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California Woman

 


CHAPTER IV
STANDING RULES

1. General

A. ADMINISTRATION
The State President has responsibility for administration of the California Federation.  Under general supervision of the President, with the cooperation of the Executive Committee, designated individuals shall handle the operation of the Federation to provide needed functions. There shall be a personnel policy established by the Executive Committee for any employees or individual contractors of the Federation.

B. CALLS TO STATE MEETINGS
The President shall be responsible for distributing copies of all calls to board meetings and state functions to all members of the Board of Directors, Special Chairs, Special Appointees, Past State Presidents who are current BPW/CA members and Local Organization Presidents.

C. RELEASES TO DISTRICT OFFICERS/CHAIRS
All State releases shall be sent directly to district counterparts, state officers and chairs, and district presidents.

D. MEETINGS

1) All facilities must be handicapped accessible.

2) Registration forms for all California Federation events shall include an option allowing members to pay the registration fee plus ten dollars ($10.00) postage and handling to receive printed materials distributed at the event.

3) An observer's fee of five dollars ($5.00) per meal function will be charged at all state meetings.

4) Training meeting allowance will be paid to those persons designated by the President in accordance with the type of Training meeting planned.

5) The Vice Chair Individual Development will outline tentative training meetings for Instructors at the Post Convention Board Meeting. Certificates of attendance at a State Training seminar will be given to each Instructor within thirty (30) days of attendance.

2. Executive Committee
The minutes of the Executive Committee Meetings will be distributed to members of the Executive Committee, the Immediate Past State President and Past State Presidents who are current BPW/CA members, with one copy to be placed in a permanent file. A summary of the Executive Committee action items will be published in the California Woman.

3. Board of Directors Minutes

A. The Board of Directors minutes will be distributed to members of the Board of Directors, Special Chairs, Special Appointees, the Federation Handbook Chair and Past State Presidents who are current BPW/CA members in attendance at the next meeting. Those unable to attend may purchase the meeting packet at the current stated price.

B. The Parliamentarian shall advise the Handbook Chair of all changes made by the Board of Directors to the Federation handbook.

4. State Convention Minutes

A. The minutes of the State Convention shall be approved by the President, Recording Secretary and Parliamentarian who were in office at that convention. The outgoing President shall be responsible for the condensed convention minutes to be duplicated and distributed with the Call to the Fall Board Meeting.{under advisement add summary for the California Woman}.

B. The Parliamentarian shall advise the Handbook Chair of all changes made by the convention body to the Federation handbook.

C. The entire convention proceedings are to be taped and tapes retained on permanent file with copies of all convention tapes given to the presiding President.

5. Bank Accounts for Special Funds
Separate bank savings accounts or savings and loan association accounts shall be maintained for the California BPW Education Fund, Inc. A separate financial statement will be presented at each State Federation meeting.

6. Establishment of New Special Funds
Establishment of new special funds shall be approved by the Board of Directors.

7. Funds Not Budgeted
After the budget has been adopted by convention action, no funds may be voted for any team, project or other expense until a request has been presented and has been studied by the Finance Management Team, which will have the authority to decide whether a budget change can be made to cover such additional expense, and make a recommendation to the Executive Committee.

8. Mileage and Allowance
Meeting expense shall be reimbursed at the rate set in the operating budget for each authorized BPW/CA meeting; and as budgeted for the Government-in-Action Conference and the Annual Convention.

9. State Representative

A. Districts may have a State Representative at their conferences and annual meetings.
State Representatives to district conferences shall be State Elected Officers, Vice Chair of Finance, Vice Chair of Legislation, Vice Chair of Membership/ Marketing, Foundation, Individual Development and Young Careerist Chairs, Past State Presidents who are current BPW/CA members, Legislative Advocate and other members of the Board of Directors, including nonvoting members, as approved by the President.

B. The Districts shall support the State Representative's cost to attend a district conference, as agreed between the district and the State Representative. State Representatives do not pay registration fees at district meetings.

