LEGAL AFFAIRS COMMITTEE BYLAWS

Transcription

1 LEGAL AFFAIRS COMMITTEE BYLAWS PARAGRAPH 1 Legal Affairs ARTICLE I ORGANIZATION The Committee shall be known as the APTA Legal Affairs Committee, hereinafter the Committee. PARGRAPH 2 Mission Statement The purpose of the Committee shall be to educate its members with respect to legal issues pertaining to public transportation, share best practices, provide input to other APTA committees, and engage in other activities relevant to legal concerns of the public transportation industry. PARAGRAPH 3 Objectives The objectives of the Committee shall be to plan the annual Legal Affairs Seminar, contribute to the education of member organizations regarding relevant laws and regulations, and contribute to the strategic goals of APTA, as appropriate. ARTICLE II MEMBERSHIP Membership in the Committee shall be open to attorneys who are employed by transit system members, business members, international members, non-operating state department of transportation members, association members, transit boards, government agency members or affiliate members of APTA. Attorneys employed by Federal agencies may also participate in the Legal Affairs Committee, but as non-voting members of the Committee. For purposes of this Article, employees of any of the foregoing APTA members include partners and shareholders who receive compensation for services performed. An employee also includes a sole proprietor who is an APTA member. An attorneyemployee of an APTA member need not submit a written application for Committee membership.

2 2 ARTICLE III OFFICERS PARAGRAPH 1 Officers The Committee shall have the following officers: Chair, Vice-Chair, and Secretary. All officers must be members of the Legal Affairs Committee in order to serve. PARAGRAPH 2 Duties of Officers The duties of the Officers of the Committee shall be as follows: A. Chair. The Chair shall preside at all meetings of the Committee and shall be responsible for calling all meetings of the Committee. He/she shall be an exofficio member of all regular and special committees. He/she shall appoint all Subcommittee Chairs and Vice Chairs and Task Force Chairs and members. He/she shall act as a liaison between the Committee and other APTA Committees, as appropriate. He/she shall be responsible for acting to ensure the Committee achieves its objectives and shall perform all such other duties as usually pertaining to such office. B. Vice Chair. The Vice Chair shall preside at meetings in the absence of the Chair. He/she shall assist the Chair in the development and conduct of Committee activities. C. Secretary. The Secretary shall be responsible for keeping records of Committee actions, including the taking of minutes of Committee meetings, and carrying out such other duties as may be assigned by the Chair. PARAGRAPH 3 Terms of Office Each Officer shall serve a term of two years. Immediately after serving his/her two-year term, the Vice-Chair shall serve as Chair for a two-year term beginning after the annual meeting. The office of Secretary does not have automatic succession to the position of Vice-Chair. PARAGRAPH 4 Vacancies In the event the office of Chair becomes vacant prior to the end of the term, the Vice Chair shall ascend to that office for the remainder of the term. In such case, the ascending Chair will appoint a new Vice-Chair to hold office until an election for Vice Chair is held, as provided in the following paragraph. In the event the Office of Vice Chair is filled by an appointee or becomes vacant prior to the end of the term, the Chair shall call an election for the position of Vice Chair

3 3 at the next Legal Affairs Committee meeting after the announcement of the vacancy. The new Vice Chair shall complete the term of Vice Chair remaining for his or her predecessor and shall succeed to the two-year term of Chair. In the event the Office of the Secretary becomes vacant prior to the end of the term, the Chair shall appoint a new Secretary for the remainder of the term. PARAGRAPH 1 Election of Officers ARTICLE IV ELECTION OF OFFICERS Election of Officers other than to fill a vacancy shall occur at the business meeting of the Committee, usually held in winter at the annual Legal Affairs Seminar. Officers shall be elected by a majority of Committee members present and voting. Newly elected Officers shall assume office after the business meeting at which they are elected. The nominating committee shall endeavor to maintain a rotation of Vice Chairs from public and business member sectors of APTA (hereafter, sectors) such that every two years the Vice Chair shall be nominated from the sector other than that from which the current Vice Chair was a member at the start of his or her term. The movement of the Vice Chair or Chair between sectors during the term of office will not affect such person s continued eligibility to serve out his or her term. If a nomination from the floor is made and such nomination would not maintain a rotation, such nomination will in any event be valid. PARAGRAPH 2 Nominations A nominating committee, consisting of the past Chair, current Chair, and Vice Chair shall meet prior to the annual Legal Affairs Seminar business meeting at which officers are elected and nominate a candidate(s) for the office or offices for which there is a vacancy. Members interested in serving as officers may make their interest known by submitting a letter of interest to the staff advisor for the Committee at least 30 days prior to the annual business meeting at which officers are elected. Nominations may also be made from the floor at the business meeting, if the person nominated has indicated to the person making the nomination that he/she is willing to serve. ARTICLE V MEETINGS AND VOTING PARAGRAPH 1 Meetings The Committee shall meet each winter during the APTA Legal Affairs Seminar. The Committee may also meet as deemed necessary by the Chair to conduct the business of the Committee. Except as provided in Article VIII regarding the 30-day notice period for amendments, notice of the meeting shall be prepared by the Chair and sent out (by

4 4 mail or ) to the Committee members no less than 14 days prior to the meeting. Notice of other Committee meetings shall be prepared by the Chair and sent out (by mail or ) to the Committee members no less than seven days prior to the meeting. All meetings shall be generally conducted in accordance with Robert s Rules of Order, as amended. Attendance by electronic means including phone is permitted. PARAGRAPH 2 Voting Only members of the Committee shall be eligible to vote on issues or matters before the Committee. Except as otherwise specified herein, all votes shall be by simple majority of voting members present and voting. ARTICLE VI RECORDS AND COMMUNICATIONS PARAGRAPH 1 Maintenance of Committee Records The APTA Staff Advisor, along with other APTA staff as appropriate, shall assist the Committee Secretary in maintaining the Committee membership roster and all Committee records, including meeting minutes. PARAGRAPH 2 Communications All Committee notices, announcements and other communications shall be processed and distributed by the Committee Chair, with the assistance of the APTA Staff advisor, in accordance with APTA policy. ARTICLE VIII AMENDMENTS TO THE BYLAWS PARAGRAPH 1 Submission and Consideration of Amendments Amendments to these bylaws may be proposed by any Committee member and must be submitted in writing to the Chair for consideration and voting at the next business meeting of the Committee. Copies of any proposed amendments shall be distributed at least 30 days prior to a business meeting. PARAGRAPH 2 Adoption of Amendments Amendments to these Bylaws shall be adopted by a two-thirds vote of Committee members present and voting.

5 5 ARTICLE IX CONFLICTS WITH APTA BYLAWS OR FEDERAL OR D.C. LAW In the case of a conflict between these Bylaws and the APTA Bylaws or Federal or District of Columbia law, the APTA Bylaws and/or the Federal or District of Columbia law shall prevail.