family Physicians.
Section 2. The dues of members other than active members shall be fixed by the Executive Committee.
Section 3. Special assessments may be applied equally to all members by affirmative action of two-thirds of the Executive Committee.
Section 4. Any member whose dues or assessments are unpaid at the end of the calendar year shall be notified and stricken from the role in accordance with the Bylaws of the American Academy of Family Physicians and shall again acquire membership in the manner set forth in the AAFP Bylaws.
Chapter 3
Notice of Meetings:
Section 1. Notice of general or special meetings shall be given by the Secretary-Treasurer to all members at least ten (10) days prior to the date of such meeting, either by email, or by letter mailed to the members address as it appears on the Secretary’s records, or by publication in the official publication, if any, of the organization.
Section 2. Special meetings may be called by the Executive Committee or by the President. Special meetings shall be called by the Secretary-Treasurer upon the written request of any ten (10) or more members at a place determined by the Executive Committee. They may be held virtually if applicable. These meetings shall be held not less than fifteen (15) days or more than thirty (30) days following the date of such request. Notice of said meeting shall be communicated to all members not less than ten (10) days prior to the meeting.
Chapter 4
Election:
Section 1. A Nominating Committee of three (3) may be appointed by the Executive Committee, whose duties shall be to present one or more nominations for each office. Delegates, and Alternates to the WAFP in the number specified by the WAFP, will be appointed in a manner determined by the President. If appointed, this committee shall be appointed not less than ninety (90) days prior to the Annual Meeting each year.
Section 2. If appointed, the Nominating Committee shall report to the membership by writing or e-mail a minimum of fifteen (15) days prior to the Annual Meeting. Nominations from the floor will be made at the Annual Meeting.
Section 3. Voting shall be by written (or by voice if there are no opposition candidates) ballot at the WAFP House of Delegates Annual Meeting. Virtual voting will be done if the annual meeting is held virtually. Results shall be published to the membership.
Section 4. Election shall be by a majority vote of the ballots received.
Chapter 5
Duties of Officers:
Section 1. The President shall preside at all meetings of the organization and the Executive Committee.
Section 2. The President-elect shall preside at all meetings of the organization and of the Executive Committee in the absence of the President. (If the President and President-elect are not present at an organizational meeting, the Secretary-Treasurer shall preside.)
Section 3. The President-Elect shall become acquainted with all the routine of the organization so that the President-Elect will thereby be better fitted to assume office on the expiration of the term of the President.
Section 4. The Secretary-Treasurer shall perform all duties which the title of the office ordinarily connotes: attending all meetings of the organization and the Executive Committee, maintaining the records of members; serving as the custodian of all official documents of the organization, in such an amount as the Executive Committee may require; and acting as the program chair for continuing medical education. The Secretary-Treasurer shall present a financial report at each Annual Meeting as the Executive Committee may require.
Section 5. The Resident representative shall become a member of the Executive Committee for a period of one (1) year. The term of office shall begin at the conclusion of the WAFP House of Delegates annual meeting at which the election occurs and expire at the conclusion of the next annual meeting or when a successor is elected. The Resident representative shall be elected by resident peers who are members of the South Central Chapter. They are responsible for disseminating information to their residency peers and representing their interests to the Executive Committee. They will be expected to attend all meetings of the organization and the Executive Committee.
Section 6. The Medical Student representative shall become a member of the Executive Committee for a period of one (1) year. The term of office shall begin at the conclusion of the WAFP House of Delegates annual meeting at which the election occurs and expire at the conclusion of the next annual meeting or when a successor is elected. The Medical Student representative shall be elected by medical student peers who are members of the South Central chapter. They are responsible for disseminating information to their medical student peers and representing their interests to the board. They will be expected to attend all meetings of the organization and the Executive Committee.
Section 7. One Delegates and one Alternates Delegates (Members at Large) shall be elected for a 1-year term. Any Delegate or Alternate shall be eligible for unlimited additional terms, if qualified. Any vacancies occurring at any time shall be filled by appointment of the President, from a list of Alternates until the next election; candidates for the office of Delegate to be selected only from the list of Alternates. It is recommended that each Delegate and Alternate attend a minimum of three-fourths of the Executive Committee Meetings of the South Central Chapter held during the year. The office of any Delegate or Alternate Delegate failing to meet this requirement in any year may be declared vacant, and such vacancy filled by appointment of the President until the next regular election.
Delegate position on the executive committee does not connote a delegate position for the WAFP House of Delegates. Delegate positions to the house of delegates will be appointed by the executive committee.
Section 8. Any member holding office in the South Central Chapter shall not be barred from holding a State or National office.
Section 9. The Executive Committee shall meet at such times and places as the President may direct. Special meetings of the Executive Committee shall be called by the Secretary upon written request of any two members of the Executive Committee at a time and place to be determined by the Secretary, but not more than thirty (30) days following the receipt of such written request.
Section 10. No action of the Executive Committee shall be considered valid unless taken at a regularly constituted meeting of the Committee and recorded in the minutes.
Section 11. Those members of the Executive Committee present at any duly authorized meeting shall constitute a quorum.
Section 12. Vacancies of those elected to, or appointed by, the Executive Committee may be filled by the Executive Committee, provided, however, that such appointment shall terminate at the next annual meeting at which time the Nominating Committee, if appointed, shall present a nominee for the unexpired term, if any.
Section 11. The Executive Committee shall serve for one year, or until their successors have been installed.
Section 12. The Executive Committee shall consist of an off number of members. Delegates and Alternative Delegates may be added in order to attain the lowest odd number of members.
Chapter 6
Ethics: The Principles of Medical Ethics of this organization shall be the same as those of the Washington Academy of Family Physicians, and the disciplinary procedures shall be handled in the same manner specified in the Bylaws of the Washington Academy of Family Physicians.
Chapter 7
Rules of Order: In absence of any provision in the Bylaws, all meetings of this organization and of the Executive Committee shall be governed by the parliamentary rules and usages contained in the current edition of “American Institute of Parliamentarians Standard Code of Parliamentary Procedure.”
Chapter 8
Amendments: Any five or more members may propose amendments to these Bylaws by submitting the same to the Secretary at least sixty (60) days prior to any regular or special or board meeting, such proposed amendment to be referred to the Executive Committee to determine its constitutionality, and for study and recommendation. The Committee shall report its findings at the next regular or special board meeting for which the amendment is offered, and a ballot shall then be sent to all members with a synopsis of the pros and cons of the proposed Amendment. An affirmative written vote of a majority of the membership of the Chapter voting shall constitute adoption.