10. Budget

A. BUDGET COMMITTEE
The State President-Elect, Vice President of Finance/Treasurer and Vice Chair of Finance prepare the annual budget. The State President and the incoming Vice Chair of Finance serve ex-officio to this Committee. Other designated individuals shall also attend the budget meeting. Other State Officers may attend as an observer without vote, at their own expense, as may others who are invited by the President.

B. BUDGET – INCOME

1) Income from State dues shall be based on actual membership as of January 1 less 10%.

2) Income from state publications.

3) California Woman

(a) Income from advertising shall be based on the average for the past three years.

(b) Income from State dues allocated to California Woman shall be based on actual membership as of January 1 less 10%.

4) Miscellaneous income shall be any income that cannot be credited to any other budgeted item.

C. BUDGET - EXPENDITURES

1)

(a) The President's Expense shall include all Federation expenses of the President except when authorized State Representative to Districts. The amount of five hundred dollars ($500.00) may be advanced promptly to the President upon assuming office and additional sums as needed up to the budget allocation.

(b) Should an interim National Federation meeting be called by the National President without an allocation in the National Federation budget, such expense shall be paid from special allocation in the state budget for National meetings.

2) The Vice Presidents' expenses shall apply toward incidentals, telephone calls, postage and miscellaneous items incurred in routine serving of their respective offices.

3) The President's Aide expense as budgeted.

4) State Board Meeting expense shall include established meeting expense allocation as budgeted, all inclusive, for:

(a) State Board members (except President and other members of the Executive Committee).

(b) Parliamentarian and President's Aide.

(c) Special Chairs to one interim Board Meeting, upon invitation of the President, and to the Pre-Convention (Board) Meeting. In case of necessity, the President may invite a Special Chair to an additional Board Meeting.

(d) State Functions Coordinator for previous fiscal year to Fall Board Meeting and State Functions Coordinator for current year to Winter Board Meeting.

(e) Nomination Chair and Bylaws/Resolutions Chair to Winter Board Meeting and State Convention.

(f) Legislative Advocate as authorized by the State President.

(g) Consultant to District Presidents to Board Meetings and State Convention.

(h) Other Special Appointees to one Board Meeting, as authorized by the President, and the Pre-Convention Board Meeting, with the exception of those who are appointed to function only at the State Convention.

(i) All necessary expense, as budgeted, of designated individuals when on Federation business.

(j) Miscellaneous expenses of State Board Meetings shall be any expense that cannot be charged to any other sub-item of State Board Meeting Expense.

(k) Each meal request received after the deadline shall be charged a late fee of five dollars ($5.00).
Those members or non-members attending one meal function only, other than Installation, will be charged an additional fee. (See registration form.)

(l) Incoming Management Team Vice Chairs and Consultant to District Presidents for Post Convention Board Meeting. Meeting expense as budgeted for the Post Convention Board Meeting, if not serving on the current Board.

5) Established Meeting expense as budgeted of Executive Committee (except President) to called Executive Committee Meetings and Board Meetings. In the event a member of the incoming executive committee has not served on the previous Board, they shall be entitled to established meeting expense, as budgeted, to the Post Convention Board Meeting.

6) A separate budget (e.g. Government-in-Action) is to be prepared by the Finance Management Team. Said budget should include any administrative/meal costs and expenses.

7) NATIONAL CONVENTION EXPENSE shall include:

(a) The Immediate Past President and President-Elect shall be reimbursed as budgeted.

(b) State Vice President Legislation and Public Policy as representative to the National Legislative Platform Committee. The State Vice Chair Legislation and Public Policy or a representative appointed by the State President attends as an alternate.

(c) Expenses of properly endorsed California candidates for National office subject to a limitation of five hundred dollars ($500.00).

8) NATIONAL BOARD MEETING
The President, President-Elect and Vice President Legislation and Public Policy or the alternate shall be reimbursed for expenses to attend the Interim National Board/Public Policy Action meeting, as budgeted.

9) Miscellaneous

(a) Past President's pin.

(b) When appropriate, the Executive Committee may authorize a donation not to exceed fifty dollars ($50.00) to the California BPW Education Fund, Inc. in memory of deceased State Board members, Past State Presidents, and their immediate families.

10) Standing/Special Chair's expenditures shall include:

(a) Finance - for those designated to attend the Budget meeting, as specified in the section labeled "Budget" found earlier in this chapter.

(b) Legislation - Vice President and Vice Chair of Legislation and Public Policy.

(c) Membership - Membership promotion and awards.

(d) Other Standing and Special Chair's incidental and award expenses.

11) ADMINISTRATIVE

(a) Legislative Advocate to cover the California Secretary of State's legislative advocate's registration fee.

(b) Legislative Advocate's expenses, as budgeted.

(c) Printing, stationery and office supplies, promotion materials, and workshop materials (all material not for sale).

(d) Printing and duplicating State Material for sale.

(e) President's expense for the following: printing and office supplies, telephone and telegraph, and postage.

12) All bills to be paid for current year expenses must be received no later than thirty (30) days after the close of State Convention. Any bills submitted after that date will not be honored.

13) An Income/Expense Statement for all Federation events must be submitted within sixty (60) days following the event to the State President for presentation to the Board of Directors.

14) All other expense vouchers must be submitted within thirty (30) days of the event to be eligible for reimbursement (exceptions only with the approval of the State President).

11. Convention

A. SITE

1) The President-Elect, or another member of the Executive Committee, and one other member, experienced in convention needs, designated by the State President are to investigate facilities for the following year's convention in person. The President-Elect or designated Executive Committee member shall make a recommendation to the Board of Directors no later than the Winter Board Meeting.

2) In selecting the site, the Board of Directors shall take into consideration, in addition to the adequacy of facilities, the cost of attendance to members, and the cost to the State Federation.

3) In case of an emergency, the Executive Committee may change the date and place of the Convention.

B. BUDGET

1) The Convention budget shall be prepared by the State President, State Functions Coordinator, Vice President Finance/Treasurer and Vice Chair Finance, and approved by the Executive Committee. State Convention should be self-supporting. The budget is estimated on anticipated registration. The budget is usually set at 10% lower than the previous year's actual paid registration .

2) Following State Convention, a detailed financial report shall be prepared by the Convention Finance Team, reviewed by the current Executive Committee, and the review presented no later than the Fall State Board Meeting.

3) Stipends for those chairs who function only at State Convention, namely Election Board Chair and Memorial Service Chair should be included in the Convention budget.

4) Expenses of the Nominations Chair shall also be included in this portion of the Convention Budget.

5) Establish a meeting stipend of one hundred dollars ($100.00), inclusive of all expenses; i.e., cost of travel, telephone, room, etc., to be paid to the State Functions Coordinator.

6) State Convention excess/loss is to be credited/debited to the current year's operating budget.

12. Government-in-Action Conference

A. Financing

1) The Government-In-Action Conference is financed by registration fees collected from each member who attends the conference.

2) If held in conjunction with the BPW/CA Winter Board meeting, the stipends of officers whose attendance is not required at GIA shall be taken totally as a Board expense.

3) If held in conjunction with BPW/CA Winter Board meeting, the stipends of officers/chairs whose attendance is required at both meetings will be divided equally between the two expense lines.

B. Site and Dates

1) The Government-In-Action Conference is held annually in February or March; dates and site to be determined by the Executive Committee upon the recommendation of the Vice President Legislation and Public Policy.

2) In consideration of the financial needs of the federation, this conference maybe held in conjunction with Winter Board, but no earlier than mid February.

3) In selecting the site, consideration shall be given to adequacy of facilities, the cost of attendance to the members, and overall cost to the GIA Conference.

4) In case of emergency, the Executive Committee may change the date and place of the Conference.

C. Budget
The Conference budget shall be prepared by the Vice President Legislation/Public Policy and Vice President Finance/Treasurer, and State Functions Coordinator, with the President serving ex-officio, and approved by the Executive Committee at the Fall Executive Committee Meeting. (Budget is estimated on anticipated registration. The budget is usually set at 10% lower than the previous year's actual paid registration.

D. Expenses shall include:

1) Site visit by the Vice President Legislation/Public Policy and the State Functions Coordinator, if required.

2) Meeting expense of fifty dollars ($50.00), all inclusive, for the following: Vice President Legislation/Public Policy, Vice Chair Legislation, Legislative Advocate, three (3) screening committee members, GIA Parliamentarian, State Functions Coordinator, Registration Chair and State President.

3) Notice of complimentary meals for speakers or special guests are to be sent to the Vice President Legislation/Public Policy and the Finance Management Team. Any additions to this list must receive the prior approval of the State President.

4) All miscellaneous expenses, as budgeted, - postage, printing, telephone, etc. of the chairs directly connected with the GIA Conference shall be paid from the GIA Conference income.

5) District Legislation Chairs attend Government-In-Action Conference for the Legislation Platform Committee meeting at the expense of the District.

13. Individual Development Policy

A. Instructors of the Individual Development Program shall meet the following criteria:

1) Be a member of BPW for one year.

2) Must have completed an Individual Development Course as a participant with the District Executive Committee certifying the completion of the course.

3) Qualify for at least two of the following items:

(a) Be an experienced Management Facilitator; i.e., a member who conducts management seminars for her/his firm or whose business is that of Business Management;

(b) Has professional speaking training;

(c) Has attended four plus (4 +) hours of Instructor Training or was a facilitator or co-facilitator of an Individual Development Course;

(d) Be an educator with experience in conducting adult classes;

(e) Served in a leadership role on a District or the State Board of Directors.

B. The re-certification process of an ID Facilitator shall be:

1) To continue as an ID facilitator re-certification must occur every three (3) years or within three (3) years of Initial Certification as an ID Facilitator.

2) Every three (3) years an ID Facilitator must attend training session as organized by the Vice Chair Individual Development or Vice President Issues Management. This training must include a review of the ID program and update on any changes to the program.

3) Receive official re-certification from Vice Chair Individual Development or Vice President Issues Management.

C. State will provide to the District President and facilitator, a letter of certification.
Only those individuals who have taken the Individual Development Courses from Instructors chosen under the above criteria will be eligible to compete in the Individual Development Speak-Off at the District or State Level.

D. The Vice Chair Individual Development will outline tentative training meetings for instructors at the Post Convention Board Meeting.

E. Certificate of attendance at a State Training Seminar will be given to each Instructor within thirty (30) days of attendance.

F. A current list of coordinators will be maintained by the Vice Chair Individual Development and a designated individual. (Perhaps the Vice President Issues Management.)

G. A list of current Coordinators will be submitted to the Editor of the California Woman for publication in the Fall edition, to enable interested members to contact the proper person to schedule their programs.

H. Individual Development Program Award
The Robbie Robinson Individual Development Program Traveling Plaque is awarded annually at the State Convention to the District which graduates the greatest number of students from Individual Development Training classes held between April 1 and March 31 of each year. 

14. Commercialism Policy

A. The commercialism policy is established to protect the name and prestige of the California Federation from exploitation at any level - Local, District, or State.

B. The commercialism policy prohibits the use of the name of any specific unit of the California Federation (Local, District, or State) or the use of the name and official title of any member or officer of a local organization, District or State, in advertising or promotion of the sale of any manufactured product. This shall not be construed to prohibit the selling of any items without specific endorsement.

C. The commercialism policy prohibits the use of the name of any specific unit of the California Federation (Local, District, or State) or the use of the name and official title of any member or officer of a local organization, District or State, in the endorsement of any business or commercial enterprise unless prior approval is obtained from the Board of Directors of the California Federation upon recommendation of the Executive Committee.

D. Endorsements of any business or commercial enterprise shall be reviewed annually by the Executive Committee.

E. The California Federation prohibits the release of membership lists of the State Federation unless approved by Board of Directors.

F. All non-BPW materials distributed to members must have approval of the Executive Committee.

15. Guidelines for Candidates for B.P.W. State Elective Offices

A. The State Nominations Chair will verify, upon completion of all nominations procedures, those candidates who are eligible to campaign.

B. An open forum for candidates for State Office is to be held during Convention prior to election. The procedure will be established by the Executive Committee.

C. Each candidate shall be allowed three (3) minutes to make a presentation to the Convention body during the business session, prior to election.

D. No campaign materials may be distributed at any state meeting prior to the Annual State Convention.

E. During the Annual State Convention, campaigning will be permitted outside all meeting rooms only.

F. No campaigning will be permitted within 100 feet of the designated voting area.

G. There shall be a one hundred fifty dollar ($150.00) expenditure limit for candidate promotional materials.

H. Candidates who have met all nomination criteria as per Article XIII, Section 2. may submit a picture and a biographical sketch, not to exceed one hundred and fifty (150) words, for publication in the Spring Edition of the California Woman and in the State Convention program.

I. A copy of these guidelines will be mailed with the State Nomination Procedures.

16. Legal Advisor

A. The legal advisor advises the Executive Committee and designated individuals on legal matters not requiring an outside attorney. This advisor is responsible to the State President and should be available to answer legal questions at meetings of the State Board of Directors and the State Convention.

B. The Legal Advisor must be a BPW/CA member and an attorney with experience in voluntary organizations. An understanding of BPW's goals and objectives is required.

C. Any contracts of any corporation under the umbrella of BPW/CA shall be reviewed by the Legal Advisor.

D. The Legal Advisor is not necessarily BPW/CA's attorney of record.

17. National Legislative Platform Committee

A. The Vice President Legislation and Public Policy shall be the California Representative to the National Legislative Platform Committee at National Convention and to the National Policy In Action Conference held in conjunction with the interim National Board Meeting.

B. The Vice Chair Legislation shall attend the National Legislation Platform Committee as an observer and serve as the alternate for the Vice President Legislation and Public Policy to either the Platform Committee meeting or to the National Policy in Action Conference.

C. If neither the Vice President Legislation and Public Policy nor Vice Chair Legislation is able to attend these meetings, a representative shall be appointed by the President with ratification by the Executive Committee.

18. Exhibit Space at State Meetings

A. Table top space will be made available to BPW members and non-members at BPW/CA meetings, including State Convention, at a cost determined by the Executive Committee.

B. Those purchasing exhibit space must coordinate their requests and space requirements with the State Functions Coordinator.

C. Applications are to be made with the State Functions Coordinator no less than thirty (30) days in advance of the meeting.

19. Financial Statements as of May 31
The Executive Committee shall be provided with the final copy of the internal financial statement as of May 31, and the final budget comparison of actual income and expense report on or before the Fall Board of Directors Meeting.

20. BPW/CA Endorsement of California State Legislative and Constitutional Elected Officials Procedure.

A. The BPW/CA Candidate Endorsement Committee shall be a committee of five (5) members, with one serving as chair, appointed by the Executive Committee to review applications for endorsement, and recommendations shall be made to the Executive Committee for ratification.

B. This committee, with the help of the Legislative Advocate, shall review the applications and, when appropriate, past voting records of the applicant.

C. The Chair of this committee shall seek input in this decision making from the locals in the area the candidate is located from, through the district legislation chair and/or local organization legislation chairs.

D. The application of each candidate shall be reviewed to determine if all the requirements have been met and that each application is complete.

E. An application for endorsement, cover letter and a copy of our legislative platform will be sent within thirty (30) days after the primary to each Democrat and Republican candidate.

F. Candidates from other parties may be considered upon request.

G. Completed applications will be sent to a designated member of this committee who shall forward copies to the other committee members and the Legislative Advocate within ten (10) days of its receipt.

H. Committee members shall notify the committee chair of their decision to endorse or not endorse within ten (10) days of receipt of a copy of the application for endorsement.

I. The Chair will forward the committee's recommendation and number of votes received for or against to the Executive Committee.

J. This committee will not recommend endorsement of any candidate running against an incumbent with a good record of support for BPW issues.

K. Candidates for Constitutional Office shall follow all of the procedures outlined for legislative candidates, except that all district legislation chairs will be contacted to provide input into endorsement consideration.

L. The final decision for endorsement shall be made by the BPW/CA Executive Committee.

21. Web Master:
The person chosen as Web Master shall:

A. Be a BPW/CA member;

B. Have knowledge of web site construction and maintenance;

C. Have good communication skills for providing clear, concise information on the site;

D. Be available to keep the web site current.

 

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